You are having foundation problems with your home but . . . you also need a new roof. Or you just got that new roof not too long ago and are now worried about how foundation repair will impact the recently done roof work. *sigh*
You’re right to question how your roof and foundation repairs affect one another.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we have been helping Brazos Valley homeowners for 35+ years through the proper sequencing of home repairs. We know that sometimes the order gets done just right, and sometimes it just happens one way out of necessity and we deal with the results. Either way, it’s going to be okay.
This article will discuss the connection between your roof and foundation repairs, reveal the best order to do these repairs, and what can occur in any roof/foundation repair scenario.
Will Foundation Repair Affect My Roof?
Your home is one big interconnected structure from the foundation to the roof. So if you’re wondering if moving or raising your foundation will affect your roof, it will. Anytime you move something as significant as the foundation that everything is built on, it will likely have some kind of impact on all the other parts of your home that are on top of it (which is everything and includes to roof).
You may or may not visually notice any changes or damage. But if your foundation moves, then it certainly can cause other movement in the home and that could include the roof.
Will Foundation Repair Damage My Roof?
Now you’re concerned that getting foundation repairs might damage your roof. It’s natural to arrive at that conclusion considering the section you just read about everything being connected. Getting foundation repairs can damage your roof in some cases and not in others. Let’s clarify . . .
Raising a foundation with an original roof will not cause damage to your roof. In fact, it might even improve the condition of your roof somewhat.
If foundation settlement is causing roof issues, it may bring separated shingles or flashing closer together from a stressed position. Not that the foundation repairs will literally repair your roof, but some structural stretching that was occurring could close up with your foundation being returned to its original elevation.
Raising a foundation with a new roof could cause damage to the new shingles. When any “home parts” are put on your home when it is in a sunken state, any rigid material will shift and not necessarily cooperate when the home is raised back to its proper position.
It’s kinda like putting a band-aid on your elbow when it’s bent. What happens when you straighten your arm? New shingles can ripple or crack because what’s under them has moved.
But a roofer can easily replace a few shingles if needed. We’re not talking about a massive, roof-wide impact here, just maybe some shingles at particular stress points could be damaged.
Foundation or Roof: Which to Fix First?
You might have already figured out from the last section what the optimal sequence would be for foundation and roof repairs. But to put it out there plainly, you should ideally get your foundation repaired first and your roof repaired second.
Because we know that a new roof covering can be compromised while raising a foundation, it’s best to fix the foundation and then repair the roof afterward.
But if it doesn’t happen that way for one reason or another, it’s not the end of the world. There could even be unavoidable reasons that you really need your roof repaired first so don’t worry about this if the “perfect repair order” did not get achieved.
If you do happen to have control over what gets done first, it’s foundation first, roof next.
Times When You Need to Repair the Roof Before the Foundation
So what are the times when you might need to go out of order and get the roof repaired first? Well, this first one might seem like a no-brainer but, here are two common reasons your roof might need to get fixed before the foundation:
- If you are taking on water and your roof is majorly leaking every time it rains, then get your roof fixed first.
- You could be running out of time on a roof damage insurance claim and can’t get an extension.
Or you may simply not have known that this was a thing to do in a certain order. Again, don’t stress too much if you have to get the roof repaired first because you had no other choice or it’s already happened. You’re likely already stressing about something else so don’t add to your worries on this.
What Happens If I Got My Roof Repaired Before My Foundation?
So you had to get the roof repaired before the foundation for whatever reason. What happens now? If you’re ready to get your foundation repaired now, you should do that first.
Once the foundation repair is completed, then get a roofer to come a do some minor repairs and replace any damaged shingles. You do need to get your roofer to do this work as it is not something a foundation repair company will do for you. Roof work is not part of the scope of work that foundation contractors are responsible for and it typically says so in their contracts.
Besides, you don’t want foundation repair guys doing roof work anyway. It’s best to leave the roof repairs to the roof experts.
Ready to Tackle Your Foundation Repairs Now?
Now that you’ve got that question out of the way, are you ready for foundation repairs? The best time to get your foundation repaired is when you feel good about moving forward.
Let Anchor Foundation Repair take the stress out of the foundation repair process for you. Serving Bryan, College Station, and other surrounding Brazos Valley communities like Brenham and Navasota since 1985, we have refined our foundation repair services to minimize your worry and maximize your confidence.
Check out the 4 service features that set us apart from other foundation repair contractors from our methods, to our communication, to our lifetime warranty.
