Roofing Materials Prices – An Overview Of Costs

Roof Shingles - Jun 09,2012 - No Comment

Roofing materials prices keep changing based on the type used, how it has been designed and manufactured and last but not least the installation procedure. When going in for re-roofing or renovation best is to choose a similar type of roofing material as has been previously used. Some owners prefer to go for a complete makeover either because they want a change or because their previous roof has completely disappointed them due to its bad performance or the water leaking through it.

Most often the roofs are made of plywood decking and with shingles laid on top. These are the most basic type of roofing that is very popular and seen on most residential and commercial buildings. If you look at roofing materials prices then you will looking at the price of plywood replacement, flashing and shingles replacement prices. Most homes have an average roofing area of around 1500 square feet.

Here are the costs worked out for 10 feet by 10 feet home.

Roofing Materials Prices

The cost of roofing plywood for sheets of 5 by 8 inches thickness is around $20 per sheet. For 100 square feet around 4 sheets of plywood are needed whose total cost is around $80. The shingles prices vary but on average the cost is around $100 for the area mentioned. Other materials needed include nail gun, with galvanized nails which cost about $65 dollars for our project. Roofing cement costing $20 dollars per gallon will be needed.

Cost Of Labor:

Apart from roofing materials prices the second most important that you need to work out is the cost of labor. You will need the services of a carpenter for the framing and decking and they cost from $50 to $75 for every hour of work. Sometimes, they charge more if the work is complicated in nature or difficult to access. If it is a repair job, involving different locations of the roof, then calculate 2 days labor. This is just for repair for a complete installation the costs will be much more and time needed to do the job and tools and materials needed will also be a lot more.

New Shingles On Old Roof

Most often these days contractors are recommending laying of new shingles over the old without actually tearing out the old roof. This means we need to pay only for the roofing materials prices and labor cost for installation. There is no need to budget for removal of old shingles or its disposal. The cost for such installation works out to around a dollar to two dollars per square foot to install the asphalt roofing shingles or shakes.

If you skylights, chimneys, dormer windows and other complications on your roof and these have leaks or other roofing problems, then fixing them is more costly than simply installing new roofs. The reason this is more expensive than the roofing materials prices and labor cost for plain roofs is because the area around these features on the roof have to first cleared, then flashing installed and then only can roofing shingles be installed surrounding the structure or fixture. Roofing contractors spend a lot more time working on these features than laying shingles on other parts of the roof. Hence, they charge a lot more extra for such features on your roof.

Roof Shingles Installation – What Does It Entail?

Roof Shingles - Jun 09,2012 - No Comment

Roof shingles installation does not mean you put together the shingles on the roof and hammer in a few nails. Yes, it makes up a large part of roofing but it is the easiest part. The more difficult parts are not something that you will see at first glance. Roofing is all about how you prepare and shingle the edges, the eaves and the valleys, the ridges and all the vents in the roof like skylight, chimney, dormer windows and so on. If these areas are not carefully prepared and proper flashing not applied, then you are in for trouble. The roofing will be disaster shortly.

Most newbies forget to lay the most important component of roofs, the ice and water shield. This prevents ice dams from forming. It is important to put this up for roofs that have low pitch. The layer of shield should be two feet higher than the inner wall of the roof. If the shield is lower in height, then raise its height. Also, make sure that the ice shield overhangs over the plywood edge by at least three quarters of an inch.

To know more about roof shingles installation we have a detailed article here!

Get Accurate New Roof Estimates

Roof Repair - Jun 08,2012 - No Comment

So, you are looking for new roof estimates that will help you make proper decisions on either repairing roof or replacing them. A roofing contractor is an apt person to help you get such an estimate. The roofer will give you a quote that will have details about cost of materials, labor, removal and disposal of debris and so on. Your quotes will be determined by the job at hand, the roof type, it’s complexity and style and so on. The estimate is a good start but it is not the final word or the complete estimate of what it will actually cost.

