How Long Does a Roof Replacement Take? What Twin Cities Homeowners Should Expect

One of the most common questions we hear from homeowners before starting a roof replacement is how long the whole thing is going to take. It’s a fair question – you’re planning around it, your family is planning around it, and if you have pets or a home office the noise and activity matter. Here’s a straightforward breakdown of what to expect.

The Short Answer

For most standard residential roofs in the Twin Cities area, the actual installation takes one to two days. A ranch or split-level home with a simple roofline can often be done in a single day. Larger homes, steeper pitches, or more complex rooflines with multiple valleys, dormers, or chimney’s typically take two days.

What Affects the Timeline

Several factors can push a job past the standard one-to-two-day window:

· Roof size: larger square footage simply takes more time. A 3,000 square foot roof takes longer than a 1,500 square foot roof, regardless of other factors

· Roof complexity: multiple angles, valleys, dormers, skylights, and chimneys all add time. Each penetration requires careful flashing work that can’t be rushed

· Deck damage: once shingles are removed, sometimes we find damaged decking underneath that needs to be replaced before new shingles go on. This adds time and material cost that wasn’t in the original estimate

· Weather: Minnesota and Wisconsin weather is unpredictable. High winds or rain can cause a weather delay

· Material availability: most of the time materials are staged before we start, but supply chain issues can occasionally cause delays on specific colors or products

What Happens Before Installation Day

The installation itself is the fastest part of the process. What takes longer is everything before it. From the time you contact us to the time we’re on your roof, here’s a typical timeline:

· Free inspection: Within a few days of your call, we come to you and assess the damage or wear and document everything.

· Insurance claim (if applicable): if the replacement is story-related, coordinating with your adjuster adds time. Plan for two to four weeks from claim filing to approval depending on your insurer and how busy adjusters are after a major storm event

· Material ordering and scheduling: once you’ve approved the estimate and materials are selected, we schedule the job. During peak season lead times can run longer.

· Permitting: most municipalities in the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin require permits for a roof replacement.

So from first call to finished roof, a realistic timeline is four to eight weeks during the busy season, and sometimes faster in later fall or winter when demand drops.

What to Expect on Installation Day

Our roofing crew shows up early. They’ll set up tarps around the perimeter of your home to catch debris and protect your landscaping, then start tearing off old shingles. Tear-off is the loudest part of the job. If you work from home, plan for a noisy morning.

Once the old material is off and the decking is inspected, new underlayment goes down followed by the shingles. At the end of the day, the crew cleans up and hauls away the old material.

Will You Need to be Home?

You don’t need to be home during the installation, but please be reachable by phone in case we find something unexpected under the old shingles that needs a decision. If you have a gate code, dogs that need to be kept inside, or landscaping you’re particularly protective of, let us know before the job starts.

Galvin Home Renovations replaces roofs through the Twin Cities metro and Western Wisconsin. If you’re ready for a free inspection or want to talk through your timeline, call us at (612) 518-9876 or request a free estimate online.

How to Spot Siding Damage After a Storm

Most homeowners check their roof after a hail storm and stop there. But hail and high winds do just as much damage to siding as they do to shingles and siding damage is easier to miss because it doesn’t always show up as an obvious hole or crack. Here’s what to look for and why it matters.

Why Siding Damage Is Easy to Overlook

Roof damage tends to get attention because leaks show up inside the house relatively quickly. Siding damage is slower to reveal itself. Water works its way behind compromised siding and into the wall cavity over weeks or months, showing up eventually as mold, rot, or interior water stains. By the time you notice it inside, the damage behind the wall is usually significant.

The other reason siding damage gets missed is that it’s not always dramatic looking. A small dent or crack in a siding panel doesn’t look like much from the driveway, but it’s enough to let moisture in.

What Hail Damage Looks Like on Siding

On vinyl siding, hail typically leaves circular cracks or splits. You’ll see them most clearly at the center of each panel where the material is less supported. On fiber cement siding, look for chipping or pitting. On wood siding, hail can split the grain or leave impact marks that aren’t immediately obvious but compromise the paint seal.

Walk the perimeter of your house after any significant hail event and look at each section of siding at an angle; the low angle of light makes dents and cracks easier to spot than looking straight on.

What Wind Damage Looks Like on Siding

High winds can lift, crack, or completely remove siding panels. Vinyl siding is particularly vulnerable because the panels interlock and once one gets lifted, others can follow. Look for:

Panels that are bulging away from the wall
Gaps at the seams between panels
Missing panels or sections
Cracked or broken panels at the edges and corners of the house

Corner pieces and trim are usually the first to go in high winds, check those areas carefully after any significant storm.

Check the Caulking and Trim

Even if the siding panels themselves look intact, check the caulking around windows, doors, and where siding meets trim. Wind and hail can crack or dislodge caulk, leaving gaps that let water directly into your wall framing. This is a small fix if caught early and an expensive one if it goes unnoticed through a Minnesota winter.

