Replacing your roof is one of the most important home improvement decisions that you will ever make. And most people don’t even realize it. Your roof protects EVERYTHING in your home. Having an improper installation means that you could get a leak and end up with interior damage. It’s also a very important element in the external décor of your home. Red brick with ugly old 3 tab in rainbow green or rainbow red? Tacky…tasteless…terrible. There are so many gorgeous options for your roof these days. All of which come with a price tag. Here’s 10 things that will effect the cost of your new roof.
The number one question regarding installing a new roof is “How much will replacing my roof cost?”. And the answer is….it depends. There are several elements/issues/things that will determine the final price of your new roof.
Every home is unique and every single roof is unique. The following are the most common variables for determining replacing your roof.
Size
The size of your house is going to be the biggest factor that determines the final cost of replacing your roof. More square feet of roof equals more money.
Pitch
The pitch of your roof (or how steep your roof is) is another big one when roofing companies are adding up all the elements of your roof quote. A 4/12 pitch is considered a “walkable” roof and will be cheaper compared to a 12/12 pitch where the roofing company will need to install jacks and boards in order to install the shingles.
Height
A small one story bungalow will be more affordable than a 2 1/2 story tall building. The reason? Safety! Falling from 12 feet is a lot different than falling from 39 feet.
Material Choice
There are tons of options of shingles for your home. You can find the perfect match within your budget and taste.
- Diamond Steel Shingles: Diamond shingles are a very unique choice for your home. They are expected to last 100 years and come with a 50 year warranty that is transferrable if you choose to sell your home. Diamond shingles interlock so every shingle becomes apart of one larger system. Blow offs are impossible.
- Asphalt Shingles: The most affordable of all options with up front costs. However, asphalt will need replacing far faster and more frequently than any metal choices.
- Vic West or Barn Style: Prices are always more expensive than an asphalt roof, but also vary depending on the gauge of metal and type.
- Cedar Shake: Cedar is a costly but beautiful choice for your home. Although they can last as long as 20+ years in ideal conditions, it’s recommended (and depending on the company – mandatory for maintaining a valid warranty) to have a maintenance check every 5 years.
Underlayment
Bigger Roofing ALWAYS installs proper underlayment – so we aren’t included in not including this item. But there are some roofing companies that will give you the option to eliminate underlayment. It is NOT recommended but it will save you a few bucks.
Venting and Ventilation Systems
Proper ventilation is a key element is prolonging the longevity of your roof. There are some great options when it comes to the ventilation of your roof. The following are the options that we provide to our customers.
- Canada GoGreen Solar Powered Vents
- Ridge Venting
- Box/Mushroom vents
- Whirly Birds
Damage To Decking/Deck Replacement
Sometimes extra costs can arise when replacing your roof if your deck (the wood underneath the shingles) is damaged or rotten. You can often get away with replacing only a couple sheets of plywood, but sometimes you are forced to replace the entire deck. As the prices of wood rise, so too will the cost to replace the deck.
Adding A Skylight
When you are in the process of replacing your roof, some folks decide to add a skylight. It’s not a necessity, but it does A LOT for your home. For starters, it adds natural light to the room and therefor lessens the cost of your electricity bill.
Structural Repairs
Sometimes foundations shift which cause a cascade of issues that effect your roof and it’s structure. Or physical damage from a fallen tree could be another possible cause. Whatever the cause, structural repairs are often absolutely necessary and – unfortunately – are usually quite costly. Most homeowners choose to bring in their insurance company to help with the costs in this situation.
The Company You Hire
Every company is going to have a variation in their fees. Larger companies have more overhead costs so it would be expected they would have to charge more. Some roofing companies hold a 2 million dollar insurance, others hold 10 million or more, some companies have sales people, a showroom, a fleet of roofing trucks and steep marketing costs. Then there are smaller companies, like us, that keep things small where it’s important and go big where it’s important. Location and cost of living in your area will also impact the cost of materials and labor for your roof replacement.
Any legitimate roofing company will be happy to go over their insurance policies and have a detailed, itemized material and service list on their estimate you receive. If your estimate just says “Install Roof”….please….walk away.
Hopefully that helps answer our number one question “What is the cost of replacing my roof?”
If you are looking to replace your roof this season, somebody from Bigger Roofing will be more than happy to pop over to measure your roof and answer any questions you have about materials, number of days your project will take, scheduling and any other important details about replacing your roof.
Hop on over to our CONTACT US PAGE and fill out our free estimate form. Or if you’re still doing research to find the perfect roofing company in Niagara, you can check out our INSTAGRAM PAGE to see our work! Thanks for stopping by!