With new roof estimates you will be presented with several different options based on use of various roofing options, the quality differences, the brands and so on. The estimates will vary based on the above factor. The estimates will also also depend on how experienced the roofer is, how complex is your roofing job and whether the roofer has the required licenses, insurance and bonding.

If you are looking for more information on new roof estimates, then click here!

Installing Roof Shingles – Avoiding Mistakes Commonly Made

Roof Shingles - Jun 07,2012 - No Comment

A homeowner is not usually trained for the job of installing roof shingles. Though not a complex task it can be daunting and nerve-wracking. As everyone knows the cost of installation is a major part of roofing cost, homeowners feel justified in taking up this onerous task to save money. In actual practice roofing is not that difficult if you know some basics like hammering, nailing and keeping safety as a top priority.

Homeowners are generally first-time roofers. There are some mistakes that most first time roofers and even experienced roofers make. The first of them is forgetting to lay the starter strip. A starter strip is the first line of shingles that are laid overhanging the eaves of the roof. These are 3-tab shingles with the tabs cut off.

Second, the most commonly made mistake is not keeping to a straight line when installing roof shingles. You will see many examples of such roofs where the roofs have a wavy appearance.

To read more about the common mistakes while installing roof shingles, check out this report.

Solar Roof Tiles – Your Own Energy Plant On The Roof

Roof Shingles - Jun 05,2012 - No Comment

A new product – solar roof tiles – is the latest in string of innovative solar photovoltaic roofing products hitting the North American market. With energy prices zooming through the roof people are looking for alternatives to conventional energy sources. Solar energy has long fascinated the common for its limitless potential. But, as there was no effective way to tap in to it, people more or less has used it for limited purposes like solar garden lights or for heating water. Today, with billions being poured into research to find the next cheap energy source many new and improved technologies are hitting the market.

Solar roof tiles is being offered by SRS energy and its comes as an upgrade for all US Tile company customers. US Tile is the largest clay tile maker in America and the offer is irresistible as you can generate your own electricity with your roof top power plant. The tiles blend in with existing roofing tiles and is as a building integrated roofing product. The curved roof tiles will easily match curved tiles found in most of parts of the country.

You don’t have to worry that your roof top looks ugly as the solar roof tiles design is as same as the normal roof tiles. It won’t stand out or stick up like the old solar panels and make your roof look un-appealing even if energy efficient. Today’s design is both aesthetically appealing and functionally superior compared to products of the old.

The solar roof tiles are 18 inches long and 37.4 inches wide. With 3 inches overlap on either side the length exposed to sunlight is about 15 inches. Even assuming just 100 square feet of solar roof tiles are installed on your roof you will be generating around 860 Kw/h per year assuming you have around 6 hours sunlight per day. The thin film triple junction amorphous silicon is more efficient than crystalline silicon panels of same power.

If you are generating more power than you need then there are two options either you can save it in batteries or feed it back into the electricity grid. The utility companies will compensate you for the extra power you are generating through extra credits or getting free power when you need it. The net metering system will do this for you. You will be paying only for the amount of net extra power you use from the utility company. Many homeowners using solar roof tiles have seen a drastic drop in their energy bills.

Efficiency Monitored

Both the solar roof tile manufacturer and US tiles monitor the solar tile system on your roof to see that the system functions at peak efficiency in energy production. They claim that product will give homeowners years of trouble-free life. The system is monitored and tailored in such a way that even if one of the tiles stops funcitoning the other solar roof tiles will continue to produce electricity and are in no way affected by the failed tile. This is truly beneficial as you don’t want a whole row of tiles not working just because one tile has failed.

Recylable

The solar roof tiles are made of thermoplastic polymers and can be safely recycled. So, any tile that has reached the end of its operational life or a failed tile can be easily sent for recyling.

Limited Color Options

Currently, the solar roof tiles are available only in one color – blue. The solar technology used in these tiles have certain limitations and hence the only option available is blue. As the technology advances more color options should become available. You can always match your roof tiles with solar tiles by going in for blue colored roof tiles.

