So you are in search of a new roof. Maybe you just purchased a home that has an older roof, maybe you are building a new home or your roof was damaged in a storm. Regardless of your reason, it can be a little bit overwhelming. At Arnold’s Roofing we try to help our customers with the process to make it as easy and stress-free as possible. The following things are what we consider as important when thinking about a new roof.
First thing most people think about is cost, however that is a hard place to start because there are many other factors that go into that cost. So we start with the easy part, what does your neighbor’s roofs look like, what does your homeowner’s association say, if anything. Once we get that settled, we then move on to what is important to most homeowners, durability and lifespan.
The lifespan of a roof is obviously on the homeowner’s minds when selecting a new roof and the material that the roof is made up of is directly related to that. Wood shingles and asphalt shingles are your most common materials. Both of them have a lifespan between 20 – 25 years. The reason that the asphalt shingles are popular is that they are the most economical of the two and they do come in a variety of colors as well. The Wood shingles are a bit more expensive but give a great rustic look that you may be looking for.
After those two there are other materials you could use as well, Metal roofs are popular, concrete and clay roofs give you that Mediterranean look and feel and then you even have synthetic materials like rubber or plastic. The synthetic though has not been tested over time and may or may not have the long lasting durability that you want in a roof. The last material you could use is Slate, which is one of the most durable roofs you could purchase. But this is where we go back to cost, Slate is a very expensive roofing material. However, it has a lifespan of anywhere between 50 and 100 years.
So in the end, the cost will be determined on a number of factors, the most important one being durability. You will take other factors into consideration of what roof such as if you are in a fire-prone areas or subject to possible strong storms as well. At Arnolds Roofing, we try to take you through this process to help you make the best possible decision in the end.