How to prepare for roof installation: settle the product, the permit and the start date with your roofer, clear the driveway and the ground along the walls, take fragile things off the walls and cover what is stored in the attic, and plan for noise, pets and children on the work days. A prepared house lets the crew start on time and finish without stops. To schedule an installation, call NEMA Roofing at 866-631-3366.
Before the start date: what to settle with your roofer
- The signed contract and the product. Manufacturer, line and color are written down, so nothing is decided on the driveway on day one.
- The permit. Ask who pulls it and when it will be posted; the job should not start without it.
- The start date and the weather plan. Ask how much roof will be opened each day and what happens if rain is forecast.
- Where things go. Agree on the spot for the dumpster and the material delivery, and whether the crew needs an outdoor power outlet or water.
- Other trades. If solar panels, a satellite dish or rooftop equipment must come off, book whoever removes and reinstalls them.
- Deck repairs. Agree how you will be told about rotten boards once the old roof is off (photos, and a written change order signed before the extra work, as California contract law requires).
- Your HOA. If you have one, check whether it needs to approve the color or material first.
Outside the house
- Move cars out of the driveway and the garage, and park them away from the roof edge for the length of the job.
- Move patio furniture, grills, potted plants and toys at least several steps away from the walls; debris slides off the roof edge.
- Cover or move anything delicate along the house: garden beds, a pond, outdoor electronics.
- Mow the lawn a day before. Short grass makes the magnetic nail sweep work better.
- Trim branches that hang over the roof, so the crew can work and the new roof is not scraped later.
- Tell the neighbors the dates. Their cars may need to stay clear of a shared driveway and the dumpster.
Inside the house
- Walls on the top floor. Hammering carries through the framing. Take down mirrors, framed pictures and shelves with loose items.
- The attic. Dust and bits of old roofing fall through gaps in the boards during tear-off. Cover stored items with sheets or tarps, or move them out.
- Rooms under skylights. Clear the space below any skylight being reflashed or replaced.
- The garage. The same dust reaches open rafters in a garage; cover tools, bikes and stored boxes.
Pets, children and working from home
A roof installation is loud from the start of the work day to the end. Keep pets inside, in a quiet room away from the side being worked on, or with a friend for the noisiest days of tear-off. Keep children away from the dumpster, the ladders and the ground along the walls, where nails and scraps land. If you work from home, plan calls for a room on the far side of the house, or somewhere else on tear-off day.
What to expect while the crew is working
- Meet the crew lead on the first morning and walk the site together: the dumpster spot, the areas to protect, how to reach you.
- Stay reachable by phone. Decisions about deck repair come up once the old roof is off, and the crew should not wait for an answer.
- Expect the ground to be swept for nails at the end of each day, and any opened section to be covered with underlayment or a tarp before the crew leaves.
- Keep the driveway clear on delivery and pickup days.
For what the crew does on each of those days, see roofing installation step by step.
Planning around rain
Across NEMA’s service area, the rain comes mostly in winter. NOAA’s 1991-2020 climate normals put about 87 percent of Santa Barbara’s yearly rain, and about 88 percent at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, between November and March, with almost none from June to September. A roof replaced in the dry months carries the least weather risk. If the job does fall in the rainy season, a careful crew opens only as much roof as it can cover with underlayment the same day, and watches the forecast before each tear-off.
After the last day
- Walk the yard, the driveway and the flower beds for nails and scraps, and point out anything missed.
- Look into the attic after the first rain for any drip or damp spot.
- Rehang pictures only once the final work on the roof is done.
- Keep the contract, the permit sign-off and the warranty confirmation together; the roof installation checklist lists what to keep and what to check before the last payment.
Whichever of the five counties you live in (Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside or San Bernardino), a NEMA Roofing crew from one of our five locations in Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Woodland Hills, Tarzana or Downey can take the job; the service areas page lists the cities. Our roof installation service page explains what the job includes. To plan your installation dates, call NEMA Roofing at 866-631-3366.
