Time for a new roof - who knows about shingles?

[MONTYMTB]

Roof is shot, time to have it replaced. Roofer and insurance adjuster are both telling me that dimensional shingles are better than the "regular", but at a higher cost obviously.
Anybody know the advantages of the dimensional shingles, and is it generally worth the extra money?

 

[LandCruiser]

They look nicer and hide the bumps and lumps in your roof.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

since i just tore the roof off my gf's grandparents house this past weekend, shingles are fresh in my mind. i remember looking at this link and seeing a lot of good information on dimensional's

What Are Dimensional Shingles? - Roofing Southwest

 

[LandCruiser]

since i just tore the roof off my gf's grandparents house this past weekend, shingles are fresh in my mind. i remember looking at this link and seeing a lot of good information on dimensional's

What Are Dimensional Shingles? - Roofing Southwest

A lot of that is promotional material trying to "sell" them.

I think that it's more of an aesthetic choice.

A good hurricane or hailstorm will trash dimensional shingles the same as the flat old-school style.

 

[MONTYMTB]

A lot of that is promotional material trying to "sell" them.

I think that it's more of an aesthetic choice.

A good hurricane or hailstorm will trash dimensional shingles the same as the flat old-school style.

I actually saw that page and thought the same thing.

You're probably right, just not sure if it's worth the extra coin. I'll have to double check, but I think I remember the roofer telling me that the warranty was longer on the dimensional.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

A lot of that is promotional material trying to "sell" them.

I think that it's more of an aesthetic choice.

A good hurricane or hailstorm will trash dimensional shingles the same as the flat old-school style.

no denying any points you made. if you're happy with whats coming off, why not put it right back on?

that being said, the campaign for this roof, https://www.newenglandsbestroof.com
is huge in new england right now, and i know one person who has one and likes it.

 

[macgyver_ga]

Dimensional aka architectural shingles look way better IMO. I have them on my house. Our new builder in our subdivision (old one that built my house went bankrupt in '09) has cheapened out on a lot of things, and one of those is that they're using a standard 3-tab shingle instead of architectural shingles.

Spend the money on a good quality roof right now. Even if you pay a little extra for architectural shingles and longer warrantied shingles, it's worth it. We're gonna build a new custom home next year and I'm seriously considering spending the extra coin (twice as much) and putting a standing seam metal roof on the house instead of composite shingles. It costs twice as much but the lifespan is 3+ X longer than a composite roof. Plus here in the south, if we encounter a bad damaging hail storm, I don't have to replace the roof like you would with composite shingles.

 

[RiFF RaFF]

Wife and I decided that when the shingles are past their prime we are going with a metal roof this time, and call it a day. Won't have to worry about it again.

 

[MONTYMTB]

no denying any points you made. if you're happy with whats coming off, why not put it right back on?

that being said, the campaign for this roof, https://www.newenglandsbestroof.com
is huge in new england right now, and i know one person who has one and likes it.

Those look nice, but I bet they're high dollar.

I also wonder about resale - if someone doesn't like a metal roof, it may be a point for them to rule the house out, but I doubt anybody would do that with a shingled roof.

 

[NoDak]

also if you live in a snowy area, the snow slides off a metal roof alot better naturally (or with a roof rake).

on a shingle type roof, if it gets really bad, I usually have to pay someone about $300 to get up on the roof to shovel it before the weight gets to much.


edit : forgot to add, If you live in fire prone areas, metal roofs don't catch fire from flying embers.

 

[1engineer]

Roof is shot, time to have it replaced. Roofer and insurance adjuster are both telling me that dimensional shingles are better than the "regular", but at a higher cost obviously.
Anybody know the advantages of the dimensional shingles, and is it generally worth the extra money?

Monty, you can buy different grades of flat shingles, dimensional shingles and metal roofs. A top grade flat shingle might be more expensive than a low grade dimensional shingle. The grades usually determine the warranty length. Pick what you want and see what you can afford. There is really no advantage other than looks to get a dimensional shingle. I put my roof on 25 years ago and it's time for a new one. I won't be doing the labor myself like I did last time but I will pay someone to use the same shingle. No leaks, lasted for 25 years, etc. Hell in 25 more years I will be 77 if I make it that far. Not gonna worry about shingles.

