Preparing for a scheduled roof replacement starts with a conversation about your property and your daily routine. Use the days before work begins to agree on access, identify belongings that need attention and establish who will answer questions. Keep the written scope and the preparation checklist together so everyone in your household can follow the same plan.
For a project with Longhorn, use the roofing service page as a starting point for discussing your scheduled work. Ask your project contact to confirm the arrangements below for your particular home rather than assuming a general checklist covers every detail.
Confirm the schedule and your point of contact
Request a short written overview of the anticipated arrival window, delivery arrangements and daily communication plan. Ask when you should expect the next update if the schedule changes. Choose one household contact and provide a reliable phone number, along with a backup person who can respond when you are unavailable.
- Who should I contact during the workday? Establish a direct route for questions about access, belongings or an unexpected concern.
- When will you confirm the start date? Use that answer to coordinate parking, appointments and any arrangements away from home.
- What happens if weather changes the plan? Ask who makes the scheduling decision and how you will receive revised instructions.
Tell your contact about school pickup times, medical appointments, delivery commitments or other fixed obligations. Request a plan for those specific times instead of relying on an informal understanding.
Walk through parking, deliveries and entrances
Arrange a ground-level walkthrough before the crew arrives. Ask your contact to identify proposed vehicle positions, material storage, waste collection and the entrance your household should use. Have them explain which areas should remain clear and when you should move your vehicles.
Ask, “Will I be able to get my car out after deliveries arrive?” This question helps you decide whether to park elsewhere before work begins. Also confirm whether garage access will remain available and whether you should retrieve bicycles, strollers or other daily essentials beforehand.
Discuss gates, access codes and pets before sharing entry arrangements. If a driveway or access route is shared, ask how deliveries will be coordinated and decide what information you should give your neighbor. Identify any accessible entrance that a household member needs, and request an agreed route throughout the project.
Agree on protection for outdoor belongings
Ask the project contact to mark the areas where they want furniture, planters, toys and other movable belongings cleared. Move only items you can handle safely from the ground; ask for help with anything awkward or heavy. Confirm the deadline for clearing each area.
- How will you address planted beds and irrigation equipment? Point out locations you want considered in the protection plan.
- What is the plan around windows, outdoor equipment and decorative features? Ask for an explanation specific to their positions on your property.
- Who handles items that cannot be moved? Set responsibility before work starts, including any follow-up conversation needed.
Consider taking dated photographs of the driveway, landscaping and exterior belongings for your own project record. Share existing concerns with your contact and ask them to acknowledge the locations discussed. Keep the photographs with your preparation notes rather than treating them as a substitute for a walkthrough.
Plan for occupants and indoor spaces
Ask what your household should expect during the planned work hours. Discuss remote meetings, daytime sleep, pet care and anyone who needs a predictable routine. Decide whether spending part of the day elsewhere would suit your household, and confirm how the crew can reach you.
EPA remodeling guidance recommends keeping occupants, particularly children, away from work areas until cleanup is complete. Ask your contact to explain the boundaries for this project and how you will know when an area is ready to use again. Apply those agreed boundaries to playtime, pet outings and visitors.
For any work affecting indoor spaces, EPA guidance recommends barriers to limit the spread of dust and other pollutants. Ask whether indoor access is anticipated and what containment arrangements the contractor proposes. Discuss attic belongings and any rooms needing special attention without entering work areas or attempting roof work yourself. See EPA’s remodeling and indoor air quality guidance for the source of these recommendations.
Prepare questions about inspection findings
Property preparation should include a plan for decisions during the job. The Texas Department of Insurance recommends inspecting decking after the roof covering is removed and replacing damaged decking. Before the start date, ask how findings will be photographed, explained and compared with your written scope.
- What decking conditions will you document after removal? Request labeled photographs and a plain-language explanation of any proposed additional work.
- Which flashing locations will you evaluate? Ask the contractor to identify the locations in project photographs and explain the proposed treatment.
- What can you assess before removal, and what remains uncertain? Use the answer to understand which decisions are already settled and which may require another conversation.
- How will you request my decision on a scope change? Agree on a written process and a backup contact before the workday.
These questions draw on the Texas Department of Insurance contractor question guide and the replacement planning topics in PNNL’s asphalt shingle roof guide. Ask the contractor to explain their relevance to your home; use the guides to support the discussion.
Set expectations for cleanup and the final walkthrough
Before work begins, ask what daily cleanup includes and what will wait until the project ends. Identify the walking routes, driveway areas and pet spaces you want discussed during the final walkthrough. Request clear instructions about when to resume using those areas.
At completion, review the agreed scope with your contact, request the project photographs and write down any unresolved questions. Confirm who will follow up and when. If you still need to clarify preparation arrangements for your Longhorn project, send a website inquiry with your address, scheduled date and the specific issue you want addressed.
Existing Longhorn residential roofing work photograph. Illustrative image; it does not establish findings at your property.