Roofing Costs & Prices | How Much Does a New Roof Cost …

Questions to consider before calculating the cost of a new roof:

When calculating the cost of a roofing job, you will need to figure out two separate costs: materials and labor.

The cost of materials can be calculated by finding the square footage of your roof, looking at the type of material you want to use and figuring out how much of that material you need. Most roofing contractors give their materials cost in terms of 10 ft. x 10 ft. squares (100 square feet). Most materials cost about$150 per square. This list will give a sense for the relative costs of materials.

It should be noted that modified bitumen, a form of asphalt roll roofing, may only be used on flat roofs. All other roofing styles may be used on both flat and pitched roofs.Learn more about roofing materials here.

Additional materials and tools will be required to do roof repair. Chief among these will be a ladder, for which you want to err on the side of caution regarding the length. Long-time homeowners may already own a big ladder that they can use to get to the roof, but new homeowners may need to include a ladder investment in their estimate of roofing costs and prices if they plan on making it a DIY job. A new ladder can be anywhere from$200 to upwards of $500depending on how high your roof is.

Other materials include fasteners and basic tools like a hammer or drill, protective sealant materials, ventilation materials, flashing, leak barriers and more. Costs of these materials vary widely, though they will generally be a fraction of the cost of the main roofing materials.

A good rule of thumb formeasuring your roof's pitchis that the average cost of labor for roofing is generally equivalent to the cost of materials for that size of roof. This means that by doing a roofing project by yourself, you could save about half the money you would otherwise spend. On the other hand, you will have to spend about two to three times as much time as a professional contractor with roofing experience to do a job that might not be as good.

Installing a roof is relatively forgiving work, especially if you're using inexpensive materials. "Forgiving" here means that if you make a mistake, you can usually repair it at little cost. However, if you don't take your time and make sure that there are no leaky spots, you might run the risk of permanent damage to your home. It is a job where you want to go slowly and steadily. In climates where weather is unpredictable, you may not have a good window of opportunity to work as slowly as you would like, which would be another reason to hire a contractor for the job.

Once you have theroofthat you want, it's important to maintain your investment. No matter whattype of roofyou have, the key to the longevity relies on maintenance and care. Maintenance should be done at least semi-annually, if not seasonally. An inspector should walk your roof slowly and inspect it thoroughly, as well as get rid of all leaves, branches, twigs and any other debris. An electric or gas blower does this job nicely. A roofingexpert will look for things such as broken or missing shingles, shakes or tiles, and make the necessaryrepairs.

Chimneys, roof-mounted AC units, roof-mounted solar panels, dormer vents, heat vents, plumbing vents, and valleys and crickets, are the main areas where you will find leaking. Your roof will receive more abuse from the elements than any other part of the building. Preventative maintenance will save you money on your roof by providing a longer life.

Here are some more general roofing tips:

Kichen remodel cost guide Concrete Calculator

Last updated on Mar 28, 2016

Read the original:
Roofing Costs & Prices | How Much Does a New Roof Cost ...