When to Call a Professional

If you’re seeing any of the above after a storm, it’s worth having a contractor take a look before filing an insurance claim. A few reasons:

Some siding damage requires close inspection to document properly for an insurance claim
Damage that looks minor on the surface can indicate more significant issues behind the wall
If the storm also damaged your roof, gutters, or windows, a single inspection can document everything at once and streamline the claims process

In Minnesota and Wisconsin, hail and wind events that damage roofs almost always damage siding too. If your neighbors are filing roofing claims after a storm, it’s a good bet your siding took a hit as well.

What About Insurance Coverage?

Storm damage to siding is typically covered under standard homeowners insurance policies the same way roof damage is. The same rules apply – document the damage with photos as soon as possible after the storm, note the date, and get a professional inspection before your insurance adjuster visits. Having a contractor present during the adjuster’s visit can help ensure the full scope of siding damage gets included in your claim.

Galvin Home Renovations inspects roofs, siding, gutters, and windows after storm events throughout the Twin Cities metro and Western Wisconsin. If your home took damage in a recent storm, call us at (612) 518-9876 or request a free estimate online — we’ll document everything you need for your insurance claim.

What’s the Difference Between Roof Repair and Roof Replacement?

When something goes wrong with your roof, the first question most homeowners ask is whether they need a repair or a full replacement. It’s a fair question and the answer isn’t always obvious if you’re not up on a roof every day like we are. Here’s a straightforward breakdown of how to think about it.

What Roof Repair Covers

Repair makes sense when the damage is limited to a specific area and the rest of the roof is in decent shape. Common repair scenarios include:

A few missing or cracked shingles after a wind storm
A leak around a chimney, vent, or skylight where the flashing has failed
Granule loss on a small section of the roof
Minor storm damage that didn’t affect the whole roof

If your roof is relatively young, less than 15 years old for most asphalt shingles, and the damage is isolated, repair is usually the right call. A good repair done properly can add years to the life of your roof without the cost of a full replacement.

What Replacement Covers

Replacement makes more sense when the damage is widespread, the roof is getting up there in age, or repairs would cost nearly as much as putting on a new roof. Signs that replacement is the better option:

Your roof is 20 years old or more
You’ve had multiple repairs in the last few years and problems keep coming back
Hail or wind damage covers a large portion of the roof surface
There’s significant granule loss across the whole roof
You’re seeing daylight in your attic or widespread moisture damage

In Minnesota and Wisconsin, roofs take a harder beating than in other parts of the country. Freeze-thaw cycles, heavy snow loads, and summer hailstorms wear shingles down faster than the manufacturer’s lifespan might suggest. A roof that’s 18 years old and just took a hail storm is often a better candidate for replacement than repair, even if the visible damage looks manageable.

The Insurance Angle

If the damage was caused by a storm, your insurance company may cover a full replacement even if a repair would technically fix the immediate problem. Insurance policies typically cover the cost to restore your home to its pre-storm condition, and if the storm damaged enough of the roof, replacement is often the appropriate scope of work.

This is worth understanding before you make any decisions. Getting a professional inspection and knowing what your policy covers can mean the difference between paying out of pocket for a repair and having a new roof covered by your claim.

How We Approach It

When we inspect a roof at Galvin Home Renovations, we give homeowners an honest assessment. If a repair is the right answer, we’ll tell you. We’re not going to recommend a full replacement on a roof that has years of life left in it. But if replacement makes more financial sense, especially when insurance is involved, we’ll walk you through why and what the process looks like.

The goal is to make sure you’re not spending money you don’t have to, and not leaving money on the table when you do have a legitimate claim.

Not sure whether you need a repair or replacement? We offer free inspections throughout the Twin Cities metro and Western Wisconsin. Give us a call at (612) 518-9876 or request a free estimate online and we’ll give you a straight answer

Understanding Common Causes of Storm & Water Damage in Your Home

Understanding Common Causes of Storm & Water Damage in Your Home

Minnesota and Wisconsin weather is no joke. Between hailstorms in the summer, ice dams in the winter, and the occasional tornado warning, homes in this region take a beating that most other parts of the country never see. Knowing what causes storm and water damage, and what to look for after a bad storm, can save you a lot of money and headaches down the road.

Hail Damage

Hail is one of the most common causes of roof damage in the Twin Cities area. Even hail that seems small can crack or dent asphalt shingles, knock off the granules that protect the shingle from UV rays, and create weak spots that lead to leaks months later. The tricky part is that hail damage isn’t always obvious from the ground. What looks like a perfectly fine roof after a storm can have significant damage that only shows up during a close inspection.

If your area got hit with hail, it’s worth having a roofer take a look before filing an insurance claim. A professional inspection documents the damage properly and gives you a clear picture of what you’re dealing with.

Wind Damage

Strong winds can lift shingles, pull flashing away from chimneys and vents, and in severe cases tear entire sections of roofing off. Wind damage often happens at the edges and ridgeline of a roof first, so those are the areas to pay attention to after a storm. Missing or lifted shingles let water in fast, so if you notice any after a windstorm, don’t wait to get it checked out.

Ice Dams

Ice dams form when heat escapes through your roof and melts snow near the peak, which then refreezes at the cold eaves and gutters. Water backs up behind the ice and can work its way under shingles and into your attic or walls. You’ll often see the evidence inside the house first; water stains on ceilings or walls near the exterior.

