A roof replacement is one of the more disruptive projects a household experiences and one of the shortest. Most residential roofs are completed in a matter of days, and knowing the sequence makes those days considerably less unsettling.
Here is what actually happens.
Before the crew arrives
Materials are usually delivered a day or two ahead, and shingle bundles may be loaded onto the roof itself or staged in the driveway. Expect a substantial delivery.
A dumpster or trailer arrives for debris. Ask where it will be positioned, because driveway access is affected for the duration.
Your preparation matters more than people expect. Move vehicles well clear. Remove or cover items in the attic, since tear-off dislodges decades of dust through the deck. Take down wall hangings on upper floors, because the vibration from tear-off and nailing genuinely shifts things.
Move garden furniture, grills, and anything fragile away from the perimeter, and consider protecting plantings close to the walls.
Day one: protection and tear-off
The crew protects the ground first: tarps over landscaping, plywood against walls and windows where needed, and a plan for debris.
Tear-off follows, and it is loud. Old material is stripped down to the deck, ideally in sections rather than exposing the whole roof at once, so a weather change does not leave the house open.
This is the noisiest stage by a wide margin. Impact from above is transmitted through the structure, and it is not comfortable to be underneath. Households with anyone working from home, small children napping, or noise-sensitive pets should plan to be elsewhere.
Deck inspection and repair
With the covering off, the sheathing is visible for the first time.
This is the moment when additional work is identified. Soft, rotted, or delaminated sheathing must be replaced, and its extent cannot be fully known before tear-off.
Your contract should already contain a rate for deck replacement per sheet, which turns this from a negotiation into a calculation. If it does not, ask before work begins rather than while the roof is open.
Underlayment and details
Ice and water barrier goes down at the eaves, in valleys, and around penetrations. In this climate that is standard rather than an upgrade.
Underlayment covers the remaining deck. Drip edge is installed at eaves and rakes.
Flashing is addressed at chimneys, walls, and penetrations. This is where the quality of the job is largely determined, and it is worth asking whether flashing is being replaced or reused.
Shingles and ventilation
The covering goes on from the eaves upward. This stage is faster than the preceding work and it is where visible progress finally appears.
Ridge venting is installed as the ridge is closed, and any ventilation corrections are made at this point since access will not exist again.
Nailing pattern and placement matter enormously here. Correct nailing is what allows a shingle to meet its wind rating, and it is invisible once the course above is laid.
Cleanup
A proper cleanup includes magnetic sweeping of the grounds, driveway, and surrounding area for nails, repeatedly rather than once.
Gutters should be cleared of debris from the work. Landscaping protection is removed and the site restored.
Nails in tyres and bare feet are the most common post-project complaint, and thorough sweeping is what prevents it. Firms like Mandette Roofing Company with local reputations to maintain generally sweep more than once, and it is reasonable to ask.
Final inspection
Walk the property and look at what you can see from the ground: straight lines at ridges and eaves, consistent shingle courses, tidy flashing at chimneys and walls, and secure gutters.
Ask for photographs of the completed work from the roof, including flashing details and any deck repairs, which you cannot see yourself.
Go into the attic and confirm no debris has been left and that vents are clear.
Weather
The programme depends on it. A responsible crew will not tear off into an approaching storm, and will cover open sections when weather threatens.
Expect the schedule to move. A contractor who pushes on regardless is taking a risk with your house rather than demonstrating commitment.