Outside major remodeling projects such as renovating a kitchen or bathroom, new roofing is one of the most expensive home improvement "repairs" that a homeowner ever faces. As with most home improvement choices, there is a direct relationship between quality and expense, and in the case of roofing, "quality" usually translates as longevity. With a roof, it rarely makes sense to bargain-basement shop by choosing a roofing material based sheerly on price, when spending a little more may give you a roof that lasts for as long as you own the house. A cheap roof is no bargain if it needs to be replaced every 8 years.
You may find some surprises as you consider the longevity factor of these seven common residential roofing materials.
For the sake of comparison, we've offered average national costs based a 2,000 square foot house with a standard roof, installed by professionals. Be aware that different roof configurations and different materials can make these costs vary greatly Costs will vary even by region, based on the differences in labor costs. But this analysis will give you a sense of comparative lifespans of these seven different types of roofing, as well as their average costs and lifetime value.
Asphalt roll roofing is made from large rolls of the same material used in asphalt shingles. Used for relatively flat pitches, such as angled shed roofs, roll roofing is installing by laying strips lengthwise across the roof in overlapping courses. Roll roofing is a fairly easy material to install, and many DIYers do this themselves. But it is better suited for sheds, garages, and perhaps porch roofs, and is not a very good solution for most home roofs.
Average Lifespan
Asphalt roll roofing can be expected to last from 5 to 10 years, at most. Getting maximum life from the roofing is really just a matter of keeping it clear of debris and quickly patching any punctures or damage that occurs.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
Asphalt roll roofing is normally installed on roofs with a relatively flat peak, so a 2,000 square foot house will have very close to 2,000 square feet of roof area. Average costs for installing this roof are about $2.25 per square foot, for a total average cost of roughly $4,500. But assuming that this roof will likely need to be replaced perhaps 12 times over 100 years, total costs over this period, in today's dollars, can be as high as $54,000 over 100 years.
A built-up roof (BUR) is a layered roof that is created by alternating layers of roofing felt and waterproof materials such as fiberglass, and hot tar (bitumen). Normally used on roofs that are flat or with a very slight pitch, BUR roofIt is fire-resistant and inexpensive, but the roofing is messy and smelly to install.
Average Lifespan
BUR roofs typically last from 20 to 30 years. Maximizing the lifespan of a built-up roof is accomplished by regular inspection and repair, and by keeping debris off the roof to prevent degradation of the surface.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
Built-up roofing average about $4 per square foot, installed. On a 2,000 square foot house with a roof very close to that square footage, average professional installation costs about $8,000. Assuming that this roof will need to be replaced about four times over a 100 year period, average roofing costs in today's dollars are about $32,000 over 100 years. However, this type of roof is not suitable for a home with any real slope to the roof.
Composite shingle roofing is the most popular of all roofing materials, found on more than 80 percent of all homes. Composite shingles use either an organic or fiberglass base that is saturated with asphalt, coated on the bottom side with asphalt, and the exposed surface impregnated with small chips of slate, schist, quartz, or ceramic granules. The vast popularity of shingles owes to the relatively low cost, easy installation, and decent life expectancy. These roofs are normally installed by professional crews, but installation is not out of reach for a skilled DIYer.
Average Lifespan
Composite asphalt shingles can be expected to last 15 to 40 years, depending on the quality of the materials chosen. Some shingle roofs may even last as long as 50 years. Most shingle roofing manufactures offer a range of products in different weights and different life expectancies. Manufacturers like Owens Corning, GAF, or Certainteed come with accordingly high-end warranties pushing a half-century.
Maximize the lifespan of asphalt shingle roofs by avoiding cheap shingles and avoiding walking on them. Keep them free of moss, and never power wash an asphalt shingle roof.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
On average, asphalt shingle roofs cost around $5 per square foot to instal,l although the price range can be substantial, depending on the types of shingles selected and the labor costs from region to region. Assuming that a 2,000 square foot house with a typical roof slopes has a roof square footage of about 2,200 square feet, that roof averages about $11,000 for professional installation. Assuming this roof might be replaced three to four times, an asphalt shingle roof will cost, in today's dollars, $33,000 to $44,000 over 100 years. Since a typical homeowner rarely lives in a home for more than 30 or 40 years, during which they may reroof only once, asphalt shingles make for a fairly cost-effective roofing material from most people
Wood shingle roofs are made from thin, wedge-shaped pieces of natural wood, such as cedar or yellow pine, which are sawn from logs. They make for an extremely attractive roof but are tricky to install and not suitable for most DIYers. Be aware that growing fire hazards in some regions has caused legal restrictions on the use of wood roofing materials. They are not a good choice in any location where there are seasonal wildfire hazards.
