If you?re considering investing in a new metal roof for your home, it is important to consider the benefits and drawbacks. Of course, there are other more conventional materials, such as wood and asphalt, but they may not hold a candle to metal roofing tiles. Metal beats out more traditional roofing materials in several different categories, but there are also downsides, too.

Benefits

A professionally installed metal roof should last as long as your home does, first off. The life expectancy of metal roofing tiles is, hands-down, the biggest benefit for homeowners. The roofing material lasts so long because it is resistant against water, high winds, snow, fire, mildew, and insects. Of course, warranties do vary, but most companies expect metal roofing to last for 20 to 50 years, on average.

Another clear-cut benefit of metal roofing tiles is seen during the installation process. Metal roofing tiles can be installed by a professional quickly. Because the material is so light, you save time and energy during the building process.

Drawbacks

There are downsides to metal roofing, of course, which homeowners should realize beforehand. For instance, the cost of metal roofing tiles is the biggest drawback for many. Metal roofing is equivalent in cost to premium materials ? $150 to $600 per square (100 square feet). Due to the long-term durability of the material, this is usually a one-time investment for many households.

Another prominent drawback is the noise factor. In some cases, metal roofing will absorb and disperse sound successfully. Other times, however, the sound of harsh rain can be quite evident within the home. You can control noise; though it does cost more initially.

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The Right Material

Depending on where you live, it may be beneficial to use one type of roofing material over another. While asphalt shingles aren?t the most energy efficient material, they can be very cost effective. In warm climates (like Texas) a brightly colored asphalt or metal roof can help keep your home cooler during the summer. Discuss your options with one of our experienced contractors.

The Right Maintenance

You can have the most energy-efficient material made, but if you don?t upkeep it properly, you will get a lot of heat and cooling that will escape through your roof. Did you know that a poorly ventilated or leaky roof could cause your utility bill to go sky high? You could be paying a lot more each month without even knowing. With an annual inspection and regular roofing maintenance, you can assure that your roof will be as efficient as possible.

The Right Contractor

Every single building that has ever been constructed has some form of an architectural style ? from Gothic to Pueblo in the southern portion of the United States. There are very specific details implemented into each form of architecture, and depending on the style of the area and personal preference your home could feature different roofing styles from the surrounding area.

Roofing Material

There are various roofing materials that have become widely used across the nation. These roofs come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. For example, asphalt shingles are chosen because they are extremely practical and adapt to almost any type of arrangement the rest of the home adheres to. For the most part, asphalt shingles are commonly used in the northern portion of the country.

Another great option would be ceramic tile roofs, which are commonly featured in homes in Mission, Spanish, or perhaps even Mediterranean style areas. The clay and concrete adds a bit of definition and character to homes, with the added benefit of deflecting the sun away and keeping the interior cool.

Thinking Outside the Box

Sure, a new homeowner who is designing their abode could easily select one of the more common architectural styles, but that would be somewhat boring. Instead, a new design has begun popping up across the United States: green roofs. This type of roofing architecture combines the beauty of vegetation with the practicality of a roof. In parts of North America, the green roof is coupled with pebbles and drainage over a flat roof. Rainwater is filtered and added to a collection system. Environmentally conscious homeowners will adore the green roof architecture style.

Never Have To Deal With A Roofer Again

In our June 2012 e-newsletter, we really broke free from the construction and home maintenance arena and brought you two delicious summertime (and energy efficient!) recipes. Thank you for the favorable comments we received as a result. This month, we want to return to construction materials by talking some about how construction materials have changed over the years.

No one likes the idea of doing any sort of home maintenance and perhaps their least favorite is dealing with roofing problems and roofing contractors. It simply isn?t something that we look forward to, is it? Have you ever wondered how you, as a homeowner, can capitalize on advances in building material technology and never have to deal with a roofer again?

Over the years, we have seen the development in building materials lead in two directions. Sometimes it is toward lower cost products. Unfortunately those lower cost products also mean lower quality. One of the worst examples might be the old surface-mounted ?bubble skylights? which were popular in the 1980?s until they started cracking and discoloring and failing miserably. But we have all seen this in other areas as well ? products that we bought for our homes thinking we?d save some money but still have something of decent quality, only to later find out that the quality was marginal at best and that the product jeopardized the beauty, security, value, and durability of our homes.

The second, and better, way we have seen building products develop is toward products that are more attractive and add value and perhaps even energy efficiency to our homes. Think, for example, of the progression of countertops from materials like Formica to materials like Corian and now to Granite. Each change brought more visual appeal as well as greater durability and added home value. We have seen similar things happen with doors, windows, appliances, and wall coverings. The goal of these advanced products is to turn our homes into worry-free and valuable investments.

Roofing has also seen this progression. And, according to roofing industry studies that firmly document the growth of metal roofing?s market share, products like our metal roofing systems are the way of the future. They allow homeowners significant design choices for visual beauty, and they also offer great durability as well as energy efficiency. Homeowners are choosing metal as a way to invest permanently in their homes, taking themselves out of the recurring re-roofing cycle. And, as a bonus, they never again have to deal with a roofing contractor!

If you?re ready to take advantage of advances in building technology and consider a metal roof, please contact us, give us a call at 1-800-543-8938, or check out the benefits of metal roofing. You can also view styles of metal roofing and decide which might look best on your home!