Good attic insulation and ventilation go a long way toward preventing ice dams, but once you have one, the damage needs to be addressed before the next melt cycle makes it worse.

Clogged or Damaged Gutters

Gutters do one job: move water away from your home. When they’re clogged with leaves and debris, water backs up and sits against your fascia boards, siding, and foundation. Over time that leads to rot, mold, and foundation issues that are significantly more expensive to fix than a gutter cleaning. After any major storm, check your gutters for debris, sagging, or sections that have pulled away from the roofline.

Siding Damage

Hail and wind don’t just damage roofs. Siding takes a hit too. Cracked, dented, or missing siding panels let moisture into your wall cavity, which leads to mold and insulation damage that you won’t see until it’s a big problem. If your roof took damage in a storm, have someone look at the siding at the same time.

What to Do After a Storm

If you’ve been through a significant storm, here’s a straightforward approach:

Do a visual check of your roof, gutters, and siding from the ground. Look for obvious missing shingles, dented gutters, or cracked siding panels. Check your attic for daylight or moisture. Document anything that looks off with photos and note the date of the storm. Then call a contractor for a professional inspection before contacting your insurance company.

The inspection step matters. A professional assessment gives you documentation that supports your claim and helps ensure you’re not leaving money on the table.

Galvin Home Renovations provides free storm damage inspections for homeowners throughout the Twin Cities metro and Western Wisconsin. If your home took damage in a recent storm, give us a call at (612) 518-9876 or request a free estimate online.

How to File a Roof Insurance Claim After a Hail Storm in Minnesota

If your house got hit by hail, you’re probably wondering whether the damage is bad enough to file an insurance claim and how the whole process works. Filing a roof insurance claim isn’t as complicated as it sounds, but there are a few steps that make a real difference in how your claim turns out.

Step 1: Don’t Wait Too Long

Most homeowners insurance policies have a window for filing storm damage claims; typically one to two years from the date of the storm, but some policies are shorter. But you don’t want to wait that long, waiting gives the damage time to get worse. A small crack in a shingle that lets in moisture during a Minnesota winter can turn into a much bigger problem by spring. Document the damage as soon as it’s safe to do so after the storm.

Step 2: Get a Professional Inspection Before You Call Your Insurance Company

This is the step most homeowners skip and it’s the most important one. Before you call your insurer, have a roofing contractor inspect the damage and document it thoroughly. Here’s why it matters: insurance adjusters work for the insurance company, not for you. Having an independent inspection with photos and a written damage assessment gives you documentation to back up your claim and ensures nothing gets missed.

At Galvin Home Renovations we provide free storm damage inspections for homeowners throughout the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin. We’ll give you an honest assessment of what the storm did and what it’s going to take to fix it.

Step 3: Document Everything Yourself

Take photos of your roof, gutters, siding, and any other exterior damage as soon as possible after the storm. Note the date and time the storm hit. If there are news reports or weather service records of the hail event in your area, save those too. The more documentation you have, the stronger your claim.

Step 4: Call Your Insurance Company and File the Claim

Once you have your inspection report and photos in hand, call your insurance company to open a claim. They’ll assign an adjuster who will schedule a visit to assess the damage. Having your contractor’s inspection report ready when the adjuster arrives is helpful, it gives them a baseline to work from and reduces the chance that damage gets overlooked.

Step 5: Meet the Adjuster With Your Contractor Present

If possible, have your roofing contractor present when the insurance adjuster comes out. A good contractor knows what hail damage looks like and can point out things an adjuster might miss. This isn’t about being adversarial with your insurance company, it’s just making sure the full scope of damage gets documented accurately.

Step 6: Review the Settlement Offer Carefully

Once the adjuster completes their assessment, your insurance company will send a settlement offer. Review it carefully against your contractor’s estimate. If there’s a significant gap between what the insurer is offering and what the repair actually costs, you have the right to dispute it. Your contractor can help you understand whether the offer is reasonable.

What Hail Damage Looks Like on a Roof

One reason homeowners often underestimate hail damage is that it’s not always obvious from the ground. On asphalt shingles, hail typically leaves circular impact marks and knocks off the granules that protect the shingle. Those granules end up in your gutters. On metal components like flashing and vents, you’ll see dents. On gutters and downspouts, look for dings and dents along the length of the metal.

If your neighbors are filing claims after a storm, there’s a good chance your roof took similar damage even if you can’t see it clearly. A professional inspection is the only way to know for sure.

How Long Does the Process Take?

From the initial inspection to having a check in hand typically takes four to eight weeks depending on your insurance company and how backed up contractors are after a major storm event. After a widespread hail event in the Twin Cities, demand for roofing contractors spikes fast. Getting your inspection done quickly and your claim filed early puts you ahead of the backlog.

Galvin Home Renovations has helped hundreds of Twin Cities homeowners navigate the insurance claim process after storm damage. We offer free inspections and can work directly with your adjuster to make sure your claim reflects the full scope of the damage. Call us at (612) 518-9876 or request a free estimate online.

LICENSE #: BC634094

How to File a Roof Insurance Claim After a Hail Storm in Minnesota