New Roof An Unloved Home Improvement
New Roof An Unloved Home Improvement
How many times have I written “New Roof” in a description of a property I am selling? But in truth a new roof is an unloved home improvement. Who really wants a new roof? Yes, yes , those with leaky roofs are certainly in want of a new roof. But really, does anybody look at a home and say “I love that roof, let’s buy this house honey”
A roof is rarely seen. When looking at a house buyers will focus on the landscaping, the front door color, architectural windows and even the color of the brick, but they rarely notice a roof. This changes if you choose a God awful color for your new roof, but otherwise, I stand by my hypothesis.
But roofs have a lifespan and eventually, most homeowners come to know the joy of replacing their roof.
First lesson: The life expectancy of your new roof is not the same as the life expectancy a manufacturer’s warranty places on the shingle. For instance, a 30 year shingle is not going to last 30 years.
A 20 year roof usually lasts only 15 years on average. Why is the life expectancy of the roof different from the manufacturer’s warranty? Easy answer is the manufacturer only warrants the roof against a defective roof shingle. They do not warrant the shingle against weather, workmanship, or Acts of God.
What does it cost to replace a roof?
I always suggest homeowners get three estimates from reputable contractors before tackling a big home improvement project. But at present here is an estimate of what it will cost to replace your roof.
Shingles – GAF 25 year charcoal black Architectural style 3 tab shingle is approximately $66 a square. With labor costs, you are going to pay $200 to $250 a square for that new roof. More if you have some unusual roof features or if you have plywood that needs to be replaced. Let’s call the total cost $275 a square. But what the heck is a square?
In roofing terminology, a “square” is 100 square feet. Composition shingles (asphalt or fiberglass) come in bundles that cover 1/3 square. Roofing comes in rolls 3 feet wide and 36 feet long, for a coverage of about 1 square. A square is an area of roof which measures 100 square feet. To determine the number of squares on the gable roof above, simply divide its total of 24,000 square feet by 100. The result is 240, and this means you would need 240 squares of shingles to cover that roof. Better Homes and Gardens.
My house has 31 squares of roofing – so the projected cost of replacement is 31 X $275 = $8,525. A new roof is indeed an unloved home improvement
