After 15-20 years of keeping snow, rain and hail out of your house, your roof is dog-tired. Unfortunately, repairs won’t help. The best course of action is replacing your roof. But that’s where the problem lies. For starters, roof replacement is top dollar and steals time. Anyway, this home improvement project is affordable if you prepare for it and cut a few corners.
Is Roof Replacement Really Expensive?
Costs can surge or drop depending on your choices:
- Materials – Shingles, flashing, underlayment, drip edge, protective coating, etc.
- Labour – Skilled workers who remove the old roof and install a new one.
- Disposal – Trashing or recycling of old roofing materials.
Asphalt shingles are cheaper than metal, tile and slate. They’re cheap to buy, install and maintain. Roofing materials are costly, especially if you have a complex or large roof. Professional installation raises the cost.
Labour amounts to 40-50% of the total cost. The more complex your roof, the more labour it takes and the higher the bills. Roof maintenance is cost-effective and eco-friendly because the existing roof isn’t torn off and thrown away.
Signs It’s Time for Roof Replacement
Though expensive, roof replacement saves the day when your roof is badly damaged. Replace your roof as soon as these issues come to light:
- Curling shingles
- “Bald spots” or loss of granules
- Cracked or brittle shingles
- Visible mat or missing shingles
- Water leaking into house or attic
Ways to Reduce Roof Replacement Costs
- Do Your Homework
Understand your roof – its size and complexity. Before you talk to roofers, know the materials you need installed. These details encourage competitive pricing and keep estimates consistent. Contractors will swindle you if you don’t know roofing jargons. For instance, the term “roofing square” means 100m2 of roofing material. Installation and disposal fees should feature in the quote.
- Shop Around
Get quotes from 2-3 roofers in Sunshine Coast. Extremely low bids mean subpar materials and work. Ask for recommendations and check online reviews before hiring anyone. Make sure the contractor offers a warranty on installation and materials.
- Time It Right
Roofers are very busy in fall and late summer. Replacing your roof in spring or late winter may yield off-season discounts or lower prices.
- Use Your Insurance
Homeowner’s insurance covers roof damage caused by bad weather – not neglect. If a storm damages your shingles, an insurer may pay the replacement cost fully or partly.
- Do It Yourself
Consider doing some of the work yourself. You’re good to go if you have sufficient time, the right tools and a stomach for heights. Remove old materials before the roofer arrives. This cuts costs. It’s dirty, exhausting and sometimes risky work. But, at the end of the day, you save big bucks.
- Consider an Overlay
Install new shingles over the existing ones. Since the old roof is left intact, overlays cost less and require little labour. However, overlays may shorten or void the warranty on roofing materials. Still, overlays increase future replacement costs because, the next time around, multiple layers have to be removed.