If you’re getting a new roof, you may feel overwhelmed with choices. It’s not just a matter of picking your favorite color. You need to choose a roof material that suits the weather in your area, your budget, your short- and long-term goals, your personal aesthetic, and so much more. Let’s do some comparisons to find out what type of roofing is best for you.
The Best Roof Is a Well Installed Roof!
Choosing the right roof contractor is even more important than choosing the right materials. You need a licensed and insured roofing company with years of experience in your area. A well-installed roof is going to be worth way more than a rush job, regardless of the shingles used. If a roof quote sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Proceed with caution to protect your long-term investment.
Comparing Different Types of Roofing Materials
There are tons of roofing options on the market. What’s best for you may not be best for someone else. You must take into account your budget, how long you plan to be in the home, what the aesthetic of your house and neighborhood is, how much time you have available for installation, how easy the materials are to source, and more.
Here is a brief synopsis of what each roofing material has to offer:
- Asphalt roofing: Affordable, wide range of colors, easy to install and common in nearly all neighborhoods
- Metal roofing: Moderate, relatively easy installation for trained specialists, noisy in rain and hail storms, may disrupt phone signals, and not ideal for all aesthetics
- Slate roofing: Gorgeous but pricey, heavier than other roofing materials, high-end, extremely durable, low maintenance and tricky to install
- Cedar shake roofing: Beautiful, energy efficient, expensive, unique, pest-resistant and high maintenance
- Composite roofing: Designed to look like slate or cedar without the weight or maintenance, can be more expensive than asphalt but more affordable than the natural counterparts
- Spanish tile roofing: Beautiful on Spanish style homes (but not most other homes), long-lasting but somewhat fragile, fire-resistant, pricey to install, heavy and require specific roof slopes for installation
Consumer Reports offers a roof material buying guide that may help your decision. However, it is best to get a quote from a local roofing company because pricing and material availability will vary by region.
How to Choose the Best Roofing for Your Home
Asphalt shingles are the most widely used roofing materials in America because of their affordability and versatility. They can work on nearly any slope, and there are colors to fit all aesthetics. Nevertheless, you may want a more unique roof or a specific style to match your home. Our roof design experts can help you choose what type of roofing material is best for your property.
Contact McLean Roofing and Siding at (248) 524-1111 to schedule a quote for new roofing.