Now, if you have a high visibility roof (steep pitch and/or gabled) then dimensional shingles look really good. Actually slate looks even better....

 

[lelandr]

Spend the money on a good quality roof right now. Even if you pay a little extra for architectural shingles and longer warrantied shingles, it's worth it. We're gonna build a new custom home next year and I'm seriously considering spending the extra coin (twice as much) and putting a standing seam metal roof on the house instead of composite shingles. It costs twice as much but the lifespan is 3+ X longer than a composite roof. Plus here in the south, if we encounter a bad damaging hail storm, I don't have to replace the roof like you would with composite shingles.

All of this depends. The best shingles won't last worth a damn if the installation or roof (what the shingles are nailed to) aren't good. I wish I'd gone with cheaper shingles at our old house as we'll never see the benefit. OP needs to decide how long he's going to live there. Make sure to be on the installers about proper installation (especially in valleys, peaks & around protrusions & make sure that attic ventilation is correct) which has much more to do with the longevity of the roof than shingles.

I noted that the OP is in Alabama. Like here in Georgia, the roof will be subjected to hot sun. We definitely noticed a difference changing from black to a lighter color shingle (especially when I had to climb up there to clean the gutters).

 

[macgyver_ga]

All of this depends. The best shingles won't last worth a damn if the installation or roof (what the shingles are nailed to) aren't good. I wish I'd gone with cheaper shingles at our old house as we'll never see the benefit. OP needs to decide how long he's going to live there. Make sure to be on the installers about proper installation (especially in valleys, peaks & around protrusions & make sure that attic ventilation is correct) which has much more to do with the longevity of the roof than shingles.

I noted that the OP is in Alabama. Like here in Georgia, the roof will be subjected to hot sun. We definitely noticed a difference changing from black to a lighter color shingle (especially when I had to climb up there to clean the gutters).

Very true. Obviously you want to also choose a reputable roofer who will install them properly. In high wind prone areas, a proper nailing pattern is critical to keep the shingles on the roof. Yes, here in the south we deal with heat and hail storms.

Your point about ventilation is critical as well. A roof that isn't properly vented will not last nearly as long as the warranty claims. I highly recommend a continuous ridge vent if it fits your application.

If I do a metal roof on my next place, I'll probably go with a light color to cut down on the heat. We're going for a farmhouse/craftsman look so a light color roof will be architecturally appealing anyways. I'd really love to do a cedar shake roof but that's $$$ for install and maintenance.

Also, if you're worried about the sound of a metal roof, it's really not as bad as most people think. Most people think of a noisy barn roof but that's not really the case when you have a layer of roof decking in between. In additon, a layer of poly-iso foam board will help deaden the sound and really isn't that much more of an incrimental cost in the big scheme of things.

 

[lelandr]

Very true. Obviously you want to also choose a reputable roofer who will install them properly. In high wind prone areas, a proper nailing pattern is critical to keep the shingles on the roof. Yes, here in the south we deal with heat and hail storms.

Your point about ventilation is critical as well. A roof that isn't properly vented will not last nearly as long as the warranty claims. I highly recommend a continuous ridge vent if it fits your application.

If I do a metal roof on my next place, I'll probably go with a light color to cut down on the heat. We're going for a farmhouse/craftsman look so a light color roof will be architecturally appealing anyways. I'd really love to do a cedar shake roof but that's $$$ for install and maintenance.

Also, if you're worried about the sound of a metal roof, it's really not as bad as most people think. Most people think of a noisy barn roof but that's not really the case when you have a layer of roof decking in between. In additon, a layer of poly-iso foam board will help deaden the sound and really isn't that much more of an incrimental cost in the big scheme of things.

Interesting about the metal roof. I told the wife the only reason I would subject myself to moving again is if we could build a house (which would also include a minimum 4-car garage with a lift). That would likely include a metal roof... but I'd rather try to sleep in one through a hail storm first.

Ridge vents are so commonly improperly done. All other openings except the soffit vents need to be closed. Roofers usually add them to make extra money based on a myth that it will help. At our old house (simple ranch) I used temp-controlled fans in the gable vents & sealed the pathways from the interior to the attic. This worked beautifully, even took care of the bat problem. When I had the roof done each roofer recommended I decommission the fans & have them install a ridge vent. Ridiculous.