NINE FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A ROOFING MATERIAL! 

Research has shown that the installation of good roofs increases a house’s value by 85%.

This signifies that installing a good roof isn’t just a waste of money, but a long-term investment. There are several factors to consider when roofing a house: its durability, cost, weight, and other factors which we will look into in-depth.

Aside from the factors we listed above, you must understand that roofing a house is as important as the foundation of a building.

While much emphasis is placed on the foundation of a house, roofing is also important. This is because your roof is what visitors and buyers see first when they come into the vicinity of your building— not the foundation.

If you’re a contractor in charge of building homes, or you’re about to be a new homeowner, I’ll walk you through 9 factors to consider to install a befitting roof.

Before looking into the nine factors to consider when choosing a roof, let’s consider some benefits of choosing a good roof.

Healthy Living 

Aside from the beautiful texture that a good roof gives, it’s also essential for health reasons. Houses with roofs that are prone to leaks, eventually lead to mold. Molds are detrimental to your well-being. It has been stated that mold causes respiratory problems for both adults and children.

Choose a good roof; choose safety

It’s been stated that 97% of roof collapses happen at home, and it leads to life-threatening situations.

Choosing a bad roof that’s prone to deterioration, especially within a short period, makes your home an unsafe place to live in. To be safe in your home or a home you’ll rent out, it’s necessary to install a roof that promotes safety.

Increments of value.

One core importance of choosing a good and befitting roof is that it drives up the value of your home. Installing a good roof automatically makes people perceive your house as a beautiful place. This isn’t just for atheistic purposes but is also important if you want to resell.

Having seen the benefits of installing a good roof, let’s proceed with factors to consider when choosing a roofing material:

Nine Factors To Consider When Choosing a Roofing Material!

Here are the 9 factors to consider or put in place when you’re taking on a new housing project.

1. Estimate budget
2. Choose the best roofing material for your environment
3. Comply with building regulations
4. Consider lifespan and warranty
5. Know the maintenance requirement
6. Put core elements of the roof into consideration
7. Weight of the roof
8. Consider the resale value
9. Installation

1. Estimate budget

You know the slogan “Count the cost before you build,” it’s imperative in roofing a house. The first key to kickstart when roofing a house is to estimate the budget. 

This is essential so as not to be stranded or stop your roofing project mid-point. Here, you should consider factors such as:

• Materials: There are several roofing materials such as asphalt, shingles, step tiles, and other metals. You have to choose which one resonates with you, and also find out the pricing of which roof material you decide to use.
• Labor cost: To have a detailed budget and estimate, you also need to calculate labor costs. Labor cost includes the number of workers and their estimated pay.
• Additional expenses: Also to have a reasonable estimate, do well to include transport, insurance, and any other hiccup that may come up while roofing.

Calculating all these will give you a firm stance while roofing, so your roofing project goes as planned. 

Pro Tip: When estimating prices, add 3-5% extra in case of any hike in the market.

2. Choose the best roofing material for your environment

While discussing the estimation of the budget, I referred to the materials to use. There are several roofing materials to pick from, but choosing the one that suits the overall architecture of your building is paramount. If your building is antique, you may consider using stone tiles.

Aside from the structure of your building, another factor to consider while picking materials is the environment where your building is situated. 

Take for instance, if your environment is prone to harsh environmental circumstances such as flooding(Riverine areas) you might consider using an aluminum or stone-coated roof.

But, if you’re in a more friendly environment, you could consider using asphalt. Also considering a place subject to heat, a roof that’s predisposed to giving your house maximum ventilation is necessary. 

3. Comply with building regulations

The third factor to consider when choosing a roofing material is to know the codes and regulations that govern the society where you’re building.

In the USA there are guiding rules such as safety rules, structural rules,  fire safety, and ventilation are to be considered.

These codes and guides should guide you on the roof to use.

Some set rules in building include

• Don’t build on a waterway
• Do not build close to high-tension
• Build houses with structural integrity
• Ensure fire safety and a safe electrical system.

Pro tip: Ensure to check with authorities for the local regulations.

Let’s move to other factors to consider.

4. Consider the life-span of the roof and warranty

The last thing you want to do is build a beautiful structure, and within 5-10 years your roof sets become deplorable. Hence, you need to consider the lifespan of the roof to use.

 Here is a table showing different roofs and their life expectancy.

Different roofing materials and life-expectancy

5. Know the maintenance requirement

Another roofing factor to consider is maintenance requirements. Choosing a roof that resonates with the level of maintenance you can give is essential.

What this simply means is that based on your time, manner of work, and other personal factors, you should choose a roof that you can easily maintain.

For instance, if you choose a roof that’s prone to rusting and corrosion, your level of maintenance will be high.

But, if you choose a roof like aluminum that’s resistant to corrosion, your level of maintenance will be lower.

If you pick a roof with beautiful aesthetics but complex Installation, you may also require high- maintenance.

Having a clearly defined goal of the level of maintenance you’re ready to bestow on your roof should guide the kind of roof you’ll install.

6. Put the core elements of roofing into consideration

As I stated above, knowing the level of maintenance and work you’re ready to put in to ensure your roof remains in good shape is essential.

Furthermore, you have to take the core elements of installing a good roofing system into consideration.

As you know, roofing a house isn’t the only standard to make the house worth living in. 

Another key element such as

• Flashings: These are metal pieces installed to prevent water seepage.
• Roof decking: Consider installing a strong roofing structural base.
• Ventilation: We have talked about the detrimental effects of mold. A house without proper ventilation will lead to the development of mold. 

7. Weight of the roof

Another factor to consider when choosing a roofing material is the weight of the roof to use. Depending on the weight and structure of your house will determine the kind of roof to use.

For instance, concrete roofs have heavier weight and will require a strong house structure, unlike asphalt shingles. Roofs like asphalts can fare well with houses that have just normal structures.

8. Consider the resale value

If you’re into real estate, and you want to build a home with high value, you have to consider the kind of roof to use. 

 The goal is to ensure the home you’re building is standard enough to bring in customers. This also applies if you’re a homeowner, but hoping to resell one day. You have to consider these tips:

• Aesthetic appeal: Your goal should be to choose a roof with good aesthetic appeal
• Environmental factors: Installing a roof that withstands harsh environmental conditions is necessary.
• Consider your neighborhood: The roof chosen should be in sync with the roofs used in your neighborhood. The roof should either be in the same class or way better than the roofs used in the neighborhood. 

9. Installation

The last but not the least factor we will consider when choosing a roofing material is installation. Installation requires you to consider ventilation, the cost of the roof, and the calculation of roof pitch. To see detailed info on how to calculate your roof pitch, check this link: How to calculate your roof pitch.

Wrapping up

Picking the best roof for your house isn’t optional, but a necessity. Taking into consideration these factors can help you select the best roof. To help you install a durable, effective roof, get started with Ide roofing company.