The Costs of the Top 5 Roofing Materials: What You Need to Know!

Apr 11, 2017

A good summary of how well the most popular shingles in terms of sixteen qualities associated with roofing has been given below as a quick go-to for curious homeowners.

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt’s main utility is from its fiberglass and organic base options that deliver different weatherproofing properties for your home. Organic asphalt is prone to excessive heat and can deform and discolor over time, but it can be treated to deal better with such conditions and emergencies like Class A fires. The material can come as a single sheet cut to size to cover the entire top of the home or whose seams are interlocked to keep any rainfall or air from penetrating the ceiling into your home.

Asphalt is the most affordable option to come by after flat roof roll-outs and by far the cheapest per square as far as shingles go. But even though they provide sufficient protection when maintained and applied properly, they last 12 – 30 years, the shortest life out of any other roofing shingle.

While it’s not the most durable material to come by, asphalt offers a quick and cost-effective solution for homeowners who want an instant improvement on their curb appeal without violating their bank account. Plus, it can be made to look like any other roofing shingle.

Cedar Shakes or Shingles

Wood is arguably the most attractive roofing material as both shingle and shake. Its organic finish appeals to many homeowners living in an environment heavy in nature. If your home has wood windows, wood roofing can be the way to go for a matching look all around.

It’s not just the nice appearance though, wood is an exceptional natural insulator and energy-efficient solution for any home. The R-value of wood is what gives it its hall of fame status, limiting heat conductivity and protecting a home’s inner climate from the outside. Expect to save a considerable percentage in heating and cooling costs throughout the seasonal changes.

Metal Roofs

If you live in particularly warmer climates where it rarely snows, metal roofing will be the perfect solution for you for a good 40 – 70 years. This is made possible by metal’s reflective quality of UV rays and sunlight in general.

Copper, aluminum, and steel make up the three types of metal roofing and each of them has different degrees of energy efficiency, durability, and affordability to offer.

Energy efficiency: Metal roofs can see a 10 – 25 percent decline in cooling costs.
Durability: At 140 miles per hour, metal roofs can withstand wind speeds of that magnitude and keep your home safe during wind storms.
Affordability: If you can’t afford a copper roof, you can choose aluminum, and if you can’t afford that, you can always install a steel roof. The point is you have options no matter your budget.
Seismic load resistance: Metal roofs are the best for areas with more recurring instances of earthquakes because of they tend to stay intact in case structural damage causes it to fall, protecting the inhabitants directly underneath it.

Tile Roofing

Tile roofs need a lot less maintenance in the long haul thanks to their strength and how they resist influence from all weather conditions, including wind speeds of up to 150 mph, Class A fires, hail storms, and seismic waves.

It comes in the form of clay, metal, concrete, or plastic, depending on what you want to get from it. And you will get a lot from it since the tile is made purely of different stages of treatment against environmental factors and given a nice sleek finish to make it stand out in any neighborhood.

Slate Roofing

One of the most iconic and long-lasting roofing materials ever conjured, the slate has an attractive appearance that gives the home a practical and impressionable longevity uncommon with most homes. Houses with this kind of roof look perfectly shielded from all weather conditions and hazards.

Every piece of slate is beautifully embroidered with handmade looking cracks and sharpened edges that would up the quality of your home’s insulation, energy efficiency, and resale value for many years to come. And if you’re not planning to sell the house anytime soon, this roof will stay with you for at least a hundred years.

