Save money by replacing your roof in the spring

Learn why spring is the best time to replace your roof.

Save money by replacing your roof in the spring

Was this last winter actually the last winter for your roof? Are your pots and pans being used to catch water instead of boil it? If you think reroofing or roof repair is in your future, you may want to speed up the process and take care of it this spring.

Why? Because replacing your roof in the spring could provide a number of benefits that you won't see during other times of the year. These benefits include convenience, more choices, and perhaps the best benefit: less cost.

Keep reading to see why you should consider replacing your roof in the spring.

Spring Offers the Best Rates

Sure, you want quality work. And yes, you definitely want to use a reputable roofing contractor. But let's face it, the bottom line is it's mostly about the bottom line when it comes to reroofing. And spring is probably your best shot at getting the best pricing from roofing contractors, says Jeff Jarvis, director of business development for the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA).

The reason is that spring represents a slow time of year for most contractors. So, you may not only have more choice, but a more competitive market thanks to roofers having less business, says Jarvis. And competition is the consumer's best friend.

"Earlier in the year, contractors are trying to pick up work, so the consumer will be able to get more competitive bidding," Jarvis says. This, he says, will lead to the consumer (you) getting the roofing contractor you feel best about, for the best price.

In fact, "As the year goes on contractors tend to get busier and by the time we get to fall or early winter, it really becomes crunch time. As a result of that, pricing seems to increase during the course of the year. So if someone realizes they're going to need roofing work done, the advantage of pricing it in the spring is they'd probably get preferential pricing," adds Jarvis.

As for the amount you could save, he says it varies, but a 10 to 15 percent break is not unusual. However, Jarvis always advocates getting at least three estimates to make sure you get the best rate.

[Want to replace your roof this spring? Click to compare rates from contractors in your area now.]

Roofing Materials are Conducive to Spring Temperatures

Roofing materials, it seems, are a lot like Goldie Locks - stay with me; it will make sense soon. Shingles, plywood, and adhesives don't like to be too cold (below 40 degrees) or too hot (extreme temperatures), says Jarvis. That's why spring is a good time to replace your roof if you want to be sure to get the best results.

And trust us, come that first winter storm, you want to be sure of the integrity of your new roof.

Of course, in some parts of the country, roofing is a year-round business. For instance, in Southern California, it might be perfectly fine to replace your roof in fall or even winter. You just might risk paying more (see the previous section).

"But as you get up in northern climates, when we have a lot of snow or ice, or if it's really cold or windy, it's best not to do roofing work [in the winter] unless you absolutely need to," says Jarvis.

And even if the temperature is right, wind can still pose a problem. "In high winds, materials have a tendency to get airborne, and if the roofer is spending most of his day chasing materials around the neighborhood instead of installing the roof, that doesn't work out too well," he says.

[Think now is the best time to replace your roof? Compare rates from contractors in your area now.]

Your Roof Replacement Could Be Completed Sooner

We're not saying that you hate roofers, but we're betting that you feel better when they're not around. In short, you want them to get your job done efficiently and then leave you to bask in the dry security of your home.

If this describes you perfectly, then listen up: "Spring is a very good time for getting jobs done more quickly," says Jarvis. "Contractors typically don't have that much backlogged or that many jobs in the spring, so they can concentrate more fully on your job."

Unfortunately, roofing is also heavily dependent on weather, and extremely hot or cold days can create delays. So spring might be your best shot at getting a good run of consecutive nice days, and therefore your roof repaired or replaced in the least amount of days possible.

What's more, the mild spring weather is also less likely to interrupt a contractor's day and efficiency.

For example, "A contractor shouldn't be tearing off your whole roof and then only replacing a portion of it in that day. He should only tear off what he's capable of replacing in that same day," says Jarvis.

This means that if your contractor is worried about an impending storm or super hot weather, he may not start your job. In the wrong time of year, like in the winter when storms are common, that could mean long delays.