Comparison of replacing your Roof, info from Mother Earth News

I have followed and I often read the Mother Earth News.

The magazine, their books, and their web site are all fantastic sources of solid information that I believe everyone should follow or at lest keep up with.

Because I live in Florida, a roof doesn't have nearly as long a lifespan as it might in less harsh climates, so even though my roof is only ten years old, I am watching and waiting for that day to come when I need to replace the roof on my house.



Here an interesting cost comparison that the MEN did on the costs of the different and most popular roof replacement options.

METAL ROOF

Installation of a standing-seam metal roofing on a roof sized 1,500 square feet, (this does not include cost of removing old shingles)

Materials only: $6,300. Contractor’s total, including materials, labor and markup: $9,800 (about $6.53 per square foot).

ASPHALT, Laminated, 30-year shingles: ($3.15 per square foot).

CEDAR SHINGLES: ($6.65 per square foot)

CLAY TILE: ($9.20 per square foot).

These costs were listed as a national average, and even though they may not be exactly what you find in your region of the country, but the pricing relationships should be the same.

Consider the season for a cheaper price:
Of course, many of us will wait until we have a major roof leak or even roof damage before we go on our search for a contractor to replace our roof. The problem then is that you are at the mercy of their schedules and their pricing at that time.

But, if you know you are close to needing a new roof, you should consider getting pricing from contractors during their "off season".

There are times of the year when these and other home sub-contractors are overloaded with work, but there are also times when they don't have enough work to keep their workers busy.

These slow periods are when you can get a very competitive price. Just tell them you will be getting multiple quotes and you know that some of them might be willing to give you good discount just to get the job. Then, of course it is just a matter of checking their reputations and after that it comes down to; who has the best price.

by Don Bobbitt, 2015
Copyright, Don Bobbitt, 2015, All Rights Reserved.