How to Plan a Roof Tear-Off: Bins, Tarps, Weather and Protecting the Property

Step by Step

1. 1Step 1: Walk the roof and the property and record what you find

   Check how many layers of roofing are on the roof by looking at the edge at the eaves and rake. Two layers means roughly twice the debris and weight, and a much harder day. Measure the roof in squares (100 square feet each). A typical house of 25 to 35 squares sets the bin size and the crew size.

   Note what is at the edge of the ground, too. Look for overhead power lines, a septic tank or field where the bin cannot sit, a soft lawn, a low-hanging tree, a pool, and a neighbour's property line. Then look at the roof itself for skylights, chimneys and vents that need protecting or that will be flashed again later.

2. 2Step 2: Check for asbestos on older roofs before you disturb anything

   Asbestos was used in some older roofing materials, including certain shingles, felts, flashing cements and mastics. You cannot identify it by looking. WorkSafeBC requires that hazardous materials, asbestos included, be identified before demolition or renovation work disturbs them, and that removal is done by properly trained workers when it is present. Breaking, cutting or grinding an asbestos-containing roof releases fibres.

   The practical step is to have samples taken and analysed by an accredited lab before the job starts. The result decides the plan: normal tear-off if it is clear, or an asbestos abatement process with the required notifications and disposal if it is not. Check the current WorkSafeBC requirements for homeowners and contractors before you begin.

   Watch out: Never break up, sweep or bin suspect roofing before it has been tested. Once fibres are airborne, the cleanup is far more expensive than the test.

3. 3Step 3: Size the bin and place it under the eave

   A single layer of asphalt shingles and underlayment weighs roughly 2.5 to 3 pounds per square foot for debris, about 250 to 300 pounds per square. A 30 square roof is therefore about 4 tons, and a second layer doubles it. Most bin companies rate bins by cubic yards and limit weight, so ask for one sized for shingle weight, not volume.

   Place the bin where debris lands in it directly. A bin 1 to 2 feet from the eave, on the driveway or a pad, lets you work downhill with a shovel. Put plywood sheets under the bin's wheels or feet to protect the driveway, and keep the bin away from the trees and overhead lines. If you have a choice, a bin with a drop gate makes loading and sweeping easier.

   • Check the bin's weight limit and the price of overage before you order.
   • Leave room on the street for the truck to pick it up.
   • Get a municipal permit if the bin has to sit on the road.

4. 4Step 4: Protect landscaping, windows, vents and the house

   Drop tarps or plywood over shrubs and beds along the eaves, and lean plywood against the walls where debris will fall to spare siding and windows. Cover air conditioners and pool equipment completely, because a single nail in a fan or a pump is an expensive repair.

   Inside the house, cover the attic floor and any stored items under the roof if the ceiling is vulnerable, and warn the homeowner that dust and vibration will come through. Block open vents, including bathroom fan ducts and plumbing stacks, with poly and tape so debris does not fall in.

   Tip: Take dated photos of the property before you start. They settle any later question about a scratched driveway or a broken plant.

5. 5Step 5: Set up access and fall protection

   Put the ladder on firm, level ground with stand-offs to keep it off gutters, tied off at the top and extending at least 3 feet above the edge. Install roof anchors at the ridge into rafters while the roof is still intact, using the method in how to install a roof anchor.

   Plan the path workers take to reach each section so nobody crosses the open areas. A roof stripped to bare plywood is slippery in the wet, and the walk a roof safely guide covers the footing and pitch limits.

6. 6Step 6: Check the weather and set how much you strip a day

   Rain is the one thing that turns a tear-off into an insurance claim. Check a forecast the night before and the morning of, and watch for wind, which makes tarping dangerous. If the forecast is uncertain, strip a smaller section, leave a day of margin, or wait. In the Fraser Valley the rain windows in fall and spring are short, so the plan is to work in sections.

   Strip whole sections, such as one slope or half a slope, not random patches. The rule is that every part of the roof opened in the morning must be covered by evening, either with new underlayment and ice and water shield or with tarps. The method is in how to dry in and tarp a roof overnight.

7. 7Step 7: Talk to the neighbours and the homeowner

   Give neighbours notice of the start date, the hours and the expected noise and dust. Ask them to move vehicles off the street near the bin and to keep windows closed on the day. A short heads-up avoids most complaints and makes the jobsite easier to work.

   Agree with the homeowner on where the crew parks, which door they use for washrooms, where pets and children stay, and whether the attic needs to be cleared. Check the municipal bylaw for noise hours, because starting too early can shut a job down.

8. 8Step 8: Stage materials and equipment before the tear-off

   Having the new materials on site before stripping means the roof can be dried in before nightfall. Check that the quantities match the plan, including spare plywood sheets for deck repairs that turn up after stripping. Loading the roof is covered in how to load shingle bundles. Spread bundles across rafters, never stacked at one spot.

Fraser Valley Notes

Questions to Answer Before Day One

Common Mistakes

• Undersized bin. A bin that fills halfway through a roof stops the job, and debris piled on the ground has to be hand-loaded later.
• Bin on a soft or unprotected driveway. The weight cracks asphalt and sinks into lawn. Plywood under the feet spreads the load.
• Stripping more roof than can be covered. An open slope at dusk with rain coming is how ceilings and insulation get soaked.
• Skipping the asbestos question on an older roof. Disturbing suspect material without a test can expose workers and turn a normal job into an abatement.
• No protection for landscaping and equipment. Nails in a lawn, a cracked window or a damaged air conditioner cost more than the tarps would have.
• No plan for the neighbours. An unannounced start with a bin blocking the street turns small friction into formal complaints.