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The type of roofing material you choose for your new home will depend on the style of your home, your budget and the makeup of the roofing material. With the variety of materials manufactured these days there are many more options to choose from. When starting the selection process, most people will pick the basic style and color first, then focus on any technical requirements and budget issues. The majority of the time you will be able to duplicate the style you want in various price ranges by using different materials.
The style of the roof on a house used to be determined by what region of the country it was located. Slate for the Northeast, wood shingles or metal for the South, wood shingles and shake for the West, and tile for the Southwest. This changed quite a bit with the introduction of asphalt shingles. These can imitate the same look and appearance of traditional roofing materials for less cost. This is why 70% of new homes that are built today use some type of asphalt shingle, according to Today's Homeowner. The style of the roof should match the style of your home and often times the other homes in your neighborhood. Brick houses tend to look the best with a slate style, wood siding or a wood exterior tends to go well with a wood shingle or shake, or a slate look, and clay or concrete tile are typically put on stucco or Spanish style homes. Different roofing materials can be used on different style homes depending on your preference.
There are many different color options available today for roofing materials because manufacturers are now able to imitate most colors and shades. Slate and wood tend to only come in their natural form and color. Choosing a color is usually determined by what would work best with the style of your home and what color siding or exterior color you are striving for. The color of your roof can also affect energy efficiency. Lighter colors will tend to reflect sunlight, which can be helpful in warmer climates, where darker roofs may be more beneficial in colder areas due to heat absorption.
The roofing material you use can be influenced by local building departments or neighborhood restrictions. Most areas require the roof material you use to meet local fire ratings. This has become stricter to help prevent the spread of fires in residential areas. Wood shingles and shakes, the most flammable, are now required to be pressure treated with a fire retardant. Some neighborhoods have restrictions that only certain types or styles of roofs may be built, such as requiring that only wood shingle or shake roofs be constructed.
The weight of the roofing material can be an issue to consider. The weight can range from 250 lbs. per 100 square feet for asphalt shingles to 2,000 lbs. for slate. Anything over 600lbs. per 100 square feet typically requires you to strengthen standard roof framing. You may need to have a structural engineer look at your roof to determine what would be required.
Cost can be a major factor in what type of roofing material you use. With asphalt shingles being the least expansive and their ability to imitate most traditional and more expensive materials, it is no wonder why the majority of homes are built using this material. This is evident with material costs around $25 to $30 per 100 square feet compared to slate which can run in upwards of $500.
There are several factors to consider when choosing the roofing material for your new home. Some people might want to weigh options such as cost versus life span. An example would be that asphalt shingles are less expensive, but they will have a shorter lifespan than traditional tile or slate. It will also help to get builder and manufacturer recommendations due to they tend to know what materials work best in your area. It is important to remember that the roof is a distinguishable part of the home that you will want to have input on.
A helpful resource to reference during your roof selection is The Essential Guide to Roofing which identifies everything from the basics to the most advanced techniques in roofing.
