When taking on any project the best thing to start out with is a plan of action. You will want to get out a pen and paper and start sketching out all the variables involved in the project. You will want to build an outline that breaks the job into elements or parts. If your going to be replacing the shingles of your roof, for example, you will need to figure out how many shingles will be needed. You will also need to know about how many nails the job will take. Choosing the right roofing materials for the job is important for success. You can’t just use any type of nails available; there are specific roofing nails used in tacking down shingles. To make the job easier, especially if you’ve never done this before, you should Google “installing roof shingles”. The resulting sites will show you how to install shingles on your roof, but more importantly it will often list the ingredients of the job.

Choosing the right roofing materials begins with knowing what you will need for the job. Once you find the page that lists the materials needed you will then need to know what would be the best type to purchase. There are a lot of different types of roof shingles to pick from so you’ll need to know what type would best protect your roof based on where you live and what weather conditions you’ll need to protect your home from. People in areas where weather gets to -12 degrees may need a different type of shingle than someone who lives in an area where the weather rarely gets harsh. If budget is a concern you will want to shop around to find the best deal but there is a balance between quality and price. You don’t want to get the cheapest shingles for the sake of price. There may be some reason that they are cheaper that you can’t live with. You don’t want to find out that these cheaper shingles are only rated to last a few years where the ones that were a few dollars more were rated at 20 years.

When replacing your shingles all together you may need to reseal the roof before installing them. This is an insulation issue as well as a secondary way to keep rain, heat, cold, and other elements like bugs out of the home’s attic. Many people miss this step and find out later that they were supposed to do this. This is where the list comes in handy. When your going to do any project like this it is well worth taking the time to do some research, making a list, and doing it right the first time. The list also helps you do your shopping!