What’s the best way to choose a roofing contractor for your home? You won’t know until you educate yourself about the different types of roofing materials available, and what is required during installation. In this article we will provide some guidelines on how to get started in your search for an installer.
When you are informed, you can find roofing contractors who will be reliable and trustworthy.
Roof Material
Organize all of the roofing materials by roof type and weight. Roofs are usually categorized as either flat or sloped roofing depending on their angle to the ground. Common roof types include: flat roof, pitched roof, gable roof, hipped roof, gambrel roof and mansard roof. Flat roofs are generally made of lightweight materials such as rubber and synthetic material because they do not have much load-bearing requirements. Sloped roofs require more reinforcement due to the weight of the rainwater and snow that build up over time. Sloped roofs can use lighter-weight roof materials such as asphalt shingles or roof tiles.
When roofing contractors come to your house, ask questions about roof types and roofing materials so that you can better understand their recommendations for roof installation. If you are unsure of what roof type is appropriate or the weight requirements, hire a contractor who is knowledgeable about roof installation.
Practice Makes Perfect
Before the roofers begin installing roofing material on your home, try some mockups first. This will help you to determine exactly what colors and textures are available and suit your taste in addition to being able to see firsthand how they look on the roof of your home. You’ll want to do this with any roof replacement project because it allows homeowners an opportunity to customize the roofing material finalizing a contract with a roofing contractor.
Contracts and Pricing
Before roofers begin roof installation on your home, be sure to review any roofing contracts carefully in order to avoid misunderstandings or miscommunication. Some roofing companies require a down payment before beginning work while others do not. If you are unfamiliar with the roofing material that is being installed or how much it costs, ask for an estimate. An estimate will help you compare prices and determine whether the roofer’s final bill matches up with what was initially agreed upon. These estimates can also be used as reference during contract negotiations in case there are different opinions regarding pricing or roof type recommendations.
In addition to roof installation, most roofing contractors offer additional services such as general repairs, roof maintenance, window installation or roof cleaning. If your roof is damaged in any way, roofers can also assist with roof restoration and roof repair. These services are often advertised on their websites or within the contract itself so be sure to ask about what is included.
Roofing Materials
Before the roofers install roofing materials on your home, they should assess what needs to be done. They will need have a proper understanding of what kind of roof you have in order to determine which roofing materials are appropriate for installation. Common types of roofing materials include: asphalt shingle, metal roofing, ceramic tiles and slate tiles. There are many different manufacturers and styles of each material available so it’s important that contractors know which materials are right for your home.
Asphalt roof shingles are the most popular roofing material in the United States because they are inexpensive, light-weight and easy to install. Asphalt roof shingles come in a variety of colors and textures so roofers should be able to find one that matches your taste or suits the architecture of your home. If you want to reinvigorate an existing roof replacement is possible through roof restoration. Unfortunately, asphalt roof shingles have been known for their susceptibility to fire damage over time so if this is a concern, consider installing metal roofing instead. Metal roofs tend to be expensive but they are more durable than other roof types including concrete tiles.
Ceramic and slate tiles are heavy-duty materials that are recommended for roof installation in areas with heavy snowfall. They are quite expensive but roofers often recommend their use as a roof replacement alternative to asphalt roof shingles because they can last up to 100 years without roof repairs.
While roof installation is something that most homeowners can do on their own, there is always the option to hire roofing contractors. If you have any questions about which roof type is right for you or how much roofing materials cost, ask roofing contractors for assistance. Regardless of whether you choose to hire a contractor or install your roof yourself, pull up this guide before proceeding and become educated on the subject of roof installation.
