Looking to cut costs on roof repairs?
Climbing up there to fix a few shingles doesn’t sound too hard to most homeowners. In reality…
Doing your own roofing is a great way to make a small problem become extremely expensive. Plus, most of these rookie mistakes people make on roofs? They’re more common than you’d think.
Here is a complete guide to the most common roofing mistakes homeowners make when they try DIY projects. Projects that always end up costing way more to fix.
Quick Navigation
- Why Roofing Projects Go Wrong
- The Most Common DIY Roofing Mistakes…
- Hidden Costs Nobody Tells You About
- When to Always Hire a Licensed Roofing Specialist
Why Roofing Projects Go Wrong
Roofing is simple up close. A couple of missing shingles. Cracked flashing. Roof leaks. Easy fix, right?
Wrong.
It’s actually extremely difficult to do roofing without formal training. Asphalt shingle roofs are complex systems. Every layer from the decking to the underlayment to the flashing and right down to the shingles themselves need to work together perfectly. Fault any one section and your roof’s defense against the outdoors is compromised.
That’s why hiring a Roofing Contractor in Centralia or local roofing specialist is always the wise decision for anything more than a basic assessment. But if you’re still tempted to DIY your own roof repair, here’s what you need to know.
The Most Common DIY Roofing Mistakes…
Getting the Wrong Materials
This rookie mistake is probably the most common — and most expensive — mistake homeowners make.
Different roofs require different materials. What works on one home may fail completely on another. Climate matters too. Materials designed for dry climates don’t last long in rainy areas with lots of temperature fluctuations.
A lot of homeowners just use what’s available at the local hardware store without doing the proper research first. Guess what happens? Wrong materials. Failure. And a roof that lasts a fraction of how long it’s supposed to.
Badly Installing the Flashing
Did you know…
Approximately 90% of roof leaks stem from faulty or improperly installed flashing. Flashing is that metal material that goes around chimneys, vents, skylights and valleys that keeps rainwater from getting inside the home.
Installing it looks easy. It’s not.
The most common mistake here is using caulk instead of step flashing. Caulk doesn’t last long — especially if you live in an area with temperature fluctuations and lots of rain. Once the caulk fails, water works its way in and pools under your roof deck. By time you realize something is wrong, the damage (and repair costs) are huge.
Not Properly Ventilating the Roof
Believe it or not, ventilation is actually pretty important.
Most homeowners don’t consider roof ventilation when working up on their roof. That’s a problem because inadequate ventilation will cause hot air and moisture to build up in your attic space. That leads to:
- Mold/mildew
- Rotting roof deck
- Higher energy costs year-round
- Shingles that fail way before their time
Licensed roofing professionals know how to properly ventilate your roof to allow hot air to escape while not letting too much cool air in. Most DIYers overlook this important step which can lead to damage that might not appear for years to come.
Avoiding Safety Precautions
This mistake isn’t exactly about messing up your roof. It’s about hurting yourself.
Every year more than 150,000 Americans end up needing medical treatment due to accidents involving roofing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that over 97% of those injuries happen to DIYers and projects occurring in residential homes — not commercial job sites.
Most common? Falls. Roofing is super dangerous without the proper harnesses, footwear, and fall prevention equipment — even if you live in a single-story home. Most DIYers don’t own the equipment needed to safely DIY their own roof repairs.
Skimping on Building Permits
Believe it or not, this is a thing too…
Did you get a building permit before fixing your own roof? Many roofing projects require permits prior to starting work. If you fail to get one, you could end up paying fines and having work removed by your local town authority. Not to mention having a huge red flag appear when you go to sell your home.
Any savvy home buyer and their inspector will find the unpermitted work and it could stop a sale dead in its tracks.
Licensed roofing contractors pull their own permits as part of the job. Most homeowners will be unaware they are even needed and taking on roofing work DIY skips this important step. But just because your roofing contractor handles the permit, doesn’t mean you aren’t responsible for it — you are.
That may cause issues with your home insurance down the road.
Voiding Your Warranty
This one can actually happen before DIY work even starts.
Many shingle manufacturers require you to have all roofing work performed by licensed contractors as part of their warranty.
Don’t? The warranty becomes void.
That means if your shingles fail for whatever reason — even if it wasn’t your fault — you are 100% responsible for all costs to repair/replace the roof. Something that should have saved you money now ends up costing thousands.
Hidden Costs Nobody Tells You About
DIY roofing work can cost you 50% more to repair once you make a mistake. That’s right. Half again as much. Here’s another…
Approximately 50% of DIY roof replacements and installations end up failing within the first five years of installation. Yes — just five years. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association.
You go into your roof thinking you’ll save a few hundred dollars on materials. Then your “repairs” cause water damage inside the home, structural problems, and fail prematurely. Before you know it, you’re hundreds (or thousands) more dollars out of pocket to repair the things that went wrong.
Not to mention you’ll likely pay much more for a contractor to fix your DIY mistakes.
Roofing damage likes to hang out inside walls and ceilings. By the time you know something is wrong, it’s already way more expensive to fix.
When You Should Always Hire a Licensed Roofing Specialist
Little things around the house? DIY all day long.
Roofing is not one of those things.
There are serious risks to DIYing your own roof. From safety to warranty to permit requirements. Not to mention how complicated modern roofing systems really are. It takes a true expert to know what they’re doing. Ones that own every tool needed to do the job right.
Ask yourself this. Is it really worth the risk?
The Final Word on DIY Roofing Mistakes
Want to learn about roofing mistakes?
Here’s a big one. Don’t DIY your roofing projects.
Roofing is complicated and mistakes are expensive. We covered everything from using the wrong materials, botched flashing, to failing to ventilate your attic properly. Here’s a recap of the most common DIY roofing mistakes made by homeowners:
- Using improper materials for their roof type/local climate
- Incorrectly installed or skipping roof flashing altogether
- Failing to consider attic ventilation when making repairs
- Ignoring safety equipment when working at heights
- Skimping on permits
- Voiding their shingle manufacturers warranty
Roofing Contractors exist for a reason. Your roof is one of the most important components to protecting your home. Treat it that way.
