DETERMINE THE BUDGET

The building standards provide some requirements for roofing to ensure the durability of its structure:

✅ Durability. The structure of the roof must withstand its weight and temporary loads (wind, snow, rain).

✅ Water resistance.

✅ Thermal resistance, both to solar radiation, and frost.

✅ Resistance to chemical influences. The roofing material should not warp, crack or melt.

The homeowners have million questions and concerns, when it comes to roof repair or replacement.

One of those is what roofing material is best in terms of price/quality ratio.

1️⃣ To sell the property – to do a decent renovation to be approved by insurance and real estate agents.

2️⃣ To renovate your property – install a quality roof that will stand for decades, live happily ever after, and pass the house on to your children.

3️⃣ To repair on budget — to fix the roof with maximum efficiency and minimum cost.

4️⃣ To carry out maintenance. The roof is covered with moss. Friends recommend doing ROOF DIAGNOSTICS to see if the roof needs repair or a regular cleaning.

The budget determines the material choice and mainly its quality.

Some possible goals may be as follows:

IMPORTANT ROOFING REQUIREMENTS

The roof inclination angle also affects the choice of roofing material.

For example, heat-welded roll roofing materials are installed on surfaces where the slope does not exceed 5-7 degrees. Metal tiles and sheeting are applied on roofs with a slope of 30 degrees and up to 45 degrees in a humid climate.

Several criteria determine the choice of roofing materials because the roof is not only the top of the building, which protects the house from elements but a decorative element that complements the image of the house.

Therefore, the material is selected based on several architectural, economic, and aesthetic factors:

CRITERIA OF MATERIAL SELECTION

The roof structure is quite heavy itself; moreover, it increases the load on the structure of the entire house. Additionally, the roof frame has its load capacity.

1️⃣ Weight

The material should be versatile and durable; take into account the weather factors and the type of climate you live in since different types of roofing material perform differently in severe conditions (frost, heat, heavy snowfall, or wind).

2️⃣ Reliability

Your roof is one of the most important decorative elements of your house; think over the style, color, texture, as well as additional decorative elements in advance.

3️⃣ Decorative Qualities

You will need to hire a large team of experts to install the roof with complicated shape and design. This entails additional costs.

4️⃣ Efficiency

Noise can be a huge problem to live in comfort. Most often, poor sound insulation is associated with poor installation, but the material also affects the noise isolation at your property.

5️⃣ Noise isolation

Sound insulation installation protocol:

✅ Soundproofing layer installation, 200 mm thick mineral wool insulation copes with this function.

✅ Installation of roofing materials with a noise-absorbing effect.

✅ Attic Insulation

Now you have an idea about the criteria. Let's take a quick look at roofing materials now.

More than 75 percent of all single-family homes in the US are covered with asphalt shingles. They are affordable, offer a variety of attractive options, and do a good job protecting your home from the elements.

Asphalt shingles start with a fiberglass mesh mat covered in asphalt and topped with granules that provide color and reflect some of the sunlight. Shingles are lightweight and resist tearing.

Pros:

✅ Asphalt shingles offer excellent fire protection;
✅ Shingles are often the most affordable roof covering option, especially in good/better ranges;
✅ The lifespan of asphalt shingle roofs is about 3 years, while the repairs are easy and cost-effective;
✅ No support beyond standard roof sheathing is required for shingles.

Cons:

❌ Rapid temperature changes can cause asphalt shingles to crack prematurely;
❌ Mold or algae can be a problem on shingles in shady areas unless treated with anti-algae/anti-stain treatments.

1️⃣ Asphalt Shingles

ROOFING MATERIALS

Metal roofs are manufactured/fabricated from pre-painted and pre-coated sheet metal coils. The metal coil typically gets fed into a metal fabrication machine that can form a standing seam and other shapes. The sheet metal coil can also be fed into a metal press to cut out metal shingles, shakes, and tiles.

The most common metals used are aluminum, lightweight steel, and zinc. Copper metal roofs are a beautiful but costly specialty!

Pros:

✅ Lightweight. The pressure on the foundation and walls is minimal, which is important for the roof of a complex structure, especially the attic.
✅ Good price/quality ratio.
✅ Easy to use. Resistance to mechanical stress, moisture resistance, and durability.

Cons:

❌ The disadvantage of metal shingles is that it makes a lot of noise during the rain, which may not be very pleasant.

2️⃣ Metal shingles and panels.

Some homes have flat or low-sloped roofs. Both flat and low-slope roof options include EPDM Rubber, PVC, and TPO.

The materials used to make this type of roof are built to last and are easy to install. They can also be repaired in a very easy and effective manner. Rubber roofing can be bought in rolls or as shingles.

Pros:

✅ Rubber roofing is generally very low;
✅ White EPDM roofs reflect UV rays and even reduce energy costs;
✅ It's fire resistant and long-lasting

Cons:

❌ It is delicate and can easily be punctured by falling branches or hail;
❌ Rubber roofs must be installed by a professional who has experience working with rubber and flat roofs, which can be difficult to find.

3️⃣ EPDM or TPO roofing

Clay and concrete tiles add texture and elegance to a roof. Genuine flat, ribbed or scalloped clay tiles are extremely durable but also very heavy, and must be installed by a professional. Concrete tiles are versatile and are less expensive than genuine clay, but are also heavyweight.

Cons:

✅ Ecological;
✅ Durable;
✅ Frost resistance;
✅ Low thermal conductivity.

4️⃣ Clay or concrete tiles

Every manufacturer has its pros and cons. The material of a certain brand may be suitable for different weather conditions depending on the state where you are located.

In Florida, for instance, asphalt shingle roofs are not popular as they are melting under high temperatures.

❌ The popularity of the brand does not mean that the material is of high quality

WHAT IS LESS IMPORTANT WHILE CHOOSING A ROOFING MATERIAL

You can save on the materials, and choose thicker tiles, which may soon crack due to the weather factors.

❌ Consider the cost of the material only

Everything depends on the aims. Some homeowners do not care how long the roof will last, because they want to sell the house as soon as possible; others hope their new roof to last 50 years.

That is why Niva Group experts are extremely attentive to detail to help you determine and select the proper material for your roof. We realize that the wrong choice of material can cause great damage in the future

❌ Consider the design and appearance of the roof only

If you are looking for a quality company that cares about its customers, if you want to find out the true condition of your roof, please sign up for a diagnostic.

If you want to:

Get more information about
ROOF DIAGNOSTICS HERE:

How we deal with the debris during roof removal:

1️⃣ Determine the cost of your roof repair;

2️⃣ Receive a detailed PDF report about your roof condition, recommendations on roof repair, material choice, and roofing maintenance (maybe it will be enough to wash it and repair some problem areas, thus making sure the roof will last for many more years);

3️⃣ Find out how you can save money without compromising on the quality or how to get a repair warranty.