The tiles were available for a limited number of customers when launched but today it is widely marketed and available to all customers in the USA and even outside the States. Because of a variety of reasons – including installation costs, the cost of transportation and manufacturing costs differences the solar roof tiles prices are not the same everywhere. For details you need to contact the company directly. But, you should also remember that there are number of financial and tax incentives available from both state and federal governments.

Retrofitting old roof tiles with solar roof tiles is also possible.

Cost To Replace A Roof – Let’s Find Out

Roof Repair - Jun 05,2012 - No Comment

Cost to replace a roof is a not easily arrived at. It has many things affecting it in various ways. The following article will try to answer the many doubts and questions that most homeowners have about the cost of replacing their roofs and the budget that they should be planning for this major job.

This does not always happen but there are several homeowners who will testify to having been scammed and need to replace their roof. A person selling a home might install cheap shingles and sell it off as new roof installation. The roofing may be of such bad quality that within a year or two this might fail and you will be left with the huge task of replacing it. You will need to get a quote from a roofing contractor on the job to be done and the costs involved. Cost of replacing a roof can run into thousands of dollars or it can be managed for a few hundred dollars depending on whether it is replacement or simple repairs.

To know more about the factors affecting cost to replace a roof here is a detailed article on the topic.

Hiring a Roof Repairs Contractor

Roof Repair - Jun 04,2012 - No Comment

Once you have a list of 2 or 3 potential contractors that have passed the first test, it’s time to interview each of them. When interviewing, ask about:

their area of specialty
how many years they have been in business
certifications
guarantee of quality work

You’ll also want to get a detailed itemized estimate of the work to be done. Carefully analyze each estimate. Look at the prices based on comparable materials, warranty periods and such.

Remember, you always get what you pay for. Don’t get so hung up on price that you just search for the cheapest guy off the side of the road. Anyone can quote the cheapest prices. But few can provide quality work. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean the highest price offers the highest quality either. Be smart and carefully weigh all your options.

Step 3 – Regional weather and climate considerations should always come into play in roof replacement. These issues affect not only the materials used, but also state law regulating roofing contractors. For example, in the Texas Gulf Coast area, roof replacement must pass windstorm inspection in order to obtain a windstorm certificate. If a roof doesn’t pass this inspection, the home can’t be insured. Since Hurricane Ike, many home and business owners have had to obtain re-roofing jobs because they originally hired contractors whose work did not pass windstorm certification. Think of the time and money wasted!

For the other tips on hiring a roof replacement contractor, be sure to read the full article here.

By Nathan Riley

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_Riley

http://EzineArticles.com/?Roof-Replacement—4-Steps-to-Take-When-Hiring-a-Roofing-Contractor&id=4612238

Types Of Roofing Shingles – Roofing Choices For Homeowners

Roof Shingles - Jun 03,2012 - No Comment

There are different types of roofing shingles available one of which can be chosen based on the needs and budget of the homeowner. This range from the cheap and economical asphalt shingles to the more expensive architectural roofing shingles to the natural by costly roofing choices like wood and slate. Each has its own pros and cons, the decision to pick one also depends on the performance of the shingles in different climatic zones.

Homeowners would love to have an inexpensive roofing with absolutely no maintenance and that lasts as long as the home does. But, reality is that roofs need replacing every decade or so and need regular maintenance to last longer. If you pick an optimum roofing choice from different shingles available, then chances are that your roof will last more than 10 years. This is beneficial both for your finances and also for the environment, as you will be sending less roofing discards to the landfill and use less of the natural resources used for manufacturing the varied types of roofing shingles.

Not only that your pick of proper roofing shingle will actually save you a ton of money in terms of energy savings. For instance wood, slate and clay tiles are keep the homes warm in winter and cool in summers. They are great insulating materials. You also have such options among the plastics and fiberglass. You can always insulate your room later. The choice of color also, plays a significant role in reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the roofing material. Choose light colors or shades flecked with white helps in reflecting the light for warmer climes. For colder zones darker shades help keep the home warm and in shedding of snow.