My roof has a few bare spots, where the wind has blown off the shingles. There are also many shingles that are peeled up.
1. When installing the new roof, do I need to tear off this old one, or is there a way to work around the very poor shape the existing roof is in?
2. I want to try and install this roof myself. I have never done it before, but I do lots of handy projects around the house. Is there a site or document out there that will step me through the entire roofing process, with photos?
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I prefer to strip the old roof. This allows me to inspect the condition of the deck, apply new felt, and avoids the telegraphing of the old roof patterns or defects. If the old roof has poor attachments, the new roof will be weak as well. Add the extra day and $300 for the dumpster to dispose of the old roof.
Roofing is an easy project in terms of skill. I am not a roofing pro and have done several. I even own a pneumatic coil nailer. You can rent one or risk smashing your thumbs. The biggest obsticle is a fear of heights. If you have exposures on your roof that you cannot tolerate, it is just not going to work. The basics are, check deck condition, apply felt, starter course, shingles, ridge and hip. You may need to learn about different flashing methods, construction of closed or open valleys and possibly how to install roof ventilation. There are lots of good reference materials and books that you can read, and probably some video tapes as well. You should purchase a basic text on roofing rather than expect to learn every situation you might run into based on input from an online forum.
We are here to help if you hit a snag and need help with a specific question. Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask questions after you have read the basics.
Roofing is an easy project in terms of skill. I am not a roofing pro and have done several. I even own a pneumatic coil nailer. You can rent one or risk smashing your thumbs. The biggest obsticle is a fear of heights. If you have exposures on your roof that you cannot tolerate, it is just not going to work. The basics are, check deck condition, apply felt, starter course, shingles, ridge and hip. You may need to learn about different flashing methods, construction of closed or open valleys and possibly how to install roof ventilation. There are lots of good reference materials and books that you can read, and probably some video tapes as well. You should purchase a basic text on roofing rather than expect to learn every situation you might run into based on input from an online forum.
We are here to help if you hit a snag and need help with a specific question. Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask questions after you have read the basics.
Only one addition to the "fear of heights"...a little fear of heights can be a healthy thing.
From personal experience, it's when you totally lose all fear and respect for the height that can allow you to forget for 1 second where it is you are. And it can only take that 1 second to step off. If in the process of falling, there's no time to "plan" your landing.
You can do it safely if you just keep in mind where your at.
Many homeowners do fine work, even better work on their homes than so-called professionals.
A roof CAN be your friend
From personal experience, it's when you totally lose all fear and respect for the height that can allow you to forget for 1 second where it is you are. And it can only take that 1 second to step off. If in the process of falling, there's no time to "plan" your landing.
You can do it safely if you just keep in mind where your at.
Many homeowners do fine work, even better work on their homes than so-called professionals.
A roof CAN be your friend
