What happens during a roof replacement?

Before the crew arrives

Confirm delivery and debris-container locations, vehicle access and areas that must stay clear. Discuss protection for landscaping, windows, outdoor equipment and belongings. Ask about noise and whether particular rooms or outdoor areas should be avoided while work is underway.

Record the contact person, expected working hours and method for schedule changes. Agree on who handles permits and inspections where applicable. Keep family members and pets away from active staging and fall zones; do not use ladders or roof access to follow progress.

Understand removal, investigation and protection

Ask how the contractor plans the removal areas and temporary weather protection. Once existing roofing is removed, previously hidden conditions may become visible. GAF’s reroofing guidance notes that retained coverings can conceal deck problems; request a clear explanation of the investigation limits before work begins.

Have the agreement explain documentation, pricing and approval of discovered damage. Ask who can make a decision if you are unreachable and what emergency protection arrangements are authorized. Avoid leaving that communication question until an opened roof and changing weather make it urgent.

Know the hold points and coordination needs

Ask which checks occur before the next layer conceals the work and how required inspections affect the schedule. If other trades handle solar equipment, skylights or rooftop systems, confirm their timing and responsibility before removal.

The contractor should explain the selected system’s broad sequence without turning the owner into an installer. Use progress reports or photographs supplied by the crew to understand the work from a safe location.

• Weather-related stop and rescheduling decisions.
• Discovery approval and emergency contacts.
• Inspection or review points before concealment.
• Coordination with equipment and adjacent-wall work.
• Daily property access and end-of-day protection.

Close out the work with records

Ask for a final walkthrough, cleanup arrangements, completed inspection documentation where applicable, product identification and written warranty information. Record any remaining items and the agreed resolution.

Inspect the yard and accessible areas with the contractor before returning them to normal use. Retain photographs and documents with the roof’s installation date. A tidy property and a complete document package are separate parts of handover; request both instead of treating the last installed panel or shingle as the only completion milestone.