Outlining all the tools you will need to effectively install shingles on a hip roof

Installing new shingles on an old hip roof might sound like a simple job until you find yourself standing on top of your home. Doing the job yourself is often expensive, because you probably don't have the typical roofing tools and materials on hand. Before you start the job, you should think about the cost of the necessary tools and the length of the job.

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Installing shingles on hip roof

A hip roof is one of the more common types of roof and is typically found on bungalows, ranch homes and other smaller and larger houses. The roof essentially has four or more sloped areas that meet along a central line that runs across the roof. When you install asphalt roofing shingles on a hip roof, you need a large number of tools. One of the most important tools is a hammer, which you use to drive the roofing nails through the various layers of material and into the roof. You also need a chalk line, which lets you mark the roof and identify the areas where you need nails or screws. Using the chalk line helps reduce the risk of 3-tab shingles flying off during a storm.

As you are one story or more above the ground, you also need the proper safety gear. Contractors who work on residential roofing jobs often use harnesses. One end of the harness attaches to the top of the roof, while the other end straps around your body. If you fall or slide off the roof, the harness will keep you from hitting the ground and potentially injuring yourself. The harness adds to your overall roofing cost, and you might find that you have no need for the harness and other tools beyond the roofing installation.

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When you ask a contractor for a roofing estimate, the contractor includes the cost of materials and the number of hours it takes to finish the job. When you figure out the roofing cost yourself, you need to include the cost of any tools that you do not have on hand. It is also important to keep in mind that when you do the job yourself, you will not have a roofing warranty. Many companies that make shingles do not cover home installation. Even if you have tools like a utility knife, nail gun, electronic screwdriver and wood drill bits on hand, there is still a chance that you might make a mistake that your warranty will not cover.

With the low cost of asphalt shingle prices, some homeowners think that they can handle roofing jobs without any professional help. By the time that you factor in the cost of the tools that you need, you might find that it's cheaper to work with a contractor. Use QualitySmith to quickly find roofing professionals and contractors who can install new shingles on a hip roof. Contractors already have the proper roofing tools, making it easy for them to get the job done.