At the BCS Home & Garden Expo this past weekend, some of the most commonly asked questions that we received were about the pricing difference between metal roofing and composition shingles as well as the pros and cons of each. Both metal roofing and composite shingle roofing are found widely in College Station, but the type of roofing that you would want to use on your home depends on your goals for your roof and home. Some common questions that homeowners should consider when deciding on the type of College Station roofing they should select include:
- How long do I plan to live at the residence?
- Which has the lowest overall cost?
- Which has the lowest initial cost?
- Which is more energy efficient?
Weight: Who’s the Heavy Weight Champ?
It may seem surprising but metal roofing is actually lighter than traditional composite shingles. Typically, metal roofing in College Station weighs about 1.3 pounds per square foot; composite shingles weigh about 2 – 4 pounds per square foot. The additional weight in composite shingles comes from the layering of many material types to form an outer layer of protection. Metal roofing is a studier, able to withstand more force with less material.
Homeowners with existing composite shingles may also find that they are able to install a new metal roof over existing composite shingles. This can reduce your overall installation costs by saving time in teardown and unforeseen repair work.
Lifespan: Which can stand the test of time?
Materials wear differently in different environmental regions. And, for that reason some products are not available in local markets. However, in College Station roofing, both composite shingles and metal roofing hold up well in long stretches. However, metal roofing outlives composite shingles by 3 or more times.
The alloys in metal roofing found in College Station not only handle mechanical damage from wind, rain, and hail better than composite shingles, but also have a greater tolerance at the molecular level; handling heat and sun damage better as well.
Warranty: Who has the most protection?
Roofing warranties are can be tricky to navigate at times. With composite shingles many roofing warranties last as long as 50 years. To most homeowners that means that the roof will perform the same for the next 50 years. However, that is almost never the case. The truth is that manufacturers cover product defects only. They do not cover poor installation, normal wear and tear, or damage resulting from improper installation or mismatching materials.
Because composite shingles wear at a much faster rate than metal roofing it is almost certain that some sort of maintenance and repair work will need to be done before the end of the roof’s life. This work is not normally covered under warranty conditions. Metal roofs will last a lifetime if properly maintained, eliminating most potential roofing repairs.
Pricing: How to Get the Best Value
There are a number of different factors that go into the pricing of metal roofing and composite shingles. Most roofing costs consist of materials, labor, and warranty. Material costs are usually the same for all roofers because the materials come from the same manufacturers. However, the other costs, installation and warranty, can vary widely between College Station roofers.
Overwhelmingly experience is what drives the cost for installation and warranties. Inexperience roofers will often need more installation time than necessary, cut corners (with or without realizing it), and make mistakes with the specifics of roofing warranties. This either results in a more expensive warranty to cover future costs incurred by the roofer or a roof warranty that has been invalidated the day the roof was installed.
A homeowner would be wise to heavily consider experience on the type of roofing as a deciding factor. Composition shingles are easier to install because they are pre-made from a manufacturer. Metal roofing requires a custom skill set; several expertly skilled metal and machine workers as well as a custom fabrication shop. Having these important production pieces at a home office allows for flexibility in metal roofing design.
An inexperience roofing contractor will often have to reorder and re-cut several pieces of material to finish the project. As material is principle component of roofing costs, inexperienced roofers will almost certainly drive the cost up.
Final Words
Homeowners should take into account not only price, but experience and resources when they are choosing a College Station roofing company to install a composite shingle or metal roof. Be sure that the company chosen has experience in the exact form of roofing that you would like. Finally, make sure that you have a warranty that provides 360° protection, like the Bulletproof Roof® Guarantee from Schulte Roofing, which includes a No-Blame Guarantee, covering against damage and pay you $500.
For more information and expert guidance on the pros and cons of metal roofing, contact Schulte Roofing today. 1-800-FOR-ROOF