Average Lifespan
Wood shingle roofs average about 25 to 30 years in longevity, though longer lifespans are sometimes achieved in locations where the roof experiences mild conditions and remains free of debris. Meticulously maintained, wood shingle roofs can last for 50 years. To extend the life of a wood shingle roof, make sure to replace split and cracked shingles immediately, and keep the roof free of moss.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
Wood shingles are more expensive than asphalt shingles, costing between $6.50 and $11.00 per square foot, installed. Assuming an average of about $9 per square foot, a 2,000 square foot house with 2,200 square foot of standard sloped roof will cost $19,800 to roof. Assuming this roof will need to be replaced at least three or four times over a century, costs can be as high as $60,000 to $80,000 over 100 years, calculated in today's dollars.
Wood shakes are a thicker material than wood shingles, and they can be expected to stand up better than wood shingles to weather and UV rays. They are not suitable for most DIYers to install, requiring professional installation. Like wood shingles, shakes may be restricted in regions where wildfires are a known hazard.
Average Lifespan
Wood shake roofs can be expected to last 35 to 40 years, though longer life is not rare. To maximize lifespan, you do need to baby them and practice proper maintenance. There is no "set it and forget it"option for any wood roofing material. Remove debris as soon as it falls on the roof. Eliminate moss. Replace split shakes right away. Replace curled, cupped, or split shakes immediately.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
Both the materials and installation are more expensive for shakes than for wood shingles. You can typically count on shakes being about 50 percent more expensive than shingles. Based on an assumption of $13 per square foot, a 2,000 square foot house with 2,200 in sloped roof square footage will cost $26,000 to install. If three installations are required over a century, average costs in today's dollars would run $78,000 over 100 years.
An increasingly popular type of roofing, especially in areas prone to wildfire danger, standing-seam metal roofs are made from large steel panels laid on the roof deck with the seams overlapping in raised ridges that run vertically along the roof slope. Metals used are usually steel or aluminum, although copper and zinc are also used. These roofs are virtually maintenance free, and very durable. They are not suitable for DIY installation, however.
Average Lifespan
Standing-seam metal roofs have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years, but as a relatively new product, information is still being gathered. In good circumstances, metal roofs may well last 75 years. To maximize lifespan, regularly check them to make sure that fasteners and sealants haven't failed, and inspect for distressed, bent, or slipped panels.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
Costs for standing-seam metal roofs average about $10 per square foot for steel or aluminum, $13 per square foot for zinc, and $18 per square foot for copper. For a 2,000 square foot house with 2,200 in sloped roof area, average national costs for a steel panel roof are about $22,000. But there is strong evidence that improved metal roofs now being sold may routinely last 50 years. If a metal roof is replaced only once, costs in today's dollars are $44,000 over 100 years.
Is Metal Roofing the Best Value?
For a homeowner who lives in a home for 30 to 40 years before selling, a single $22,000 re-roofing expense might be the only one ever incurred if using metal roofing. And if you are shopping for a new home, buying one with a metal roof may mean you'll never face a re-roofing project at all. In many ways, standing-seam metal roofs might be a more cost-effective option then the far more popular asphalt shingle roof.
Clay tile roofs are very popular in the Southwest, but they can be found anywhere in the country, thanks to their incredible strength and durability. Traditional tiles are made from terracotta clay, but there are also ceramic tiles roofs (made of fired clay), as well as concrete tile roofs. All consist of individual tiles installed in overlapping layers over the roof surface, and all have roughly the same degree of strength and durability. They require a sturdy roofing framing sufficient to hold the weight and must be installed by skilled professionals. This may well be the only roof your home ever needs.
