This roof estimating guide is a continuation of our two-part series for roofing contractors, on how to measure and estimate roofing prices. See part one of this guide to learn how to measure a roof.

Calculating roofing materials and estimating roof prices:

For the purposes of this guide, I will use asphalt shingles as a default roofing material, but the same principals can be applied to a metal roof, slate, etc. Cedar shingles/shake will be slightly different as the waste factor is higher.

Calculating roofing materials First – you need to know how many sq. ft. or squares of shingles you will need. You should take your total roof square footage and divide it by a 100 – this will give you the number of roof squares. Round the number up to the nearest square. Most shingle roofs will have 5-10% waste factor, and if during roof installation you use most pieces, waste can be reduced to as little as 2-3 percent. If you have valleys / dormers and side-wall flashing, use 15 percent waste factor. See our roofing square guide, to learn how roofers and builders measure roofs.

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It’s been widely reported and discussed on various roofing forums that roof shingles manufacturers are drastically raising the prices of their roofing shingles and accessories that go along. Some roofers report getting letters from their roofing suppliers that shingles prices are going up as much as 30%. Keep in mind that in the spring of every year, most roofing manufacturers raise their prices by 3-8% on average, so this new increase in the cost of roofing materials is something out of the ordinary.

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Most homeowners do not start thinking about their roof until it starts leaking. It’s understandable, but if your roof is already leaking, and you can see it inside your house – it means that the roof has been slowly leaking for a while, and the damage is probably more extensive than what you see.

We understand that roofing is not the most exciting topic, and unless you are faced with certain roofing issues, you will not be much interested in roofing. However, once those roof issues arise, you will want to know as much about your roof issues as possible.

This is just the place for homeowners to learn about roofing!

In this Roofing Guide for Homeowners you will find information on how to prevent roof leaks if possible, how to deal with roof leaks, how to repair simple roof leaks, how to choose the longest lasting roofing materials for your home, how much a new roof should cost, how to choose a roofing contractor, and many other roof related topics. We separated this guide into three separate sections:

• Roof Leaks Prevention and Roof Repair
• Choosing Roofing Materials and a Roofing Contractor
• Roofing Prices Guide
• Miscellaneous Roofing Articles for homeowners

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Metal roofs typically cost about three times the amount you would pay to install a 30-year laminated (architectural) asphalt shingles roof. The difference in cost is based on the assumption that both roofs would be installed by a reputable, fully licensed and insured roofing company that hires legal roofers. It is hardly any surprise that a sticker / price shock is a strong deterrent for many people.

Frankly, metal roofs are not for everybody. If you have a simple roof with medium pitch, and minimal penetrations, a regular asphalt shingles roof may work just fine for you. However, in some situations, a metal roof may be the only viable option. For example, if your roof has serious ice dam problem, and it’s impossible to improve your attic ventilation / insulation at a reasonable cost, then a metal roof may be your solution or
salvation.

But, enough with the rhetoric, and back to metal roofing costs…

First and foremost, a metal roofing system is far more expensive to manufacture, and its installation requires many specialized accessories such as end-wall, valley trim and drip edge, and gable flashing. Residential metal roofs are usually made of high grade galvanized steel (G-90 galvanized steel or Galvalume) or rust-proof aluminum, and painted with a premium Kynar 500 paint.

Besides the high cost of metal roofing materials, you also would want to use premium synthetic underlayment instead of roofing felt (this is not a must, but it is highly recommended). The synthetic underlayment costs about 3 times more than a 30 lb. felt. Overall, one square of standing seam metal roofing materials with all the accessories and underlayment will cost about $400 for a simple gable roof. As you get into cut-up roofs, the cost can be as high as $500-600 per square. On top of that you need to consider the fact that there are very few qualified metal roofing installers who will not butcher your roof, and instead, will actually make sure that you roof is watertight and will last you for the promised lifetime. Read the rest of this entry »

Metal roofs, which were considered something of a rarity, or a farm-type roof or “only for frigid north” type of roof just a mere 10 years ago, are now everywhere, ranging from unique design modern buildings, to typical residential homes. Today metal roofs represent about 10% of all residential roofs installed. Because of a lifetime nature of metal roofing materials, you can only expect this number to grow, as they are taking market-share away from asphalt shingles.

A metal roof is one of the longest lasting roofing materials, and at the same time it offers unsurpassed beauty and weatherproofing in climates ranging from tropical south to frigid north. A properly installed, quality metal roof should last a minimum of 50 years, while providing superior weather protection for your home or building.

Metal roof will make your home stand out from a boring identity crisis of a typical residential neighborhood. You can choose from a wide variety of different metal roofing styles and metals, to get exactly the look you are looking for.

Your choices range from a very popular standing seam metal roof, to metal shingles that resemble natural slate, concrete flat tile roofing and cedar shingles, to a stone coated steel roofs that look like Spanish tile, or architectural asphalt shingles, to a metal shake roofs that resemble heavy hand-split cedar shake, and everything in between.

As far as metal choices, you can have a typical steel roof installed, or if you live along the coast, you can get your roof made from aluminum, or if you feel fancy, get a copper or a zinc roof, and observe the natural weathering of these beautiful metals. Read the rest of this entry »

The roofing Calculator tool has recieved a major update on Oct. 15, 2010. Now, the roofing calculator got even better at estimating roofing materials and installation prices, and you can get the most accurate price quote to install an Asphalt Shingle Roof, a Metal Roof or a variety of flat roofing options – all of these types of roof are reviewed in depth in our roofing materials guide. New changes to the roofing calculator include the following:
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Many roofing manufacturers are shifting their production from traditional asphalt shingle roofs to more technologically advanced metal roofing systems.  There used to be a time when metal roofs were associated with the rusty barns and agricultural buildings.  However, modern metal roofs are coated with a layer of aluminum and zinc, which provides protection against corrosion and rust.  The old corrugated metal roofing profiles are replaced by more visually appealing standing-seam and metal shingle roofs.  Learn how affordable metal roofing systems can help make your home greener and more energy efficient.

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