Choosing a Roof: What Affects Your Decision

Do you know anyone that wouldn’t mind having an ugly roof? Or that wouldn’t prefer to remain within budget when it was time for a new roof installation? When it comes to the roof of your home, there are some things you need to pay attention to and some things to take into consideration.

Let us make things simpler. The former has to do strictly with the roof. In order to choose the perfect roofing solution for your home, you need to make sure of certain factors. Which are those?

•   The durability and thus, longevity of the roof. This has to do with the roofing material. Although all last for plenty of years, some can last for much longer.

•   The slope of the roof is equally important. This is also related to the material since not all can have the same steepness.

•   The quality of the roof components, anything from the underlayment to the flashing and the gutters.

•   The aesthetics. While all roofs today are beautiful, you need to find the color, type, style, and design that best reflect your home’s personality.

To decide on such vital matters, you need to consider some other external factors that will really influence your decision. Which are those?

The climate

snowy roofLet’s say it rains a lot in your area. Wouldn’t you want a roof that will shed water right away? The weather conditions of the location matter the most when it comes to choosing a roof. They will actually lead you to choose among roofing slopes, materials, types. The local climate will also shape your opinion on whether you will need an energy efficient roof or not. To sum up, the roof must be resilient, durable, and steep enough to withstand the weather in your area.

The location

While the weather is the ultimate guide for your decision, the location of your home will also shape your decision. Let’s say it is located close to a forest. Wouldn’t you want a roof that it’s truly resistant to flame spreading to avoid the nightmare in the event of a wildfire?

And then, there’s one more thing that is also related to the weather. Remote homes or homes built in truly open spaces where it’s also very windy take lots of beating. In such cases, you need impact rated roofs that won’t break easily due to flying debris.

The building

Is this a residence? A commercial building? A new home or an existing structure? In other words, your decision is affected by the building itself and if you need roof replacement or an installation from scratch. In an existing building, for example, you may or you may not need some of the components replaced but you must also take into account the weight of the roof material and how much load can the structure take.

Your budget

roof replacement Every small or big decision you make will affect the final cost. And that’s without the cost of the labor work of the roofers, just yet. The cost is shaped by the material, the roof type, the brand, the slope of the roof – the steeper the roof the more shingles you need. The cost is also shaped by the additional components, like the underlayment – everything you don’t really see but it’s there. It mainly has to do with the quality of all materials and obviously, the best materials cost more. But they also last longer. So, this is something to weigh depending on how much you can spend now and how long you are planning to stay in this home.

The local regulations

Although you will have the roofing contractor to take care of all that, it’s important to know that there might be some restrictions from the local building codes. Depending on your location and neighborhood, your choices among roofing materials, types, slopes, and styles may be limited. And so, your decision will be shaped accordingly.