Replacing your roof is a sizable endeavor. Your roof is your first line of defense against the elements and everything else outside the walls of your home. There’s no way to protect your loved ones and belongings if your roof is rotten.
However, when you’re in the market for a new roof, you may get a lot of mixed signals. It’s important to know what to look for when you get an estimate for a new roofing project. Here are the elements that experts use to come up with a fair cost for your new roof.
Costs listed on your estimate can include:
- Flashing
- Underlayment
- Gutters
- Roof covering
- Permits and their included costs
- Cleanup and disposal
- Hours of labor to complete the project
Labor and Material
For many roofers, the price of labor is included with the cost of the materials, so when you see shingles on the list, this is both the cost of the physical material (the shingle) and the labor needed to attach it to your roof.
Hourly wages of roofers differ from company to company, but the cost of shingles and other materials should stay the same in your general location.
Roof Layers
Your project’s estimate should include how many layers of your original roof will be ripped off during demolition. An on-site inspection is crucial to determine how many layers will need to be done away with in order to put on a new roof.
Installation Method
Whether or not workers hand nail or air nail shingles to your roof will make a difference in the project’s final cost. You should also have an idea of how many nails will be used for each shingle, one or two
Good to Know
An on-site inspection is crucial to determine how many layers will need to be done away with in order to put on a new roof.
Ventilation Systems
There are two types of vents you can put on your new roof – passive and active. A passive vent works naturally, moving air in your attic with the help of the wind. An active system pushes air out of your attic and pulls fresh air in for ventilation.
Some passive vents include box or static vents, gable-end vents, and ridge vents (but without a baffle). Active ventilation systems are turbine or power vents, solar-powered vents, or ridge vents, with a baffle.
Roof Flashing and Pipe Boots
Flashing is used whenever your shingles bump up against something like a wall or a chimney. Some contractors can use parts of your old flashing to cut down on cost, but if you need a lot of new roof flashing, you should find out exactly how much and what kind of metal the contractor proposes.
Pipe boots prevent your pipes from leaking with a neoprene boot around the point of penetration. Your roofing estimate needs to list how many places in your new roof will need to accommodate pipes and how many boots are required to keep those pipes from leaking.
Site Clean-up and Disposal
Roof replacement is messy, and you should make sure that whomever you hire plans to make your property sic-n-span afterward. Included in every roofing estimate should be dump fees and the cost of any labor to clean up after the work is done.
The messiness of a roofing project can extend to other parts of your property as well. If you have a pool, your roofing estimate should include a brand-new tarp to protect it from falling debris.
Final Thoughts
To make a sound decision about your roof, you need to go into the project with a complete understanding of what contractors expect to charge you. Keep an eye out for what kind of metal flashing is used, how many nails per shingle, and cleanup and disposal fees for a precise estimate.
When you’re ready to talk with a professional roofing contractor, get in touch with At Home Pros. We’ll connect you to the top roofing experts in your area, so you’re sure to get the best service for your next project.