Did you know that the average roof repair cost is $1,121, with most property owners spending between $386 and $1,873? That’s a lot of money for one property repair. Yet, having a sound roof on your Philly rental property is crucial to keeping your property and tenants safe and dry from the stormy weather that so often visits the region.
Contents of This Article:
Contents of This Article: - Major Causes of Roof Damage
- Factors Affecting Roof Repair Costs
- What to Do If Your Rental Needs Roof Repairs
- Choose BMG to Help With Rental Repairs
Managing your Philly rental repairs can be a costly ordeal. And, let’s face it, no rental property owner looks forward to investing their hard-earned cash into property maintenance, especially when it comes to roof damage.
However, roof damage and repairs are just some of the landlord problems you might encounter at some point during your career as a rental property owner. That’s why we are sharing everything we know about roof damage related to your rental property.
In today’s article, we are going to provide common reasons why your property might experience roof damage, the factors that may affect the overall cost of repair, and the steps you should take to determine if repairs are needed.
Major Causes of Roof Damage
Several things may cause roof damage to your rental property. Let’s take a look at some of the main causes of severe roof damage:
- Lack of Proper Maintenance. As a rental property owner, you know that proper maintenance will extend the life of your property and keep costs low. This means regularly inspecting your roof for damage and handling repairs in a timely manner to prevent further damage.
- Wind Damage. Extreme wind can cause a lot of damage to your roof, especially over time. In fact, large debris (such as a tree) can blow directly into your roof, and pull off or damage roofing materials. In addition, old nails holding down roofing material may loosen over time, and cause materials to fall off.
- Extreme Weather. Aside from wind damage, your roof is also susceptible to other extreme weather conditions such as rain, snow, and hail. The weight of these weather conditions pounding down on a roof can lead to major damage, and create the need for immediate repairs.
- Flashing Problems. Your Philly rental’s flashing material is designed to keep water out of roofing sections. However, as the flashing becomes old, worn, or otherwise damaged, your roof then becomes vulnerable to water, which in turn equals roof leaks.
Lack of Proper Maintenance. Damage to your Philly rental’s roof can have long-lasting effects on your rental property business, especially if they go unnoticed for some time.
It is important to regularly inspect your entire roof for damage, and make repairs as soon as you can to prevent major costs, high turnover rates, and an increase in homeowner’s insurance premiums.
Factors Affecting Roof Repair Costs
There are several factors affecting the overall cost of your roof repair. Before delaying repairs, here are some of the most common to think about:
- Type of roof – flat, sloped, high or low pitched, metal or shingle
- Local roofing repair permits, especially in coastal areas
- Size of repair – pricing is typically based on square footage
- Type of damage, especially if water-based
- Unique rooftop elements such as chimneys and skylights
- New roofing material, especially if upgrading
Roof repair costs depend on various things, such as materials, the scope of work, contractors, and more. It is best to get a few quotes before hiring someone to do the job, as many companies will vary widely in the pricing (and quality) of their services.
Better yet, if you currently use Philly’s number one property management company, Bay Management Group, for all of your rental’s maintenance and repair needs, you will have access to a reliable, affordable, and efficient roofing contractor who can get the job done right.
What To Do If Your Rental Needs Roof Repairs
What To Do If Your Rental Needs Roof RepairsThe best way to tell if your rental property needs roof repairs is to visually inspect the roof for existing damage. Here are some things you, or a professional roofing contractor, should look for:
- Worn down surfaces
- Buckled, curling, blistered, or dented roofing material
- Breaks or cracks
- Missing or loose materials
- Gaps in the vents or skylights
- Leaks, drips, or moisture on the exterior and interior of the property
If you notice that your property’s roof needs repairs, the next step is to contact a roofing repair company you trust. Schedule a roof inspection and get a cost estimate, or plan for immediate repairs depending on the extent of the damage.
In addition, if you have homeowners insurance, this would be the time to contact your representative. That said, the amount of coverage you receive will depend on your individual policy terms and conditions.
Roof Repair vs. Roof Replacement
Roof Repair vs. Roof ReplacementDeciding whether to repair your rental property’s roof damage or replace the entire roof can be tough. If your property has experienced severe damage, despite the extra cost upfront, sometimes replacing the roof is the better option.
In addition, if your property’s roof is upwards of 20 years or older, it might be a good time to consider replacing the entire thing, even if the damage is minor.
Why?
Because over time, your roof will be susceptible to more damage. Continuously repairing your old roof might cost more in the long run than simply replacing the entire roof now. These are things to discuss with your roofing contractor, as they will be able to help you weigh your options and ensure you make a sound financial decision.
Choose Your Roofing Materials
If you decide to move forward with an entire roof replacement, you need to choose the best material for your property. That said, shingles (the most popular roofing material in the United States), metal, slate, and vinyl are common roofing material types. There are also several eco-friendly materials available such as recycled materials, solar shingles, and even vegetated roofing.
Choose BMG to Help With Rental Repairs
Altogether, there is a lot that goes into repairing roof damage on your Philly rental property. And while many resources out there claim you can do it yourself when it comes to roof repairs, it is often best to leave these things to the professionals.
Need More Advice? contact us today!
If you own rental property in the Philly area, and want to leave maintenance and repair issues to your property management company to deal with, contact Bay Management Group today. We have a huge network of professional contractors who can handle your roofing issues in a timely manner without taking all of your money.
Unfortunately, maintenance and repair costs are a part of being in the rental property business. However, handing over all of your positive cash flow to just anyone is not. Reach out to Bay Property Management Group today and see how we can help you save money, even on major roof repairs.
Roof damage can be a major problem in the homes. And to minimize these kind of situations, you need to take the right kind of precautions that will save your invaluable home. Most of the homeowners are not aware of the basics of home roof. So they can’t take the correct decision when it comes to the repairing or replacing of home roof. I would suggest them to hire a professional who could help them to take corrective action to solve them problem in the minimum investment. Anyways, thanks for sharing such an informative article.
Thanks for your message Virginia! We agree – hiring a professional roofing contractor can often be the best route to ensure the job is done efficiently and up to code.