The roofing sector now offers a massive variety of exciting materials and variations. However, some homeowners still prefer to use the cheapest roof available. Among all roofing materials, asphalt is still the least expensive option accessible for homeowners aspiring to live in traditional-style homes. If your budget is tight and you want product variations, asphalt roofing may allow you to acquire a new roof at an affordable price.
Every homeowner is directly concerned with the upfront cost of roof replacement. You may be forced to settle with less expensive material if you don’t have enough extra savings to shoulder the considerable cost. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for, so if you install cheaper materials on your roof, you should anticipate leaking problems and property damage just a few years after. You’ll likely encounter recurring issues with your roof, whereas if you spend for a higher roofing option, your savings may get depleted for quite some time, but you won’t spend much for periodic maintenance.
Below is a list of commonly used materials that roofing companies New York can offer:
1. Asphalt
If you need an outright answer, asphalt is still the cheapest roof material you can install. It’s the most widely used material for traditional and ranch-style home settings. You can select among organic 3-tab, fiberglass, and architectural or laminated shingles. Prices for these asphalt variations vary based on material composition, level of protective coating, and shingle profile.
Among the three options, laminated shingles are thicker and relatively more expensive than organic 3-tab shingles. However, the latter is easier to replace. About service life, laminated shingles typically last for 30 years under normal circumstances. A typical 2,000-square foot ranch-style home, installing new asphalt shingles may cost somewhere between $7,500 and $10,000. Sadly, it isn’t easy to find home insurance plans with reasonable rates when the age of your asphalt roof begins to reach 20 years.
2. Wood Shake or Shingles
Suitable for ranch or cottage-style homes, wood shingles can make your home look natural. Installation of wood shingle or shake roof will require specialized skills and cost around $12,000 to $14,000. Similar to asphalt shingles, wood shingles require frequent maintenance to minimize the effects of solid weather disturbance and termite infestation. These versatile wood materials, however, can only last for 25 years.
You can use synthetic wood-like shingles if you want less maintenance and less hazardous to fire as an alternative. However, synthetic materials are more expensive than traditional wood at $18,000 to cover a typical ranch-style residence. Though they are susceptible to discoloration and expansion, artificial wood shingles are made more robust and reliable.
3. Metal Roof
Consider installing a metal roofing system if you have a steep or flat roof. The average galvanized steel roof is relatively cheaper than roof tiles, considering their service life, proven resistance capacity build-up, and mighty wind. For an average cost of $16,500, you can get a professionally installed metal roof which you can expect to secure your home for the next 75 years after installation.
Compared with asphalt or wood shakes, a metal roof seems more durable, only requiring minimal maintenance, though regular inspection for at least once a year is highly encouraged. Interesting product variations include standing seam roofs, corrugated sheets, rolled roofing, and individual shingles. A standing seam is a type of metal roofing consisting of vertical panels connected using two seams per panel that stand upright. This offers your roof a modern appearance and performs better than conventional corrugated roofing sheets.
If you wish to incorporate the appearance of wood shakes, asphalt, or clay, you can use stone-coated metal roofs available in various profiles. This premium steel material is a corrosion-resistant metal coated with crushed granite, which ensures optimum weather protection against fire, hail, and strong wind. Stone-coated metal roofing is typically installed over a series of wood battens, producing air channels between the roof deck and metal roofing. These air channels will act as ventilation in keeping the roof deck temperature down during hot seasons. They can also reduce ice dams on your roof deck during winter.
4. Ceramic Day
Ceramic roofs are popularly installed in traditional homes inspired by Spanish colonial architecture. But if you’re considering the upfront cost, you won’t choose this highly impressive roofing material for sure. This conventional material can cost $60,000 for high-end options but offers a 75-year warranty. Despite being expensive, the resistance power of ceramic roofs against extreme weather disturbance is unquestionable.
But if you’re looking for a more expensive choice than ceramic, you can go for slate roofing which comes with a 100-year warranty if adequately managed. Professional installation of slate roof shingles on a typical ranch-style home setting can cost anywhere between $30,000 and $80,000 for high-end, top-of-the-line selections. Synthetic slate is now available as a cheaper alternative for roofing New York City but only comes with a 25-year warranty. By comparison, you can fully install synthetic slate shingles at $18,000.
When it comes to affordability, no material can ever beat the price of asphalt roofing. However, synthetic roofing materials continue to grow in popularity to help homeowners have traditional roof designs at a lower cost.
