A roofing business is difficult to start and is a headache to run, but if you do it right, with some luck and lots of hard work it can be very profitable and rewarding. However, as with most new endeavors, it is most difficult to start a roofing business and get it off the ground. Here we will walk you through this process and help you avoid most mistakes that new roofing contractors face. Along with this guide, we will provide a myriad of helpful online tools and guides that will help you along the way.

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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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Homeowners and building owners can attest that dealing with roof leaks, roof repairs and having to replace the old roof with a new one is no fun. Re roofing is a messy job, and it is expensive. To make matters worse, having to replace one’s own roof a few times is frustrating and adds up financially. The question that comes up is that of finding a better roofing alternative. Many homeowners struggle to find a roofing option that is durable, reliable, and energy efficient.

The first impression of metal roofing is that it’s beautiful, energy efficient, long lasting, and expensive. What many homeowners don’t realize, is that metal roofing cost is actually lower than that of an asphalt shingle roof, if you consider that you may have to replace asphal shingle roof four times to match the longevity of a metal roof. Metal roofing has the lowest lifecycle cost out of all roofing materials that are out there.

Steel Metal Roof

Metal roofing, an alternative green roofing option, can last well over 40 years. High end metal roofing materials such as zinc and copper roofs can last for 100 years. Metal roofs are energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Metal roofs possess a high degree of solar reflectivity and thermal emissivity. Specially formulated Kynar painted metal reflects solar radiant heat, which reduces thermal gain of the roofing surface, and prevents the heat from passing inside the house. This reduces the heat gain inside the house during warmer seasons, it reduces the air conditioning load and results in energy savings on cooling costs. A reduced air conditioning load reduces the electricity load during peak hours. Energy efficiency of metal roofing qualifies it as a green building material that can increase sustainability and energy efficiency of residential and commercial roofs.

Homeowners who consider installing a metal roof can pick from a great variety of metal roofing colors and options. Standing-seam is the metal roofing product that most homeowners are familiar with, because standing-seam is used extensively on commercial roofs, protecting the roofs of supermarkets, restaurants, and other retail facilities. Standing-seam is both a commercial and residential metal roofing product that offers energy efficiency, durability, and helps prevent ice dams in colder climates. Another popular metal roofing material is steel roofing shingles that is reminiscent of conventional asphalt shingle roofs, and provides similar reliability and durability to standing-seam roofs.

Metal shingle roofing costs less than standing-seam roofs because metal shingles installation takes less time than standing-seam. The reason is that standing-seam metal roofing  panels need to be measured and pre-cut exactly to match the size of the roof. Metal roofs cost approximately two times to three times more than asphalt shingle roofing. However, on the up side, metal roofing increases the value of your home and actually maintains that increased value over the years as it provides energy savings and practically pays for itself.

When dealing with a leaky roof on your house, consider re roofing with metal to attain energy efficiency, and unmatched reliability of any roof for your home. A new metal roof will increase the curb appeal of your home, and will provide energy savings for years to come.

Preferences:

Roofing Publications

Metal roof information

Metal roofing manufacturers

Tin roofing DIY

Update: As of Jan. 1, 2011 the tax credit for cool roof installation has been reduced from “up-to $1500″, to a maximum of $500 or 30% of total cost of cool roofing materials (whichever is smaller). I believe this is because we ran out of bailout money, and because, too much money goes for Oil Companies subsidies.

Original Cool Roof Tax Credit “Scam” article:

Do you have a cool roof such as PVC or TPO white flat roof, or metal roof not rated as “cool” by Energy Star?

Tough luck – you will not be getting that $1500 promised to you by Obama’s Economic Recovery Act, and here is why:

The energy-efficiency tax credit, so widely advertised by the government and roof manufacturers, turned out to be a scam for those homeowners who installed a truly “COOL ROOF” such as a white PVC or TPO roof, White Roof Coating, or even a Spray-Foam Roofing system. It reminds me a Bush-like patronage of the Big-Oil in terms of support, which this Energy Efficiency Tax Credit Bill provides for Asphalt Shingles manufacturers, while cool roofing manufacturers and roof owners get screwed.

