Roof replacement – All the important tips you need about

After some years, your new house and freshly installed roof eventually grow old. If you have maintained your roof properly, you are confident you have enjoyed maximum value for your expenses. However, a time still comes whereby your roof will need to be replaced.

Replacing your roof is a soothing experience, especially if the current roof is leaking and has been a constant source of concern and worry. Leaks from the roof can cause damage to the ceiling, walls, and furniture in extreme instances. To properly replace your roof, it is important to be informed of the factors to consider and the tips to watch out for.

This article is developed to serve as a complete guide on the roof replacement process and a cost estimate that it will require.

Contents

  1. Fix or Replace?
  2. Finding a Professional Contractor
  3. Estimated Price of a New Roof
  4. Conclusion

Fix or Replace

A big question homeowners have to battle with is fixing their damaged roof or getting a total replacement. The answer to this is not entirely straightforward. Majorly, it depends on the extent of the damage and the age of the roof.Β 

Generally, the different types of roofs have approximate lifespans. Although the lifespan depends on several factors, including operating conditions and maintenance, there is an average for different roof types. For an asphalt roof, the average lifespan is about 20-25 years.Β 

For a cedar shake or wood shingle roof, the estimated lifespan is 30 and 25 years, respectively. In comparison, metal roofs last much longer, with expected lifespans of over 50 years. If your current roof type has exceeded its lifespan, it may be better to consider opting for a replacement over making repairs to it.Β 

The second important determinant of either fixing or replacing your roof is the extent of the damage. If your roof has started to sag or the roof gutters contain shingle deposits, these are big indicators of a bigger problem requiring total roof replacement. A sagging roof indicates moisture has seeped into the boards under the roof and weakened it.Β 

Similarly, if the damage is caused by a major occurrence such as a typhoon or strong winds, and the damage is widespread, it may be better to replace it. A moderately strong wind can pull off buckled or curled shingles. If the removed shingles are at a corner location or if a large proportion of shingles are also weakened or buckled, then it is advisable to effect a total replacement.

Finding a professional contractor

If you have decided to get a replacement for your roof, then the next step is locating a suitable contractor to get the job done. As such, you need to be properly informed on the steps involved in getting a roofing expert of choice. You must employ a contractor who has a track record and experience fixing the particular roof you desire.Β 

The skill and experience of your contractor can affect the quality of your roof. You can follow the following steps to arrive at the perfect contractor for your roof installation.

Conduct wide research

It is important that you curate a list of licensed roofing experts with a successful track record in your location. This list can be populated with referrals from friends, neighbors, or other individuals whose roofing jobs have been properly executed. This is a tried and trusted method, especially if your friends or family have had their roofs done in the last couple of years.Β 

Focus on their reviews and testimonials about the contractor and if they are likely to employ or recommend such a contractor.Β  Reviews give the best idea of your possible experience with a roofing contractor.

Narrow down your list

After you have collated a list of possible vendors, then you should develop a list of parameters to compare the vendors. A checklist of priority items such as maximum cost, installation timeline, warranty, etc., should be developed. After doing this, it is time to start talking to several contractors before you choose to engage any of them.Β 

Doing this gives you an honest and reasonable price range for the project. Additionally, it helps you ascertain the competence and experience level of the different contractors in consideration. As you contact the contractors, you can begin to juxtapose them against one another by ticking off your checklist.Β 

Verify your top choice

After extensive work narrowing down your options, you will likely be left with one or two choices. Before you fully commit with a contractor, it is important to run some second-level checks. Go through their website (if any) and read further reviews from their previous customers.Β 

Also, ensure the company is professionally licensed and approved by your area roofing regulators. It is important to check that they have liability insurance for their workers in case of any accidents in the course of installation. This is important, so you are free from any possibility of paying for any injuries or damage in the course of installation.Β 

If you are satisfied with their insurance policies, inquire about their warranty cover. Since you are not going to be needing the services of a roofing contractor from time to time, your contractor must offer a warranty. You want to have this so there are no chances of inferior quality materials or substandard installation practices that can damage your roof prematurely.

After you have completed all of these processes, you can pay your roofing contractor and get them started on your roofing process. Avoid going with the cheapest option as they often do not provide the best service.

Estimated Price of a New Roof

Since you will be getting a lot of quotes from different roofing contractors, it is better to have an idea of the cost estimates for your roof replacement. It is important to be aware of your options, so you are not restricted in your selection. Below, we will run through the different roofing options and the average costs for each type.

