Installing a Quality Roof for Homeowners

Installing a new roof will protect your home and upgrade its overall condition.

Homeowners would rather pay more money for a new bathroom or kitchen and cut costs on tearing off and installing a new roof.

I sold roofing for two years with the Home Depot and although I am back in the world of interactive marketing, I learned enough about roofing to convince me that spending the money on a roof is a worthwhile expense.

Benefits of a Quality Roof

• A roof protects your home from leaks in the attic and reduces the amount of water seepage that will eventually wear down the wood or cause interior damage.
• A new roof, coupled with new attic insulation, will help insulate a home and reduce utility bills.
• Today's roofing materials are designed to last 30 to 50 years. I spoke with an engineer at GAF when I was selling and I asked him the true length of a 30-year roof. He said when it's installed properly the actual life is about 33 years.
• Improve the outward appearance of a home with multi-dimensional shingles.

Choosing a Roofer

I recommend going to the GAF website, www.gaf.com, and searching for Master Elite contractors. GAF-Elk is the industry leader in providing residential roofing systems. I got to tour a GAF plant in Fontana, California and I saw the entire manufacturing process at work.

A Master Elite contractor probably will charge more than other roofers but they have to guarantee their work in a more stringent fashion to qualify for the GAF seal of approval.

In areas where tile roofs are installed, start with the same companies and ask if they install tile roofs.

Educate Yourself

Go to the GAF web site and research the components that are used on a roof including the water-proof membrane. This is the system that is on a quality roof and when it's installed properly it will usually never need repairs.

Ask a contractor who comes to your home about the type of roofing system that's installed and if the work is guaranteed.

Remember that when working with a contractor, the product guarantee is only valid if it is installed properly.

Another web site to visit is Professional Roofing Magazine that covers all aspects of the roofing industry and new technologies. As a bonus, the web site even includes articles that show roofing professionals and their work with charitable causes.

Cost vs. Value

A 2007 edition of Realtor magazine advised homeowners to focus mostly on exterior projects in order to add the most value to home remodeling projects.

On the site Remodeling magazine, the most recent figures for a national average show that a typical roofing job can cost around $ 18,000 while adding about $ 12,000 resale value to a home. The cost recouped is about 65.5%. Sunroom additions had among the lowest costs recovered while composite decks had among the highest.

Cost versus value figures are broken down by regions as well.

Do You Need a New Roof?

Are your shingles curling? Are there rust marks under the eaves? Are there water spots in your attic ceiling? If so, it may be the wisest decision to go ahead and install a new roof.

It's tempting to roll a layer over a roof but it won't completely solve the problem. Certainly, that costs less money and in many cities codes will allow for 2 layers. I saw as many as 7 or 8 layers on a roof and the weight was heavier than tile.

But to get the manufacturer's warranty, a new roof has to be installed.

While the upfront cost is more expensive, in the long run it could be the most cost effective solution for protecting your home.