Can I fix my own roof? The answer, of course, is yes. You simply need to have the desire and the time to know how to fix the particular type of roof that you have. However there are three general questions to contend with before you can even consider a DIY roof repair.

1) What is the extent of the damage? Assuming that the root cause of the problem is plainly obvious, you can more or less have an idea of the amount of effort that you’ll have to put in to carry out the repair. You might, though, likely underestimate the extent of the problem; and that’s when issue # 2 comes into the picture.

2) How much time can you spare to learn the skills and to do the repair properly? Obviously, the job will be much easier and more enjoyable if you already have some knowledge of carpentry, for example. If you’re a total neophyte, you’re more likely to aggravate the problem instead of fixing it. The only way to improve your chances of doing a good job at roof repair is to do the research and then to dive right in and get your hands dirty.

3) Finally, you’ll need to find out what equipment you will need-which ones you already have and which ones you’ll have to purchase. This is when you’ll have to take money into account. Unless you intend to make roof repair a yearly hobby and you already own at least the basic carpentry equipment to do the job, it might prove less expensive and less aggravating to hire a QUALIFIED roofer to do the job for you.

Answer these three questions first before you set out on a roof-repair project.