Home Building, Roofing

The two most expensive components of a house are the foundation and the roof. Roofing is measured and estimated by “squares.” A square of roofing is the amount of roofing material required to cover 100 square feet (10 feet X 10 feet). I advise having either your supplier or your contractor do this estimate. They won’t be exact, but may come a little closer than you will, though you might want to make your own calculations and see how they compare. Asphalt-fiberglass shingles are priced according to the guarantee offered by the manufacturer. Fifteen-year shingles will be less expensive per square than 20- or 25-year shingles. It is probably best to go with a better-quality shingle, which will still be more economical than other types of roofing such as cedar shakes or steel panels.

The cost of labor to install will depend upon the sub, the weight of the shingle (more durable shingles are usually heavier and therefore more expensive), and the pitch of the roof (the steeper the pitch, the higher the price for labor). The most common shingles for roofing are the 245-pound asphalt variety, and an average roof pitch is about 6 inches rise for each foot of horizontal travel (a 6/12 pitch). A twelve in twelve page is a steep, 45° angle roof. The steeper the pitch, the more expensive the roof as both labor and material costs increase dramatically. But, so does the curb appeal of your house and its’ resale value. To me, the most important component of home design is the roof.

Tip: Chimneys should be built before the roof is shingled. This will allow placement of sheet metal flashing around the chimney for waterproofing, and will also avoid damage to the shingles. A prefab fireplace and flue would also be installed at this time. Roofing follows completion of the chimneys.

Roofing samples, click on any picture to enlarge