5 Reasons Why the Spring is the Best Time for a New Roof
As the bitter cold and never-ending snowfall slips farther in the rear-view mirror and the days start getting longer, it is a sign not only that Spring has sprung but home improvement season as well. Contractors that weren’t lucky enough to have indoor work for the Winter are starting to emerge from their hibernation in the taverns and are ready to see if their tool belt still fits. Homeowners can take advantage of the incoming nice weather by finally getting a new roof installed. Hopefully your shingles have made it through the best Old Man Winter can dish out one last time because Spring is the best time to get a new roof for a few different reasons.
Contractors are Searching for Work Instead of Scheduling it In
You have a better chance of getting a roofing company to come to your house faster when you book them for Spring work. By the time July or August hits, crews have been pulled off jobs left and right for emergency projects and numerous pitfalls have snagged them which forces them behind schedule.
Better Pricing from Contractors
Another benefit of requesting bids in the early Spring is that companies want to make sure they have enough work for their crew all Summer so they will try to get as many jobs as possible right away. You are the benefactor here as they’ll sometimes lower their bid by hundreds of dollars to ensure they stay busy until the really hectic Summer work season starts.
Longer Work Days
While technically the days get longer the closer you get to June 21st, the work days around that time of the year for roofers are actually often the shortest. When temperatures reach the low 90’s workers up on the roof are doing more harm than good, they’re either tearing up the shingles by walking on them or working extra slow in the heat which drives your labor costs up. In the Spring roofers can work comfortably from sun up until sun down which finishes the job faster.
Ideal Temperature for Shingles
The Spring is awesome for laying shingles because they are hard and easy to handle during the chilly mid-morning but the sun heats them up and seals them by the afternoon. Plus the sun is warm enough to loosen the tar that seals the shingles but not so scorching that the entire shingle turns into a soft baked cookie right out of the oven and get ripped and torn.
Better Shingle Selection
When you purchase shingles late in the season you can get a great deal on discontinued or overstock product but you’re limited to choosing from the select few patterns they have available. When warehouses stock up early in the season you have your selection of practically every color and design of shingle before they get picked over.
There are a couple negative aspects of getting a new roof in the Spring such as the days being typically rainier or equipment tearing up your wet yard but for the most part Spring is the time for shingles to be sprung.