Many homeowners look at their roof replacement estimate and choose their new roof based on how they liked the roofing company and the bottom-line price on the estimate. Although it is a good idea to compare estimates and hire a roofing company you can trust to get the job done, buying a new roof shouldn’t be looked at the way we buy a mattress, for example. When you buy that mattress, you won’t invest any more into it, you use it and at the end of its useful life, you get rid of it. A new roof is more like a car. You buy that car and invest in new tires, spark plugs and the occasional repair. If you want to evaluate the cost of your roof, you should look at the investment you’ll need to make in it over its lifetime.
Over the next two weeks, we’re going to look at the lifetime cost of a roof replacement. Your investment is not only in the roofing material but the installation and how long that particular roof is expected to last. Plus, you’ll have to take into account the maintenance – what you need to do to help it last that long.
Roofing Materials Life Expectancy
Although asphalt roofing is by far the most common roofing material in Orlando, it’s not necessarily the best. Most people choose asphalt for one of a few reasons.
- It’s the least expensive initially.
- It’s what they know.
- Their HOA requires it.
There are many brands and styles of asphalt roofing. No matter what brand you choose, you’ll have the option between a basic roof which is called 3-tab and an architectural roof which comes in many styles and may have a fancy name. The 3-tab shingle may have a 20-year warranty. That means the manufacturer warranties it against manufacturer defects for 20 years, not that it will last for 20 years. In fact, in Orlando, it may only last half that. An architectural shingles may have a warranty of 25 years or longer. Most homeowners end up replacing their architectural shingle roof in 15-20 years in this area. The rain, wind, heat and sun take a toll on our roofing like few other places in the U.S.
Tile roofing also has two options: clay and concrete. Both have an expected life of around 30 years, assuming the weather doesn’t do significant damage. Most offer warranties of 50 years and with proper installation and maintenance, it is possible that your clay or concrete tile roofing can last that long. Metal roofing can last 40 – 60 years, again, depending on installation, maintenance and the metal roofing material itself.
What Else?
You may have noticed that we emphasized proper installation influences how long your roof will last. We’ve seen asphalt roofs last less than two years when the installer didn’t do something right. We’ve seen tile roofing torn off in less than ten years because current installation guidelines weren’t followed and a major storm came through. We’ll go into the details of installation in next week’s blog along with some suggestions to help you choose the right new roof for your home.
If you’re looking for a roof replacement estimate for metal, asphalt or tile roofing, Russ Noyes would be happy to answer all your questions and help you choose the right roof for your home and budget. We’re a local, licensed and insured Orlando roofing company with decades of experience in the roofing industry. Call Russ Noyes Roofing today at 407-388-7700 to schedule your appointment and click here for part 2!
