Style is an important factor when building your new home or
renovating your existing property but it’s not the only factor. Cost, weight,
and installation requirements commonly influence your selection. Here’s what
you need to know:
Square vs. Square Foot
Let’s talk terminology. Roofing contractors don’t usually use
the measure “square feet.” The term you usually hear is “squares”. A square is
their basic unit of measurement—one square is 100 square feet in area, the
equivalent of a 10-foot by 10-foot square. The roof of a typical two-story,
2,000-square-foot house with a gable roof will consist of less than 1,500
square feet of roofing area, or about fifteen squares.
Cost
Several thoughts will affect the cost of your roof. The price
of the material is usually the starting point, but other factors also must be
considered. One is the condition of the existing roof if you are remodeling a
house—if old materials must be stripped off, and if the supporting structure
needs repair, that will all cost money. The shape of the roof is another
contributing factor. A gable roof with few or no breaks in its planes (like
chimneys, vent pipes, or dormers) makes for a simple roofing job. A house with
multiple chimneys, intersecting roof lines (the points of intersection are
called valleys), turrets, skylights, or other elements will cost significantly
more to roof.
Materials
Not every roofing material can be used on every roof. A flat
roof or one with a low slope may demand a surface different from one with a
steeper pitch. Materials like slate and tile are very heavy, so the structure
of many homes is inadequate to carry the load. Consider the following options,
then talk with your designer and get estimates for the job.
Asphalt Shingle. This is the most commonly used of
all roof materials, probably because it’s the least expensive and requires a
minimum of skill to install. It’s made of a fiberglass medium that’s been
impregnated with asphalt and then given a surface of sand-like granules. Two
basic configurations are sold: the standard single-thickness variety and thicker,
laminated products. The standard type costs roughly half as much, but laminated
shingles have an appealing textured appearance and last roughly half as long
(typically 25 years or more, versus 15 years plus). Prices begin at about $50 a
square, but depending upon the type of shingle chosen and the installation, can
cost many times that.
How to Choose a New
Roof
Wood Shake.
Wood was the main choice for centuries, and it’s still a good option,
though in some areas fire codes forbid its use. Usually made of cedar, redwood,
or southern pine, shingles are sawn or split. They have a life expectancy in
the 25-year range (like asphalt shingles) but cost an average of twice as much.
Metal.
Aluminum, steel, copper, copper-and-asphalt, and lead are all
durable—and expensive—roofing surfaces. Lead and the copper/asphalt varieties
are typically installed as shingles, but others are manufactured for seamed
roofs consisting of vertical lengths of metal that are joined with solder.
These roofs start at about $250 per square but often cost two or three times
that.
Tile and Cement.
The half cylinders of tile roofing are common on Spanish Colonial and
Mission styles; cement and some metal roofs imitate tile’s wavy effect. All are
expensive, very durable, and tend to be very heavy.
Slate.
Slate is among the most durable of all roofing materials. Not all slate
is the same—some comes from quarries in Vermont, some from Pennsylvania and
other states—but the best of it will outlast the fasteners that hold it in
place. Hundred-year-old slate, in fact, is often recycled for reinstallation,
with the expectation it will last another century. But slate is
expensive—typically prices start at about $800 a square—and very heavy.
Making the Choice
More often than not, if you are remodeling, the existing roof
of your house will determine your choice of roofing material. Should you be
considering other options, you’ll want to consider not only the cost but the
color, texture, weight, and durability of your alternatives, as well as what
traditionally has been used on houses like yours.
Installation Notes
Whatever your choice of roofing surface, you will probably
need flashing. Flashing is a crucial part of all exterior work, both on the
roof and siding. Flashing is metal (aluminum or copper, occasionally lead) or
plastic film. It is applied in strips to areas where dissimilar materials
adjoin, such as the intersection of the masonry chimney and the roofing
shingles, where the siding abuts the window frames, and so on. Good flashing
work is essential to keeping a structure watertight, as the most likely place
for leakage to occur is where different materials meet.
Whatever the choice of roof materials, the coursing should be
regular to the eye and parallel to roof edges. From one course to the next, the
joints should be staggered to prevent leakage. Beware of a contractor who
relies on tar for joints. Except with certain roofs where a membrane is used,
tar is a lazy expedient that should not be used for a new roofing surface.
For most roofing, a material like building felt (nee: tar paper) is rolled on before the
shingles are nailed in place. With cedar shakes, however, lengths of furring
strips (sometimes called “cedar breathers”) will be laid across the roof in
order to allow the roof to breathe. In snowy areas, a membrane called ice and
water shield may also be laid.
Don't hesitate to contact us at:
Don't hesitate to contact us at:
|
Roofing Professionals of Texas
Office: 469-906-2600 / Fax: 469-906-2601 9500 Ray White Rd. Ste. 200, Fort Worth, TX 76244 |
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