How to Prepare Your Home for Roof Replacement (DFW Homeowner Guide)

The Night Before: What to Move

Move vehicles out of the driveway and off the side of the house — the crew needs driveway access for the dump trailer and material staging. Move any patio furniture, potted plants, grills, or yard decorations away from the perimeter of the house. Debris and nails will fall into a perimeter zone about 10-15 feet around the house. We use drop cloths and sweep magnets, but loose debris can still contact items at ground level. Move children's play equipment if it's near the house. Take down any wall hangings or artwork inside the home — vibration from the crew working overhead can knock things off walls. More than we'd like to admit gets broken that way.

Pets and Children on Replacement Day

Roof replacement is genuinely loud — pneumatic nail guns, material being dropped and moved, crew communication — and the noise lasts most of the workday. Dogs are almost universally stressed by it. If possible, board your dog for the day or arrange to have them out of the house. Young children similarly don't do well with the sustained noise. If it's a school day, better. If not, consider having them stay with family or arranging an outing. The vibration from the work can also trigger alarm systems — let your security monitoring company know in advance, or expect a call from them midday.

During the Job: What to Expect

Crews typically arrive between 7-8am and work through until the job is done, with a brief lunch break. Material delivery often happens the day before installation — your driveway will have bundles of shingles staged. On installation day, tear-off happens first: old shingles stripped and thrown off the roof into the dump trailer. This is the loudest phase. After tear-off, the decking is inspected — this is when unexpected rotted boards or soft sections are found and need your authorization for additional work. Then underlayment, drip edge, and new shingles go on. The foreman should walk you through any changes before they happen. JRH project managers are reachable by text and phone through the entire day.

End of Day: The Walkthrough

Before the crew leaves, do a full perimeter walkthrough with the foreman. You're looking for: complete nail cleanup with a rolling magnetic sweeper (any missed nails in the driveway or grass), gutters cleared of debris, no shingle material left on the ground, downspouts reattached, and the job site generally clean. Check the attic the next morning — the new shingles and nail pattern should be visible from below, and you can verify no daylight is coming through anywhere unexpected. JRH does a cleanup pass at the end of every job and follows up the next day to confirm the customer is satisfied. Call us at (469) 888-6903 before installation day if you have questions about what to expect.