Average Lifespan
Clay tile roofs routinely last 100 years or more when properly maintained. Tile roofing's Achilles heel is not decay, as with wood shake or shingles, nor the slow sloughing off of mineral grains, as with composite shingles.Rather, cracking is what can doom tile roofs. Avoid walking on your tile roof as much as possible. Whenefflorescence develops, as often happens with terracotta, buff it off with a clean, dry towel. Coat the tiles with a clear alkyd primer.Replace cracked and broken tiles as soon as you spot them.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
Costs vary considerably, depending on whether the tiles are traditional clay terracotta, fired ceramic, or concrete. Concrete tiles can cost around $10 per square foot, installed; terra cotta can range from $15 to $20 per square foot installed; and ceramic tile, from $20 to $30 per square foot, installed. If installing a traditional Spanish clay tile roof at $20 per square foot, costs for a 2,000 square foot house with 2,200 of sloped roof area would be $44,400. However, since this roof will very likely last a century, costs in today's dollars would remain $44,000 over 100 years. If you are really concerned about future owners, a tile roof is a great choice. And if you are shopping for a new home, a tile roof less than 50 years old may well be a house you'll never need to reroof.
Slate is another version of a stone roof, but rather than being made from molded clays or concrete, these are roofs covered with actual stone hewn from rock mined from quarries. Slate has a natural tendency to split into flat slabs, making this the ideal natural stone to cover roofs. Slate must be installed by trained craftsmen. It is the most expensive of common roofing materials, but also the most durable of all. Properly maintained, it can potentially last the lifetime of your homeeven if that lifetime is two centuries long. Because of the expense, this is a roofing material usually used on large, luxury homes.
Average Lifespan
This is a roof that can easily last 100 years or and far more. There are slate roofs still in operation that literally date back to Shakespeare's time. To achieve this kind of longevity, immediately replace any broken slate tiles you see. Make sure that all flashings are correctly installed and in good working order. When your copper flashing has turned black, it is time to replace it.
Installation Costs and Lifetime Value
There is quite an enormous variation in costs for a slate roof, which can range from around $10 per square foot to as high as $75 per square foot, installed. Assuming an average installation cost of $30 per square foot, a 2,000 square foot home with 2,200 in sloped roof area can cost roughly $66,000 to roof with slate. That 's the only cost ever incurred though. Ever. At today's dollars, a slate roof would cost $66,000 over 100 years. And $66,000 for 200 years. And $66,000 for 300 years...
It's easy to choose inexpensive options when you are faced with the immediate challenge of financing a new roof when the old one wears out. But taking a long-term view may show you that a more expensive roofing material can be the better value over the lifetime of your home. And when shopping for a new home, a quality roof should make you perk up and take notice.
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Comparing Lifespans for 7 Common Roofing Materials
- Alpena family overjoyed to be chosen as Level Up Roofing winner - Alpena News - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
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- GORILLA ROOFING WEATHER REPORT: Forecast for Brevard Calls for Sunny Skies, High Near 77 On Saturday - SpaceCoastDaily.com - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
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- Trusted Roofing in Seattle and Surrounding Areas, Orca Roofing & Exteriors Offers Guidance to Extend a Roof's Lifespan - GlobeNewswire - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
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- River Sea Network and Pearl Street Capital Partners Form Aligned Exteriors Group, a Residential Roofing and Exterior ... - PR Newswire - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
- Monroe County deputies looking for roofing contractor with felony warrants - 41 NBC News - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
- Rust-Oleum Elevates Service Standards with Timely Distribution Solutions for Roofing Industry - Business Wire - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
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- 5 Milwaukee Tools That Will Come In Handy For Roofing Jobs - SlashGear - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
- Colony Roofers Unveils New Office in Tampa, Florida - PR Newswire - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
- They took advantage of me: Ontario man warns of alleged fake roofing crew - Global News - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
- Insufficient Growth At Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (NASDAQ:BECN) Hampers Share Price - Simply Wall St - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Guardian Roofing prepares Houston Homes for Spring with Comprehensive Roofing Renewal Services - PR Newswire - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Hopkinton couple face charges of mail and wire fraud from AG's office - MetroWest Daily News - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Vote for the DC Roofing 321preps Athlete of the Week, March 11-16 - Florida Today - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Sponsored: Teague Roofing - KY3 - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- GORILLA ROOFING WEATHER REPORT: Forecast for Brevard Calls for Sunny Skies, High Near 78 On Thursday - SpaceCoastDaily.com - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- GAF to Expand Residential Roofing Operations with New Kansas Facility - Roofing Contractor - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Scientists Searching Roofs of Ancient Cathedrals for Strange Cosmic Dust - Futurism - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- GAF to Expand Residential Roofing Operations With New Manufacturing Facility in Newton, Kansas - Yahoo Finance - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Covington County Courthouse getting 2nd new roof in 3 years - WDAM - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- VIDEO: How the FCC's Consent Ruling Will Impact Your Roofing Business - Roofing Contractor - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Governor Kelly Announces North America's Largest Roofing Manufacturer to Invest More than $300M; Create More ... - Sunflower State Radio - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Nordea Investment Management AB Sells 3685 Shares of Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (NASDAQ:BECN) - Defense World - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Your chance to win a roof, repair or replacement - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