Firstly, a good way to save up on the cost of replacing your roof is to consider tearing up the old roof yourself. Tearing off old shingles is something that almost anyone can do with time and willpower. If you are looking to save on your reroofing, you should consider tearing off the roof before contracting the installation to a roofing expert.Β 

This can be a big avenue to save and still have the reassurance of having your roof installed by a professional contractor. Averagely, the cost to replace a roof is about $7,500, and the bulk of roofing costs are within the range of $5,000 to $12,000. However, it can cost much lesser or much more.Β 

Largely, three main factors influence the cost of roofing your home. They are the size of the house (that is, the square footage of your roof), the cost of the roofing material, and the cost of labor. Other factors include the pitch of the roof, removal costs, etc.

Material costs

The cost of the material you plan to replace the roof with is a huge factor in the price of your roof replacement. Different roofing materials have a different price per square (100 square feet), and contractors will quote based on the material.

Asphalt roofs are virtually the most common roofs today due to their affordability and ease of installation, but they are not as durable as other roofs. To get an asphalt roof replacement, you will spend between $5,000 to $10,000 to get yourself a new asphalt shingle roof.Β  There are three different types of asphalt roofs, and they have different costs:

3-tab shingles cost the least and cost between $3.50 to $4.75 per square foot for their installation

Dimensional asphalt roofs cost between $4.10 and $5.50 per square foot.

Luxury asphalt roofs cost between $4.50 and $6.00 per square foot because they are the premium asphalt roof, and they last the longest of the asphalt roofs.

Metal roofs are a premium roof option due to their longevity and distinct appearance. However, metal roof installation is more involved than other roof types, taking more time and thus costing more than others. To replace a metal roof, the total costs involved will be between $8,000 to $25,000, depending on the metal roof and your house size.Β 

Copper shingles cost the most, while Aluminium roofs are the cheapest. Averagely, metal roofs cost between $7.00 and $12.51 per square foot.Β 

Cedar shake and wood shingle roofs provide a rustic outlook to houses. As they age, they reveal a brown, pastoral appearance. It costs between $10,000 and $14,800 to roof a building with a cedar shake or wood shingle roof. Cedar shakes cost more than wood shingle roofs, and they cost about $6.00 to $9.00 per square foot, while wood shingle roofs cost $5.00 to $8.00 per square foot.

Tile roofs are a less common roof option because they are more expensive than most other types of roofs. They are a great roofing option for those who can afford them as they are good insulative materials. Averagely, installing a tile roof replacement costs between $14,000 and $35,500.

Concrete tiles are the cheapest, and they cost between $6.50 and $9.50 per square foot, while clay tiles cost between $9.00 and $12.00 per square foot. Slate tiles are the most expensive due to their extremely long lifespan of as high as ten decades. They cost between $16.50 to $24.00 per square foot. Clay tiles are an economical choice with an aesthetic finish and longer durability than concrete tiles.Β 

Labor costs

For your roof installation, labor costs over half of the total cost of the roof replacement. The labor cost does vary based on the location you are in and the type of roof you are looking to get. Averagely, the cost of labor in your area should be comparable across the different roof replacement contractors you are considering.Β 

Labor costs can range between $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot of roofing material installed, depending on the type of roofing material being installed. Asphalt roof installation has the least labor costs, and metal roofs, especially copper roofs, cost more. However, some new types of roofs, such as slate and clay tile roofs, require more expertise when installing.Β 

Labor costs are more for high-quality roof types due to added weight and costs of shipping the roofing materials. It is good to review the estimated roofing costs to know how much you will spend and avoid being ripped off.

Size costs

Typically, the larger the roof is, the more it will cost to replace the roof. A larger roof means you will need more materials and higher labor costs due to the longer time to install it. Alongside the size, the pitch of the roof also impacts the size; the sloppier the roof is, the bigger the roof area to be replaced.

The height and accessibility of your roof impact the roof replacement price. Installing a new roof on a two-story home will take longer to install than a single-story roof, as it takes more time to get materials to the roof. It also means roofers have to take additional precautions to ensure that they are completing the job safely.

However, if the estimated costs of replacing your roof are greater than the estimates based on the cost of materials, labor, and size costs, it may be due to damages to your roof truss. If a storm damages your roof or your shingles were removed, and water constantly seeped in, it is possible that your purlins, rafters, and other wooden roof truss members might be damaged and need replacement.

Conclusion

Roof replacement is not an everyday experience. Nobody wishes to replace their roof constantly due to damage from harsh weather and other unplanned occurrences; however, it is not impossible for it to occur. As roofs age, you may have to consider replacing your worn-out roof as against recurrent repairs. This article explains the factors to consider and the costs involved in replacing your roof with the different roof options.


Technical Writer | Civil Engineer

Olaseeni Ogunniyi is a professional technical writer with over 5 years of experience curating content in the engineering niche. Thanks to his background in Civil Engineering, he has worked as a project manager and a consultant on several roofing projects, from simple hip and gable roofs to more complex combination roofs.

Additionally, he has written several projects on aluminum and metallic roofing sheets and has developed expertise on such topics.