Talk to a couple of contractors. I've not kept up with it, but about
10 years ago, I looked at a steel roof. It was nice, but was considerably more expensive. I understand that has changed with competition and new products.
The steel roof I looked at was supposed to last 50 years. If you plan to stay in your house for a long time, it may be worth the additional cost and have a better re-sale value if not.
Don't count on the siding guy though. He may be good, he may not be. You certainly don't want him to do your house as his first job.
I hve heard some very good things about some of the metal roofs and there are a lot of websites which you can google which will show pictures...
One big advantage is that, if you get the reflective kind, it will lower the cooling costs in the summer, (but, conversely, the attic will also be cooler in the winter ). This is due to the higher reflection coefficient than most shinge roofs..... I guess it depends on where you live as to whether this is a plus to you, but in North Texas , it is a plus......
Your insurance company may give you a break also, since hailstorms don't usually require roof work later...
I've heard there are metal shingles which are similar to the asphalt ones in appearance, tho I've never used them....
As I said, lots of material available on the internet. I have a positive opinion of metal roofs, and if my ever needs replacing , I'll certainly look further into it....
Finally, you might outta check with your local building codes since some municipalities are anally retentive about anything that changes the "appearance" from normal roof materials used in your neighborhood. Some of the metal roofs look crappy......
Good luck, and if you decide to pursue this, lI'm sure lots of readers would like to know of your experiences...
Your contractor is looking to bolster his bottom line. He is either exaggerating a lot, or outright lying to you.
It would be extremely odd to have to replace the entire roof's sheathing if it were okay to be reroofed a bit over 15 years ago. Unless, that is, the guy who put the new layer of shingles on really, really screwed up the job. It is almost impossible to screw up a roof that badly and not have holes and leaks.
Ask the contractor how all of the roof sheathing deteriorated to such an extreme degree in such a short period of time, and how he knows that none of the plywood is good.
Then get another roofer to come out and tell you what is really up.
Hi, Your contractor may be telling the truth but it depends on what grade material you put on in '94. I had European origin ceramic coated Al. tiles installed. Cost was ~3 times than ordinary asphalt shingles. It needs more labor to install them. They use screws for fastening. Insurance co. lowered premium slightly and resale value of the house maybe better. It looks nicer as well.
Agree. A metal roof is at least twice the price of a conventional asphalt shingle roof. And it takes some skill to put on properly including the use of the right underlay material and fastening. Find a roofer who specializes. I installed a new metal "standing seam" roof on a new house in 2002. Only one minor repair since then when a cover over one of the seams blew loose.
An advantage of a standing seam roof is that solar panels can be installed easily using the seams and special clamps to hold the panels tightly, but away from the roof surface. The roof itself does not have to be penetrated so the risk of leaks is minimized.
Some web-searching seems to indicate that aluminum roofing for residential use is sort-of a recent development.
I would never have thought it to be cost effective.
This page:
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gives some cost info on a wide range of construction items. It lists "aluminum roof" and "aluminim shingled roof" (not exactly sure what the difference is) but the cost is something like $5.50 to $6.50 per sq ft.
Asphalt shingle roof comes in at about $1.67 per sq foot, fiberglass shingles at $2.50, galvanized metal at about $5.15, steel roof at $5.60, steel shingle at $5.05.
Aluminum would be a better material vs steel, assuming it's thick enough to withstand some occasional foot traffic and hail. The fact that it's lighter doesn't really factor into this.
Standing seam roofs are "wind proof" because, except at the roof edge, the wind can't get "under" the roof. IOW: the "clips" that hold the roof down are relatively few but they don't have to have much strength in total.
If you mount some flat panels on the roof under high winds there may be some serious "up lift" forces.
IF (that's a big if) you both like a standing seam room AND you expect to stay in the place a LONG time (with reasonable maintenance they can last much longer than 50 years: 70+ years is common) then go for it.
But don't think that most buyers will have the same "wish list."
Moreover, as I implied, just about anything you put on the roof would require a roof penetration. Live with it.
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