Roofing is a priority while building or renovating a house. It is not a simple, cheap task. Rather it requires several days of planning to find and finalize the budget. So it is important to analyze the materials’ cost, durability, and longevity before finalizing on materials for roof renovation and building. Due to the improved technology and recent research in this area, a wide range of materials are now available naturally and artificially.
Finding the right balance between cost, longevity, aesthetics, and structural integrity is necessary while selecting the materials. Thus, it is a tedious task that often creates confusion among homeowners. To reduce the stress on homeowners, different agencies and contractors do all these tasks and provide detailed evaluations and suggestions for roofing materials as a part of their assignments. Different companies provide different levels of service. Find here the details about the most trusted roofing company Houston has, that can solve all your roofing problems.
Advantages Of Roofing
There are many reasons why people decide to add roofing to their houses. Some of them include:
- Sustainability And Energy Savings: It often helps provide natural ventilation, thus reducing your dependency on artificial ventilation. So indirectly, it helps in saving energy and contributes to the cause of sustainability.
- Thermal Insulation: It reduces the area in direct contact with the atmosphere. So it helps in insulation and reduces heat transfer to and from the inside of the house.
- Style: Due to the wide variety of roofing choices, they come in different sizes, colors and shapes. It helps you to improve the house’s stylish and aesthetic look in all manners.
- Rainwater Reuse: Roofing helps in easier navigation of rainwater for reuse. We can easily modify and direct rainwater falling on the roofing according to our needs and requirements.
Different Roofing Options And The Costs Involved
Here are some of the best roofing options and their material costs to help you get a better idea.
- Asphalt Composite Shingles: These are the most inexpensive and common roof materials. These are often made up using asphalt coatings on either side of a fiberglass sheet. These are easy to install if you are okay with getting your hands worked up. Despite this ease, you should invest extra time maintaining them as they can get crowded with algae and fungi. The structure typically lasts about 12 to 30 years before needing serious upkeep, and the market price for the material might go as low as $2 and as high as $4.
- Built-Up Roofing: These are made up of several layers of felt material and are engulfed using hot saturated asphalt. These can typically last for about 20 to 35 years. These are commonly structured in low-pitched or flat roofs. These require minimal to no maintenance, and the material cost for the entire setup can vary between $2.50 and $5 per square foot without considering labor costs.
- Clay Tile: Clay tiles comprise the natural element of earthen clay. They come with a higher price tag than most roofing materials, starting at $10 to $18 per square foot for most, while the rare ceramic clay tiles can even reach prices as high as $30 per square foot. It’s important to note that clay tiles are quite heavy, so it is crucial to ensure that the walls can support the significant weight before opting for this roofing option. These are renowned for improving a house’s market and resale value.
- Membrane Roofing: Membrane roofing, commonly known as rubber roofing, comprises synthetic materials such as Neoprene, PVC and EPDM. These types of roofing can provide water resistance by limiting the number of seams infiltrating water. These have a typical lifespan of about 20 to 35 years, provided they are regularly maintained. Their overall costs are around $4 to $8 per square foot.
- Metal Shingles: These materials offer wide choices in terms of appearance, as they can be customized to resemble traditional asphalt shingles, timber shakes, slate, or clay tiles. They are constructed from stamped metal and covered with mineral granules. They are an excellent choice for those who prioritize aesthetics and style while desiring long-lasting roofing options. Metal shingles are increasingly becoming popular among homeowners due to their favorable combination of cost and durability. They typically have a lifespan of more than 30 to 35 years. The price range for these shingles is approximately between $8 to $16 per square foot.
- Rolled Roofing: Rolled roofing has very limited visual appeal and is among the least expensive roofing material. It can be applied either by using nails or the torch-down technique. They are expected to last between 5 and 8 years before it needs renovation. Their overall costs are around $1.50 to $2 per square foot.
- Rubber Slate Tile: These heavy tiles combine synthetic materials like polymers, recycled plastic, and rubber to mimic natural slate. It is close to natural slate in terms of visual appeal that you can barely differentiate between them from the ground. These are comparatively much lighter than natural slate. Although less long-lasting than genuine slate, synthetic slate often comes with an extended warranty lasting up to 50 years. The material costs for synthetic slate remodeling are around $9 to $12 per square foot.
- Slate Shingles: Slate shingles are made of stone layers and are thus resistant to UV, mold and fungus. These materials are said to possess good endurance, as these roofs typically last about 75 to 150 years. Installing them on your roof is a labor-intensive job and requires skilled workers. Depending on the slate’s hardness, their remodeling costs may vary between $10 to $30 per square foot. Since these are heavy, they are not recommended if there are questions regarding the load-bearing capacity of walls and ground.
- Wood Shingles: Wooden shingles are made purely from wood and are restricted in areas near where there is high moisture and a chance of wildfire. These shingles require precise sawing to get the perfect finish and quality. These are the most environmentally-friendly roofing options that can last up to 60 years in dry areas with proper maintenance. At the same time, these may only last up to 20 years in humid climates. Their overall costs are around $4.50 to $9 per square foot.
In addition to the material costs, all these options come with installation and maintenance costs ranging between 1 to 1.5 times the material cost.
Conclusion
Different houses and areas require different types of material roofing to add to the house’s beauty. Customizing the style and material is based on your requirement, the money in hand, and the endurance required for the roofing. Due to regional restrictions and variations in laws and regulations, it is also necessary to check the local laws and regulations to determine if the plans are legal and if the materials can be put on roofs.