Material Specs \ Roofing Material	Asphalt Shingles	Cedar	Metal	Tile Roofing	Slate
Insulation	Good insulator but poor protection from heat; attic will need to be insulated for insulation to be ideal	The best natural insulator on the market	Perfect for warmer climates	Approved by energy start, excellent in all climate conditions & saves energy costs	Excellent against home’s heat absorption
Durability	Can be built to withstand high water levels and Class A fires	Resists the Sun’s UV rays, moisture, and termite damage. And can resist fires and mold formation if treated.	Only weakness is water accumulation. Make sure you don’t reside near the coastline.	Resists hail storms, high winds, seismic loads, water and Class A fires.	Effective
Strength	Resists hail storms, heavy rainfall, and high winds of 110-130 miles per hour	Resists extreme storms and high winds of up to 150 miles per hour	Resists high winds of up to 140 miles per hour, perfect against fires and, depending on metal, is impact resistant	Can withstand a lot of strain	Strong but can break under pressure
Longevity	12 - 30 years	30 – 40 years	40 – 70 years	50 – 100 years	+100 years
Maintenance	Easy & quick to repair or maintain	Regular checkup	Little	Easy & little	Very little
Thermal Buckling	Higly prone to excessive heat	Tiny difference	Slight deformity or expansion in extremely hot climates	Can resist shrinkage if it’s a metal	Tiny difference
Availability	Widely available	Widely available	Not too widely available due to lack of specialized roofers	Widely available	Quarried naturally in Vermont & New York state but only as a composite in all other states.
Home Resale Value	Relatively substantial increase considering its low price	79 – 95 percent	Up to 95 percent	Good increase	Substantial increase
Env. Friendly	Difficult to recycle unless specialized technology is present	Completely recyclable	Completely recyclable	Completely recyclable	No toxicity
Appearance	Can take the appearance of shake, slate, and ceramic	Exceptionally beautiful	Can take the appearance of shake, slate, and ceramic	Stays beautiful with proper maintenance	Stays beautiful for +100 years
Customizability	Wide finish, color & style variety; highly malleable to fit any roof shape	Wide color variety	Can be pre-painted but is difficult to exactly match colors after a repair	Wide color & style variety	None
Weight	Approx. 270 pounds per square	Approx. 240-500 pounds per square	Approx. 120 pounds per square	Approx. 600-1,100 pounds per square, depending on material	Approx. 440-2,600 pounds per square, depending on density
Energy Efficiency	Absorbs a lot of heat from the sun	The most energy-efficient material	Can reduce cooling bills by 10 – 50 percent	Excellent air ventilation barrier against heat conduction	Can reduce heat conduction by 95% with tin foil or metalized Mylar sheets
Deformation / Discoloration	Mostly due to long exposure to sunlight	If not properly treated or maintained, it can be prone to termites and swell and ‘soften’ in coastal areas with high salt concentration	Does not crack or corrode	Clay & cement tiles are prone to mold formation but curable	Maintains appearance for its life
Material Costs	$120-$400 Per 100 Sq. Ft	$400-$900 Per 100 Sq. Ft	$500-$1,800 Per 100 Sq. Ft	$600-$4,000 Per 100 Sq. Ft	$800-$4,000 Per 100 Sq. Ft
Installation Costs	DIY: $680 – $3,700 Professional Installation: $1,700 – $8,400	Synthetic Wood: $2,700 – $3,500 Natural Wood: $6,800 - $20,000 Fireproof Wood Shake Simulating Recycled Rubber or Plastic: $12,600 - $18,900	Steel Roofs: $5,100 - $22,000. Aluminum: $11,900 - $24,200. Copper: $25,500 - $39,600.	Concrete Tiles: $7,650 - $21,000. Ceramic Tiles: $11,900. Customized Tiles: $17,000 - $60,000.	Slate for 2,000 Sq. Ft Home: $17,000 - $84,000. 3,000 Sq. Ft Home: $27,000 - $120,000. Synthetic Slate for 2,000 Sq. Ft Home: $11,900 - $18,900. 3000 Sq. Ft Home: $21,000 - $27,000.
Roof Removal Costs	Per Sq. Ft: $3 - $5 Per Hour: $40 - $80
Repair or Reinforcement Costs	$1,000 - $10,000

How to Estimate the Cost of a New Roof

The 11 Clauses Your Roofing Contract Should Include