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FYI: My roof estimated at 2628 sq ft. Removal and replacement of the tarpaper layer (not tarpaper, some coated waterproof stuff), some decking repairs, some siding re-caulk, and installation of all new coated steel came in under $12,000 (2018 prices), including labor and some freight surcharges because everyone sticks it to those of us in AK.
OP, just how big IS your house?
Last edited by Parnassia; 08-17-2018 at 01:39 AM..
Asphalt shingles are often replaced prematurely, in my opinion. I think insurance drives a lot of this. If you have 2-3 layers of roof felt underneath the shingles, and the shingles have some hail dings, there is little risk of the roof leaking and the roof will last for a long, long time. The landfill has a special area for dumping old shingles and it is a mountain of asphalt shingles.
We bought our house in 1992 as a new home and it has the original asphalt roof on it. That makes my roof 25 years old. There are no leaks in the attic and no mold or moisture problems. There are no problems with the roof really, but it is getting up their in age. I can see the shingles are more brittle then they used to be and see more asphalt granules in the gutters then we used to. So we put a feeler out there just to get a ball park $$$.
Met with a metal roofer and was impressed with their design options and longevity. Great color options and what appear to be good warranties. Was impressed with the sales person as well. It is very appealing to only replace a roof once in a life time. But the price was a complete shock ...$43,000! In the discussion one thing struck me as odd regarding traditional shingles. He said that today's shingle lasts an average of 7 years. Also that today's shingle only has 10% oil in them so they do not last as long as shingles made in the 90's (like my house) which had 50% oil. He leveraged this to "prove how much cheaper a metal roof is over 40 years.
Are asphalt shingles really that bad today? I mean ...only 7 years? ...really? Sure seems like I would see more roofs being replaced then I do. I would LOVE a metal roof. Love the look, the resilience, etc... but at 1/3 the cost of my house? How long to today's asphalt roofs really last?
What specific things should we look for when talking asphalt shingles?
I'm not sure how big your house is but I inquired about a metal roof when I had my 20 year old roof replaced last year after buying this house. I was quoted $13K for a 1200 sq. ft. one story house. I would get more than one estimate as this guy sounds like a typical salesman. $43K is absolutely ridiculous unless you live in a castle. My sister's house is 2200 sq. ft. and she put in a new metal type roof that has a lifetime guarantee and it was less than $43K.
Asphalt shingles are often replaced prematurely, in my opinion. I think insurance drives a lot of this. If you have 2-3 layers of roof felt underneath the shingles, and the shingles have some hail dings, there is little risk of the roof leaking and the roof will last for a long, long time. The landfill has a special area for dumping old shingles and it is a mountain of asphalt shingles.
This is true - the house I bought last year had a roof that was 20 years old. I was told it must be replaced in order to get the mortgage so I made plans to do that. Before that actually happened we had a week of steady rain which caused flooding in parts of my county. Two weeks later Hurricane Irma came through my area. I owned the house but hadn't moved in yet. When I went to see how it fared through the hurricane I expected major damage because the windows are original from 1970 and well, I was told the roof was at the end of its life expectancy. Meanwhile the only damage I had was a frangipani which had blown over in the wind. Not a bit of rain came in the house.
That being said I'm glad I replaced the roof as it was black and made the house hotter but insurance companies are getting ridiculous with their demands to replace a 20 year old roof when they are "guaranteed" for 25 years.
I just replaced a shingle roof last month that was 29 years old, and it was definitely at the end of its life as there were numerous leaks and the shingles were super brittle.
As far as metal roofs being noisy, most people I know lay furring strips over the existing shingles, and then apply the metal over that. This blocks out most of the noise from rain.
This is true - the house I bought last year had a roof that was 20 years old. I was told it must be replaced in order to get the mortgage so I made plans to do that. Before that actually happened we had a week of steady rain which caused flooding in parts of my county. Two weeks later Hurricane Irma came through my area. I owned the house but hadn't moved in yet. When I went to see how it fared through the hurricane I expected major damage because the windows are original from 1970 and well, I was told the roof was at the end of its life expectancy. Meanwhile the only damage I had was a frangipani which had blown over in the wind. Not a bit of rain came in the house.
That being said I'm glad I replaced the roof as it was black and made the house hotter but insurance companies are getting ridiculous with their demands to replace a 20 year old roof when they are "guaranteed" for 25 years.
Our roof is 18 years old and we are getting estimates for it being replaced after the holidays this year. Insurance is the driver of when roofs are replaced here in FL and if you don’t, either your rates start climbing or they can and will drop your policy.
We talked to our insurance agent for her insight into roofing materials. She said roofing contractors will tell you 30 years for better asphalt shingle and 50 for metal. Insurance, at least here in FL, considers 15-20 years for better asphalt shingles and 30-35 years for metal to be more likely replacement times. With asphalt shingles, the newer waterproof underlayments/barriers put under the shingles are as important as the shingle quality, if not more.
At age 28 I installed our metal roof right over existing shingles. It's now 40 yrs. old and has life left. Compared to shingles it was a breeze. Big coverage fast and no heaving 100# bundles up a ladder. I also self insure as much as possible. A metal roof and Hardiplank siding go a long way towards this mindset.
I suspect that the HUGE quote that the OP got for a VERY "premium" type metal roof. I've seen luxury homes with so much copper that it could easily be a six figure cost. The labor and materials also vary CONSIDERABLY for the various kinds of metal roofs -- things like "standing seam" roofing involve different skills than bolted metal panel roofing that might look VERY VERY similar. There are historic homes (and commercial buildings) that have SOLDERED metal roofing and if there is someone that wants that sort of item they are basically paying somebody with the skills of a JEWELRY MAKER or hand-built bicycle builder to crawl around on the roof... https://www.stortz.com/8-roofing-mat...o-solder-them/
It depends on a lot of factors. The pitch angle of the roof, which way the roof is facing. How many valleys you have, dormers, etc. Asphalt shingles aren't perfect, but nor are metal roofs. The fastening points expand / contract, the neoprene washers age, if you have covered fasteners, these are more expensive, but not without their problems as well.
If the pitch is very steep then snow / ice will run off and an asphalt roof will "live" longer. In cold, asphalt is OK, but in the heat (if the heat is constant and the sun is high) then asphalt doesn't do as well because the oils / volatiles / polymers break down and evaporate, etc., which then shortens the life of the roof. In those climates, I'd consider solar panels over asphalt base. Metal roofs aren't bad, the coatings are meh and unless you are going with copper or aluminum then your roof will rust.
My house is 1300 sq ft and the quote is for an aluminum, "shingled" roof. We live in Raleigh NC. They would put the new roof over top of our existing asphalt shingled roof. The look would be awesome. According to home sales in my area, value is around $170k. ... but dang $43k.... Hard to fathom that a roof replacement would be 25% of my home value. We are 52 years old and likely to retire in 15 years so a metal roof is appealing in that it would be the last roof we would ever need before we pass on (we wont likly move).
Going to get some additional quotes, including asphalt like y'all recommended. What should I look for specifically in an asphalt roof shingle to last 25-30 year roof? Any gotchas or specific questions I should ask?
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