You rarely think about your roof until it starts to leak, but once that drip invades your happy home, its importance becomes obvious—as does the fact that replacing a roof is an expensive proposition. Depending on the size and type of roof, a replacement will run you anywhere from $4,000 to more than $30,000. With that kind of money on the line, it’s easy to see why some folks might think replacing the roof themselves is a genius idea. It isn’t.
Yes, roofers charge anywhere from $30 to $100 per hour for labor costs, which adds up to a big chunk of change you can keep in your pocket if you provide the labor yourself. And while you technically can tackle this job, there are two fundamental reasons why trying to replace your roof yourself—even if you’re relatively handy and not afraid of heights—is a bad idea.
Roof replacement is dangerous work
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The most important consideration is the inherent danger in roofing work. Roofing is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous jobs in America, with a fatality rate 10 times higher than most jobs. The risks are obvious: You’re working high off the ground, usually on uneven and sloped surfaces. As noted by roofers themselves, learning how to comfortably walk and carry (often very heavy) equipment and materials on a roof is a skill that must be acquired. Even if you’re normally comfortable with heights, you can’t expect to just hop up there with 100 pounds of shingles on your shoulder, and go prancing about safely.
It’s also financially dangerous: Lacking experience, you’re likely relying on Google results and guesstimates when ordering materials, which means you’re probably going to over- or under-order, leaving you either paying additional shipping and delivery costs for extras (plus living with an unfinished roof for a longer period of time), or you’ll have palettes of shingles sitting in your garage for the rest of your natural life. And since you won’t have any sort of warranty on the installation, if you mess up and your new roof leaks (or worse), you’ll wind up having to pay to do it all over again, or hire someone to replace it a second time.
Roof repair is harder than you think
Roof systems are actually pretty complicated—even if you have a flat rubber roof, replacing it is not as simple as rolling fresh material out and sealing the seams. Roof systems include stuff like the decking under the roofing material (which may need replacing as well), drip edges, flashing and underlayment, and starter shingles—and you’ll need to know how to properly install all of it.
You’re also going to have to figure out how to tear off the old roof without doing extra damage, how to get all those materials down to the ground and to be hauled away, and how you’re going to get the new roofing materials up to your roof (without putting too much weight in one spot, potentially causing a collapse). Then, you need to know what tools and equipment you’ll need for the job (most of which are pretty specific, which this means buying a lot of stuff you’ll use exactly once, or racking up hefty rental bills).
And roofing is, in a word, exhausting. It not only requires knowledge and skill, it takes strength and endurance, especially if your roof craps out in the hot weather and you find yourself baking in the sun while you work. Getting a group of friends or family together to help you may reduce the individual stress and workload, but it also increases the likelihood that someone you care about is going to get hurt.
If you absolutely, positively have to replace your roof and can’t afford the quotes you’re getting from roofers, your first step should be to inquire whether a more affordable repair could get you through the short-term, or if you can work out a payment plan or financing for the project. DIY-ing your roof replacement should always be your last option.