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- The other avalanche: Roofs heavy with snow in Colorado create danger - CBS Colardo - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Attleboro High track, roofs at two other schools need repairs - The Sun Chronicle - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Learn when to replace your roof - KSHB 41 Kansas City News - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Roofing Tiles Market: Projected to Reach $46.97 Billion by 2030 with Global Growth Trends As Revealed In Ne... - WhaTech - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
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- Roof tune-up from a family-owned roofing company - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Ohio Roofing Contractor Settles with DOL, Agrees to Pay $730000 and Enhance Safety Measures - Occupational Health and Safety - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Realtors' group honors Patriot Roofing - Greater Wilmington Business Journal - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Florida homes with roofs built after 2015 could be more likely to survive major hurricanes: FEMA report - FOX 13 Tampa - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- GORILLA ROOFING WEATHER REPORT: Forecast for Brevard Calls for Mostly Skies, High Near 69 On Thursday - SpaceCoastDaily.com - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Roofing Accident Starts Fire at University of Oklahoma - Roofing Contractor - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- VIDEO: Keeping Subcontractors Safe on the Roof - Roofing Contractor - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Year In Review Updates On The Top Stories From 2023: Certified Roofers Give Back To The Community In The New ... - Osprey Observer - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
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- Roofing firm fined for repeated safety violation in Richmond - Richmond News - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Plaquemine City Hall repairs scheduled to begin in early January - Post South - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Roofing Incident Leaves Four Families Homeless in Orlando - BNN Breaking - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- M&M Roofing Gifts East Texas Family with New Roof for Their Home - kicks105.com - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
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- Roofing contractor arrested on racketeering allegations following years-long ANF investigations - Atlanta News First - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Mitchell Roofing and Siding owner arrested on drug charges; federal warrant remains sealed - KMIT - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Mitchell Roofing and Siding owner arrested, business searched - KELO - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Top 10 Largest Roofing OSHA Penalties of 2023 | Roofing Contractor - Roofing Contractor - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- One person in custody following federal investigation Thursday at Mitchell roofing business - Mitchell Republic - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
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- Homeowner Challenges Increase in Home's Taxable Value Tied to New Roof - Roofing Contractor - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Dunes Point Capital, LP Announces the Formation of Roofing Services Solutions, LLC - Roofing Contractor - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Great Day Improvements Acquires Home Performance Alliance - Roofing Contractor - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Mitchell roofing business owner arrested by ATF and allegedly hired hitman - mykxlg.com - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Seal Your Peace Of Mind: Preventing And Repairing Leaks With August Roofing & Solar - KHTS Radio - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- FirstService: Roofing Corp of America Acquisition Should Accelerate Growth (NASDAQ:FSV) - Seeking Alpha - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Chamber Ribbon-Cutting at A1 Roofing - Newport This Week - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- The Role of Flexible Roofing Membranes in Sustainable Building Design - ArchDaily - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Roofing Has Second Highest Workplace Fatality Rate in the U.S. - Roofing Contractor - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Roofing companies talk increase in call volume after severe weather - WBTW - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Get Your Home Remodeled in the New Year with R&B Roofing and Remodeling - WHAS11.com - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Commercial Roofing: A guide to hiring the professionals - RealtyBizNews - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Is Beacon Roofing Supply Inc (BECN) the Top Pick in the Building Products & Equipment Industry? - InvestorsObserver - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Photo: Repairing the roof - Lewiston Sun Journal - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Roofers LLC Celebrates Its 40th Year in Roofing - Yahoo Finance - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]