The cost of roof repairs and replacement is a significant concern for the average homeowner. Even though the quality of most popular roofing materials is now greater than ever, homeowners know that age, exposure, and damage from winds or storms can still force them to make costly roofing replacement or repair decisions. Luckily, homeowners do have some options available to them that can make roof repairs or replacement needs friendlier to their budget. If you are a frugal homeowner facing an upcoming need for a new roof, here are some helpful tips to consider.
Add another layer of shingles
One of the fastest and least expensive ways to get the benefits of a new roof is to add a new layer of shingles directly over the existing shingled surface. While this is only feasible if the roof structure is in good condition and there are no extra layers already in place, adding new shingles to an existing shingled roof surface will mean far fewer hours of labor and no cleanup or removal fees for the old shingles.
Work in halves
Since roofing surfaces rarely wear evenly due to exposure to direct sun and weather, homeowners who want to make the cost of roofing repairs or replacement easier to afford may want to consider installing a new roof in sections over a period of years. This works well for homes with simple styles and roof lines, such as ranch or one-level homes.
A good example is to install the front section of the roof, from the peak down now and then wait for one to two years to replace the other side. As long as care is taken to match the color of the new shingles to those already on the roof and extend them all the way to the peak or a major seam, the difference will not be noticeable when viewed from the ground.
Install metal over an existing roof
Switching to a different material can also be a frugal way of dealing with the cost of a new roof, especially when switching from shingles to metal. Much like adding a new layer of shingles, installing metal over an existing roof requires the underlying structure to be in good condition. Roofing contractors then install sections of lumber at regular intervals on top of the shingled surface to provide a surface on which to fasten the sheets of metal roofing.
To learn more about these and other frugal roofing options, homeowners should make an appointment to discuss their situation with a residential roof replacement service contractor in their area.
One day when we were all sitting in our living room, I thought I felt a drop of water fall onto my arm. At first, I figured it was my imagination, but when the second one fell, I knew we had an issue. Although it wasn't raining that day, it had rained the day before, so I started looking for the source of the problem. After looking in my attic, I could tell what the problem was, and I knew I had to fix it. I started looking for ways to stop the water immediately, but it just wasn't working for me. Fortunately, roofers came out, fixed the problem, and showed me what I needed to do to clean up the mess. Read more on this blog.