By Jacquelyn Harris Grayson

Keeping your roof in tip-top shape is one way to help your home make it through winter with minimal damage to your home. 

This year it was time for a new roof on my house. Here are five things I learned during the process and five things I did that I recommend every client of mine do if they put on a new roof! 

What I learned:

1. A 30-year roof in Park City has a life expectancy of 20 years. 
2. They recommend you clear your driveway as it will be used for staging purposes. I learned it’s important to remove the permitter of your entire home – furniture, grills, planters, etc. Whatever you can move, do to minimize damage from debris that falls off. 
3. Not all roofers have a team of electricians to remove and reinstall heat tape. Make sure you understand what your roofer can and can not do. We opted for a roofing company that was one stop shop! They did warn us taking heat tape off can be tricky, especially if it’s old. Our heat tape was three years old, and they were able to take it off and reinstall it without any problems.  
4. There is a line item on the estimate for shoveling. We went with a roofer that guaranteed the job would be finished this summer. We were concerned that if we were pushed into October (like the other bid) and it snowed, the entire project would cost more due to the cost of shoveling (billed hourly!).
5. Our project stayed on budget except for a few sheets of plywood that needed to be replaced. Our roofer took photos and videos of the boards he replaced, explained why, and then sent us pictures of the new wood before the shingles went on top. If a roofer doesn’t give you photos, I would ask for them and always go into a fresh roof install with the expectation you may need to replace some plywood.

Thinking about selling your home in Park City? Read these posts next:

• 6 Signs it’s Time to Sell Your Park City Vacation Home
• How to Sell Your Park City Home When You Can’t Be There
• Park City Home Selling Q&A

Five things I did that I recommend my clients do:

1. Get multiple bids. 
2. Save your receipt.
3. Save the roof and warranty information in a file you can reference or provide as part of seller disclosures if you decide to sell your home. 
4. Make a note in your calendar when the roof installation is complete and another note 5 years from the end of its expected life and again at the end of its expected life. This will help us stay on top of things as our roof is nearing the end of its expected life. 
5. Do a walk around your home after the job is done. They do a sweep with a magnet for nails. They were thorough, but they still missed a few. 

Looking for more tips and tricks for maintaining your home in Park City? Read our home maintenance blog right here.

Gutters, heat tape and a roof in good condition are all important to have going into winter. Make sure you spend some time this summer making sure all three are in good condition and prepared for the upcoming winter!

Whether you’re buying or selling a home in Park City, we can help! Get in touch by emailing info@cmfhparkcity.com or calling 435-647-8035 today!