What to Expect During Your Roof Installation: Complete Homeowner Guide

The work actually starts before we arrive. Here's what happens and what you should do:

Material Delivery: We typically have materials delivered a day or two before installation. Shingle bundles are heavy—a full load for an average roof is several tons. Having materials on-site means we can start working immediately when we arrive.

Your Prep Work: This is the time to handle everything we discussed during the consultation:

• Move vehicles out of the driveway and away from the house
• Clear decks and patios of furniture, grills, and decorations
• Move hanging pictures inside—the vibration can knock things off walls
• Cover items in your attic with plastic if they're near the roof deck
• Arrange pet care or confine anxious pets to interior rooms
• Let neighbors know about the upcoming work (a courtesy that prevents complaints)

Weather Check: We monitor the forecast closely. If significant rain is expected, we might delay a day rather than risk getting caught mid-tear-off. We'll call you the evening before to confirm the start time.

If everything looks good, we'll confirm an early morning start—usually 7:00 or 8:00 AM. We start early to maximize daylight hours and often beat the summer heat.

This is when things get loud and busy. Here's what's happening:

7:00-8:00 AM - Crew Arrives: A typical crew is 4-6 workers depending on roof size. We set up ladders, safety equipment, and material staging areas. You'll see a trailer or dump truck parked for debris.

8:00-12:00 PM - Tear-Off: This is the noisiest part. We're literally ripping the old roof off your house. Shingles, underlayment, and debris come down into the trailer or into a controlled drop zone. It sounds chaotic, but there's a system.

During tear-off, we're also inspecting the deck. As each section is exposed, we're looking for water damage, rot, soft spots, or structural issues. If we find problems, we'll document them and let you know immediately.

What You'll Experience:

• Significant noise—think heavy thumping and scraping
• Vibration you can feel inside the house
• Dust and debris around the house exterior
• Workers walking on your roof constantly

This is not a time to be home doing quiet work. If you can, leave for the morning. Run errands, go to a coffee shop, take the kids somewhere. The morning tear-off is intense.

By late morning or early afternoon, the old roof is usually completely off and we're looking at bare decking. At this point, we'll update you on deck condition and any repairs needed.

Once tear-off is complete, the pace shifts from demolition to construction:

Deck Repairs: If we found damaged decking, we repair it now. Minor repairs take an hour or less. More extensive damage takes longer but we handle it all before proceeding.

Ice and Water Shield: In Utah, we apply ice and water shield along eaves and in valleys. This self-sealing membrane protects against ice dams and wind-driven rain. It's one of the most important layers in your roof system.

Underlayment: Synthetic underlayment goes over the entire deck. This is your secondary water barrier if shingles ever fail. We use quality synthetic underlayment, not the old felt paper that deteriorates quickly.

Drip Edge and Flashing: Metal drip edge is installed around all roof edges. Flashing goes around chimneys, vents, walls, and other penetrations. Proper flashing is critical—this is where most roof leaks originate when done poorly.

Shingle Installation: Finally, the shingles go on. We work from the bottom up, with each row overlapping the one below. Proper nailing pattern and placement matter for wind resistance and warranty compliance.

By the end of day one on a typical roof, we've got most or all of the shingles installed. The roof is water-tight, even if we're not completely finished.

If your roof took more than one day, the final day is typically shorter:

Morning - Finish Installation: We complete any remaining shingle installation, install ridge cap along the peak, and add ridge vents for attic ventilation. Finishing touches include caulking around flashing and checking every detail.

Final Inspection: Before anything comes down, our crew leader does a thorough walk-through of the entire roof. We're checking for proper installation, alignment, nailing, flashing seals—everything. We don't leave problems behind.

Cleanup: This is important. We don't just throw shingles in a truck and leave. Here's what proper cleanup looks like:

• All debris removed from roof, gutters, and ground
• Magnetic sweeps of entire property to catch nails
• Landscaping beds inspected and cleaned
• Driveway and sidewalks swept
• Property inspected from street to ensure nothing was missed

We do multiple magnetic sweeps because nails are inevitable. No one wants a flat tire from their roof job. We take this seriously.

Walkthrough With You: Once everything is clean, we'll walk you through the completed work. We'll show you what was done, point out any special features, and answer any questions. You'll receive warranty information and documentation.

Then we're gone. You've got a new roof that should serve you well for the next 25-50 years depending on materials.