Creating A Functional Home

When you live in a townhouse, you have to understand what is yours and what is not before you can really deal with any repairs. When you buy the land and the building, you also accept the liability for the portion you buy, just like a standard home. A townhome is essentially the same as a standard home, but you share adjoining walls and a small section of roof with your neighbor -- so when it is time to consider replacing the roof, determining where that boundary is can be important.

Determining Liability

If the roof on your townhouse begins to leak, you will need to have it repaired much the same way you would on a standard home, but there are a couple things to consider. Because you share a section of roof with the adjoining home, determining where the leak is can be really important. It may change who is liable for the repair. A leak on the neighbor's side that is allowing water into your side, for instance, would fall to them to repair. It would be best to have the roof inspected by a professional, like those at Liberty Exteriors LLC, to determine where the problem lies before any repair work begins. If the leak is on the adjoining roof, you may need to negotiate the costs with the neighbor, so having a solid inspection and estimate for repairs is going to be important.

Repairing Half of The Roof

If your half of the roof is in need of replacement, you can have the contractor replace it without doing any work on the adjoining roof. However, disturbing the roofing material at the border may cause damage or leaks to the neighboring side. Talk to your neighbor about the work you need to have done so that they are aware you will be replacing the roof. They may opt to have theirs inspected and replaced at the same time. You may want to consider replacing the entire roof together if the neighbor is open to it. The cost of replacing it all at once might be lower, and the likelihood of causing damage to the adjoining section will be greatly lessened by doing it all.

Working With The HOA Guidelines

If you have a Homeowners Association that governs what can be done and how it has to look where you live, you need to check with them regarding the roof repair. They may require a specific shingle to preserve the look of the home or may even require the replacement of the entire roof at one time. The last thing you want is to replace the roof then get hit with fines from the HOA because you did not do something the way they wanted it one. Be proactive when dealing with your HOA, and check in before the work start, letting them know what the inspection has reveled and what the expected time for the project will be. It will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.