In the end, the tax credit applies only to Metal Roofing systems (which are cool as it is, even when you do not consider a cool-roof paint, such as Kynar 500 or Hylar 5000, and similar metal roof coatings), and – you got it – “cool” asphalt shingles, as well as other bitumen-based roofing systems which are considered “cool” by Energy Star and EPA.

Really – asphalt shingles??? Asphalt shingles would be the least energy efficient roofing system for sloped roofs. They store solar heat, and transfer it into your house even after the sun goes down. An average color (not black) asphalt shingle roof goes up-to 165-170 F degrees on a 95 F degree day, and remains hot almost into the next morning.

The asphalt shingles manufacturers such as GAF, Tamko, Certain Teed and others, created a gimmick in the form of Cool Roof shingles. OK – these shingles are lighter in color, and the granular surface is coated with reflective materials, but they still will be much hotter than any metal roof without Cool Roof paint / coating. And they cost a lot more than regular shingles – over $2500 extra on an average 20 squares new asphalt shingles roof. The roof prices for such “cool asphalt roofs” are very close to a metal roof such as Interlocking Steel shingles, and assuming a life span of average asphalt roof to be about 15-20 years, vs. Metal Roof life of over 50 years, it looks like a very bad deal for the homeowner. Keep in mind that both a Metal Roof and a cool asphalt shingles roof would qualify for the cool roof tax credit of up-to $1500.

Owners of true Cool Roofs are getting screwed to benefit the oil industry.

The most ironic fact in this story, is that this so called “energy efficiency tax credit” supports big roofing manufacturers, who use petroleum-based products to produce these supposedly cool roofs. And these “cool asphalt roofs” will end up in a landfill in 15-20 years, making our nation “even greener” than it already is. This reminds me of G.W. Bush era, when the US was getting greener, but somehow big oil was getting more and more support from the government, while green energy and green building companies were struggling and there were minimal subsidies (if any) for any green or solar projects.

While the uncool asphalt shingles roofs do qualify for the energy tax credit, the truly cool roofs are out of luck. Consider these facts:

A white PVC (and TPO) roofing membrane such as IB Flat Roof, reflects over 95% of solar heat. On a 95 F degree day, this white PVC roof will barely reach 100 F degrees. You can put your bare knees on this roof and it won’t burn your skin. Try doing that on a black surface roof such as rubber roof. You will jump up almost immediately, as your skin will start to “burn” when in contact with a 170 F degrees surface. Try to be in a room under such a black rubber roof. Unless you crank your AC to maximum power, you will be sweating as if you were in a sauna.

There are some Metal Roofs, which do not have a cool roof coating, or are made from unpainted metals – so called mill finish metal roof. These metal roofs are still very energy efficient, even though they do not have a “Cool Roof” label.These roofs will be in fact much cooler that the “coolest” asphalt shingle roofs, or a cool modified bitumen roof, but its not cool enough to get you $1500 tax credit.

If you have a black roof (e.g. a rubber roof, tar roof or bitumen roof), and decided to either be “green”, or reduce your HVAC operation costs, or both, and hired a roofing contractor specializing in spray-roof coatings to install this liquid-applied white roof. Well, you too are out of luck…

So it does not matter if you have an “actually cool” roofing type of a roof on your home or business – you will not be getting your Energy Efficiency Tax Credit if you have any of the above mentioned roofing material types. Keep in mind that Energy Star actually recognizes white (and some other colors) PVC and TPO Roofing systems, as well as spray-roof coatings as Cool Roofs. They just did not include these roofing materials into the Cool Roof Tax Credit program.

It is unfortunate and a shame that real cool roofs and homeowners who invest in these premium priced roofing systems get screwed, while imitation products like cool asphalt shingles qualify for this $1500 tax credit.

Reference information: Energy Star Roofing Systems, qualifying for Cool Roof Tax Credit – note: old link to Energy Star site no longer works, so we replaced it a link to Cool Roofing Council, where you can find list of qualifying “cool roofs”.

Still – concepts explained above still apply

Calculate roofing costs and annual cool roof energy savings using Roofing Price Calculator.

Calculate costs of different metal roofing systems such as Standing Seam, Aluminum and Steel Shingles, Copper and Zinc metal roofs, using metal roofing calculator.

Learn more about different roofing materials talked bout in this editorial.