Why you need a pre construction meeting with a builder before raising the roof

July 21, 2025 

Avoid surprises during a roofing project by getting the facts up front, from timelines to contingencies

Start your next roofing project off right by establishing a line of communication with your builder early in the process with a pre-construction meeting.

Holding a thorough pre-construction meeting can help build a rapport with your contractor, while setting expectations about both of your roles and responsibilities throughout the project.

Asking the right questions up front will allow you to make informed decisions, helping the project stay on schedule and on budget, and setting the stage for a smooth, successful build. Here are some of the most important questions to ask during this meeting.

1. What is the project timeline?

Establishing a project timeline is essential for setting a scope, budgeting, scheduling trades, and of course, planning your move-in date if you or your tenants had to vacate the building during construction.  

Ask your builder for a detailed project schedule that includes permit application dates, expected approval timelines and construction milestones, including start and finish dates. 

As you set the budget, ask how your contractor handles payments and their typical billing schedule. Do they require cheques or direct payments? Do they bill at set intervals, or after reaching specific building milestones? Having a common understanding around project finances and related processes is key for building trust and providing both parties with peace of mind.  

2. How will delays and related costs be handled? 

Unfortunately, construction delays can happen for a myriad of reasons, so make sure your builder has contingencies and risk-management strategies in place.  

During your pre-construction meeting, ask whether their schedule includes buffer time for delays, and establish how unexpected costs or lost time will be handled.  

For example, if materials arrive late and there are extra related expenses, who will be responsible for them? If the builder determines you need a new supplier, will that affect your budget or project quality? How much do they charge for change-orders? 

3. What are their preferred communication methods? 

Speaking of delays and adjustments, your pre-construction meeting should address how you will be informed when these scenarios arise, and how to reach your builder in case you have urgent questions or issues.  

Establish how often you should expect to receive project updates and identify their preferred channels of communication. Using email or dedicated project management apps will provide both parties with written documentation to help avoid misunderstandings.  

When it comes to making decisions about materials, ask how far in advance you’ll need to select things like finishes or fixtures, so the builder has time to make purchases without adding unnecessary delays.  

4. Who will be on site? 

Daily supervision of a construction project typically falls to a foreman or project manager rather than the builder themselves. Ask who will be in the supervising role and collect relevant contact information. Also confirm their typical working hours are and how they manage safety protocols.  

You should also know who will be on-site, both for your safety and security, and that of everyone else on the job.  

5. What are my responsibilities as a homeowner? 

A pre-construction meeting is the perfect time to address what specific responsibilities you will have as the building owner throughout the project, and ensure these responsibilities are documented in the project contract.  

This could range from completing safety orientations to securing permits, ensuring timely payments to contractors and financial institutions, or ensuring site compliance with building and safety codes. The builder may be running the show, but at the end of the day, the ultimate responsibilities fall to the property owner.  

Use the pre-construction meeting to help your roofing project run smoothly  

Write down your queries so that, when the time comes to kick off your roofing project with a pre-construction meeting, you’ll know the questions things to ask. You could even set an agenda to help your builder better prepare. 

Use this meeting to clarify timelines, communication processes, on-site matters and to identify your responsibilities as the property owner. And, of course, make yourself available to answer your contractor’s questions as well.  

Setting clear expectations and establishing reliable communication at the outset of a roofing project will help you move forward confidently, knowing that you and your builder are working toward shared goals.