The high competition in the roofing industry at times forces contractors to propose deflated prices to clients in a bid to attract more customers. This could lead to usage of inadequate materials or unsatisfactory service delivery as a result of bad billing. In order to get the best value from your roof, it is important for you to learn how to calculate the total materials required and their prices in the market to avert regrets down the road.

How to Calculate Shingle Quantity

Simply put, this is the total number of shingles required to complete the entire roofing project. Most of the manufacturing companies usually sell shingles in bundles that are further grouped in squares. One square of shingles is capable of covering up to 100 sq feet of the roof. The wrapping bundles are specifically designed to be light in weight to ease the transportation process. Three bundles are equivalent to 1 square. However, 1 square of laminated shingles is equivalent to 4 bundles.

Measuring the Size of the Roof

There are a number of different ways of knowing the exact size of your roof. If your roof is very steep, consider employing measuring methods that allows to take measurements from the ground. Nevertheless, you will need a ladder take some of the measurements such as the size of the building length, estimate the rake overhand if any and the rake length.

Sheet Count Method

This is one of the most preferred roof size estimation methods. It is best suitable for roofs that have 4 ft x 8 ft structural panels. More often than not, conventional panels are usually 32 square feet. You can easily count the panels without necessarily climbing to the top of the roof. The size of the crosscut and ripped sheets can be counted along the edges of the roof. If you decide to use 3 bundled shingles per square, it is quite easy to calculate the total bundles that you need as one bundle can cover 33.3 square feet.

For example, if the total roof area is 166.5 square feet, the number of bundles that you need is: [166.5 / 33.5 ] = 5 bundles.

It is recommended to add at least 1.3 square feet difference per sheet to allow for waste along the hip edges and gable.

Shingle Count Method

This is another great roof measurement method that is mostly used by contractors when renovating old shingle roofs. However, the shingles should not be stripped as this could lead to wrong results. The first step involves measuring the length of the eaves on all roof panels. You can do this from the ground by measuring the total length of the house adding it to the width of the rake overhangs if any. Another alternative entails counting the number of tabs along the eaves and ridges if the existing shingles have a standard three tab. Now, to get the total length of the rakes, you will have to existing courses between the ridge and the eaves. Standard shingles are usually 12 inches by 16 inches and each shingle course is approximately 5 inches.

For example, if your roof has 20 courses, what is the total length of the rakes?

Solution: [Courses] x [size of each course] / [standard width each shingle]

20 x 5/12 = 8.3 inches

What is the total area of your roof?

[Length of your houses eaves] x [Length of the rake]

If the length of the eaves is 200 inches, the total area is?

1 inch is equivalent to 0.083 feet, hence
200 inches x 0.083= 16.6 feet
8.3 inches x 0.083 = 0.6889 feet

Hence, the total area is: 16.6 feet X 0.6889 feet = 11.44 square feet.

Additional Shingles

As mentioned earlier, it is recommended to order some extra shingles to avoid wasting time and money looking for additional ones after commencing the project. This is based on the fact that you will need shingles for starter courses especially along the rakes and eaves. You will also need some to cap the ridges and hips. Also, if you decide to renovate the chimney, you will have to cut the shingles depending on the size of your chimney. It has being proven that laminated shingles generate less waste as compared to three-tab shingles because one does not have to maintain a specific cutout pattern.

One of the surest ways of estimating the amount of additional shingles that you need is by measuring the size of the rakes, eaves and chimney. Factor in the measurements in your order. Also, you can use the rule of the thumb that states; a simple roof demands a 1% waste factor while a complex roof has a waste factor of 5%. Try to be as precise as possible to ensure that you complete the project on time.

Consider Extra Valley Material

Roof valley with cut shingles that have been precisely measured.

Valleys are either cut or woven. For woven valleys, each shingle has to extend 12 inches beyond the valley crease. Each pair of woven course requires 2 feet shingle material. On the other hand, cut valley extends 12 inches into the adjacent roof plane. Bottom line: a 16 feet valley requires 32 shingles.

Calculating Cost of Materials

Now that you know how to calculate the total area of your roof, it is time to know the amount money that you will spend on the materials. The simple formula for this is.

[Area of roof] X [Amount of materials] X [Price of material / per bundle] = Total material price.

Below is an example to help you understand how to use this formula better.

Total area of your roof= 11.4 square feet
Amount of materials required= 3 Bundles of shingles
Price of one bundle of shingles = $100
Calculation: 11.4 X 3 X 100 = $ 10,260

The total cost of purchasing the materials is $10,260

**These figures are for demonstration only. Every roofing project is different.

Bonus Tips

An example of a complicated roofing materials calculation.

It is recommended to use the latest roof measuring tools and equipments to get the accurate results. They are technologically advanced, more reliable and durable than the traditional materials. The laser distance measure gadget is one such tool that is very accurate in determining length, area and volume. One pro of using this gadget is that you can take several measurements on your roof simultaneously. You can also invest in affordable, remote controlled drones to save time and still get accurate results.

Other roofing materials like flashing are measured in roughly the same way.

Contact Schulte Roofing, The Home of the Bulletproof Roof« Guarantee for more professional advice on how to accurately estimate the total cost of your roofing project. Schulte Roofing has been service College Station, TX since 1994. Schulte Roofing?s mission is to provide expert and trustworthy information that will guide you in making informed decisions.

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References:
1. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/ask-toh/video/0,,20685630,00.html
2. http://www.bobvila.com/nation/post/shingle-installation-tips