Raise the Roof!

Yesterday, my contractor Mike called to let me know that they had decided to go on and tear the roof off the back of my house. I mean, why not? This has always been part of the remodeling plan, we just hadn't planned on completing this step before Thanksgiving. Whatever, I say bring it on!

Unfortunately, this has put some more pressure on me to choose my shingle type. You would think it would be simple; however, I have found with roofing, nothing is ever simple. While the material is pretty much predetermined, style and type are very important.

Having a roof over your head is like, one of a humankind's basic needs. I seem to remember learning something about a pyramid of needs in high school psychology class, and I feel like shelter was pretty clutch. When it comes to the material you use to cover your abode, things have progressed from twigs and mud. Nowadays, you have two main options when it comes to shingles (other roofing options are a whole different story): ceramic tile and fiberglass-based asphalt shingles. Basically, if you have gobs of money you with the former--ceramic tile is beautiful, but they break very easily and require replacement. Asphalt shingles are more resilient and therefore, more practical.

The next thing to consider is dimensional versus three-tab shingles. The basic difference between the two is price and longevity. Dimensional shingles will run you about $600 more (on a smaller single family home), but they will last about five years longer and are more durable because they are much thicker. Dimensional shingles are a must if you live anywhere prone to high winds (you know, Kansas during tornado season or Florida during hurricane season). They also just look better. I think the choice is obvious, but you need to make the decision for your home based on location and budget.

Now, obviously, the most important thing to consider are the aesthetics of your roof... primarily, the color of the shingles you choose. There are all sorts of options, from variations of the traditional blacks and grays, to more "unique" choices like light blue or white. Surprisingly (ha), I am more of a traditional kinda gal. My current roof on the new house is a kind of reddish brown... which would be fine... if BRICK weren't also reddish brown. I would immediately go for black, but you have to take into consideration the heat it will contain... that might be awesome in the winter, but will I be very happy about it the summer?

Decisions, decisions. The important thing to remember is that a roof is a 20-30 year investment; stick to quality neutrals, both for your sanity and resale value.