Exteriors

Cost of Roof Replacement and Shingle Types to Choose from

roof-repair-shinglesBy home renovation, most people understand decorating the interior-placing furniture from one corner to another, repainting the walls and installing recessed lighting. While they all qualify as home renovation, exterior works are more important than interior quick fixes.

A leaky or damaged roof needs to be quickly replaced. The more you'll wait, the more damages the roof will incur and the more money you'd have to shell out to fix them. Hence, if your roof has leaks, make it your priority to replace it.

Cost of Roof replacement

The first thing you'll want to know is how much roof replacement might cost you. Here's the answer; if you hire professional roofers, then they'd charge you between £3800 and £8000. It's a lot of money, which is why, homeowners often take the toil and opt for DIY. This lowers the cost almost by half, but the quality of work suffers.

Roofers estimate the cost in terms of squares. A square is a 10 ft x 10 ft patch. The shingle layer determines the cost. If it's a single layer, then the removal of one square may cost as much as £100. If it's a double layer shingle, then the cost of removal would be nearly £110. For triple layer shingles, the cost would be £115-£120.

Shingle type

Just as the shingle layer is important, so is its types. There are five types of shingles, used for roofing. Slate and tile shingles are very common in British households. In the US, metal shingles are popular. Shingles can also be made of wood and asphalt.

Metal shingles

The cost of metal shingles may vary. Shingles made of thin steel might cost $2 per square foot whereas those made of premium steel might cost as high as $15. Galvanized metal roofs are cost-effective. The metal shingles score high on the durability chart as they can last up to fifty long years.

Slate shingles

A slate shingle is highly durable. In the US, a number of farmhouse have slate roofing. The shingles make a house look appealing; they also make a roof almost leak-proof. The only problem with slate shingles is they are expensive. If real slate shingles exceed your budget range, go for synthetic slate products, which are cost-effective.

Wood shingles

The reason wood shingles are more expensive than asphalt shingles is they can make a house look aesthetically appealing. Choose the wood carefully. You'll want your shingles to last. Keeping that in mind, choosing hardwood makes more sense than choosing softwood. Shingles made of hardwood are durable than shingles made of softwood. Cedar shingles can even last for forty years.

Tile shingles

Tile shingles are visually appealing as well as durable. The only thing that keeps homeowners from buying them is their cost. The cost is pretty high. But the quality justifies this cost. If properly installed, tile shingles can last up to 80 years. Not all houses can support the installation of tile shingles because of structural shortcomings. So make sure your house doesn't have any.

Asphalt shingles

Asphalt shingles are most common. The key reason behind this is their low cost. Among the cons of using asphalt shingles is their short lifespan, which ranges from 20-30 years. As a homeowner, you are recommended to purchase three-tab asphalt shingles because they cost less than laminated shingles. Besides, laminated shingles are not suitable for residential premises.

Select prudently

Tally the pros and cons of each shingle type with another. Alongside, set your priorities; are you ready to shell out some extra bucks for your home to good? If you do, then select tile shingles. On the other hand, if saving money is your top priority, select a cheap shingle type.

Chimney flashing installation

Does your chimney require flashing? If it does, then first reinstall the flashing and only after that, reshingle your roof. That's because installing the base or cap flashing might cause some of your shingles to undergo damages. Therefore, I recommend you to first handle your chimney flashing installation.

Stack vent installation

Just like the chimney, you need to install flashing for your stack vent. A stack vent provides an outlet for sewer gases, and allows air supply to the toilet; this causes the fluid to exude smoothly. A stack vent cap rises from a roof, and the flashing is installed around it.

Don't delay

I started this article with an admonition and ending it with it too. Fix the damages on your roof as soon as you find them. Choose the shingle type prudently, considering your budget and requirement. This way, you'd be able to save your roof from any further damage.

By: www.jamesthesweep.co.uk

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