How to Prepare Your Home for a Roof Replacement: A Homeowner's Checklist

A roof replacement is loud, dusty and fast. A good crew can tear off and replace an average roof in one to three days. A little preparation protects your home and helps the job finish on time.

Use this checklist in the week before your roofers arrive.

Quick answer

• Move cars out of the driveway and garage.
• Cover items in the attic with old sheets or tarps.
• Take down wall hangings on upper floors.
• Protect plants, AC units and patio furniture.
• Keep kids and pets away from the work area.
• Plan where the dumpster goes. Usually the driveway, as close to the roof edge as possible.

One week before

• Confirm the start date and dumpster plan with your roofer. Ask whether they provide the dumpster or you should rent one.
• Tell your neighbors. Tear-off is noisy, and nails or debris can land near the property line.
• Check for permits. Most Michigan cities require a building permit for a roof replacement. Your roofer usually pulls it. If the dumpster goes on the street, you may also need a right-of-way permit. See our Michigan dumpster permit guide.
• Mark sprinkler heads and septic or utility covers so trucks avoid them.

Inside the house

• Cover attic belongings. Hammering shakes loose dust, insulation and old nails. Plastic sheeting or old bedsheets work well.
• Take down pictures, mirrors and shelves on top-floor walls. Vibration can knock them loose.
• Move fragile items off top-floor shelves.
• Plan for noise. If you work from home or have a newborn, plan to be out during tear-off.

Outside the house

• Move cars, bikes and grills away from the house and driveway.
• Cover plants and flower beds with tarps or plywood.
• Protect your AC unit with a sheet of plywood leaned over it.
• Clear patio furniture and decorations from around the house.
• Mow the lawn short a day or two before. Stray nails are much easier to find in short grass.

Plan for the dumpster

Roofing debris is heavy. Shingles, underlayment, flashing and nails from a single layer of asphalt shingles can weigh thousands of pounds, and a second layer roughly doubles it.

• Size: depends on roof size and number of layers. Use our roofing dumpster size guide to estimate.
• Placement: the closer to the roof edge, the faster the crew works. Leave plenty of straight access for the delivery truck (roughly 60 feet is a good rule of thumb). See where to put a dumpster at your house.
• Driveway protection: ask about boards under the rails, or consider a rubber-wheeled dumpster.
• Weight: check the included tonnage on your quote. See dumpster weight limits.

Blue Sky Disposal offers roofing dumpster rentals for homeowners and contractors.

On roof day

• Keep kids and pets inside or away from the house. Falling debris is a real hazard.
• Leave the driveway clear for the crew and the dumpster.
• Stay available by phone. Roofers may find rotted decking and need your approval to replace it.

After the job

• Walk the yard with your roofer. Ask them to run a magnetic nail sweeper over the lawn, driveway and flower beds.
• Check the gutters for leftover shingle granules and nails.
• Clean the attic and remove the coverings.
• Keep your warranty paperwork with the permit and final invoice.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be home during a roof replacement? Not necessarily, but be reachable by phone in case the crew finds damaged decking.

How long does a roof replacement take? Most average homes take one to three days, depending on size, weather and number of layers.

Can roofing shingles go in a regular dumpster? Yes, but they're heavy. Size your dumpster by weight, not just volume. Our roofing dumpster guide explains how.

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Planning a roof replacement? Get a roofing dumpster price or call 586-412-3762. Blue Sky Disposal serves homeowners and roofers across Michigan.