New Roofing Question

I went with the Owens Corning Duration cool roof in Shasta White - the one with the highest reflectivity index.

It's performance is impressive It keeps the second story 20+ degrees cooler than the prior roof.

I'd have loved to have a metal roof, but I had to put two roofs on in the span of 5 years.
 
Last edited:
With pneumatic nailers, power ladder hoists and migrant labour - the cost should be less not more. I do suppose the tear off debris disposal rates have gone up in some places so you would have to fold that cost back in.
Three roofing Co's I talked to said they can't get any domestics to do the work. I really wanted to say you have to pay them appropriately and fairly, but I bit my tongue.
 
With pneumatic nailers, power ladder hoists and migrant labour - the cost should be less not more. I do suppose the tear off debris disposal rates have gone up in some places so you would have to fold that cost back in.
Three roofing Co's I talked to said they can't get any domestics to do the work. I really wanted to say you have to pay them appropriately and fairly, but I bit my tongue.
I would said something.
 
My only advice is go with a local company that has been around for awhile....They will still be around if you have issues down the road...Dont go cheap on a roof...
 
My only advice is go with a local company that has been around for awhile....They will still be around if you have issues down the road...Dont go cheap on a roof...
I did just that with a local "in town" company, In the past The owner and a couple workers used to be on the jobs site. Now the guy is off cruising the coast in his new 'vette (not my words but words of the contracted roving domestic estimator) and the job was completely sub contracted out to migrant labour. They were quick professional; and did a great clean-up job and ... they didn't flatten the shrubbery.

You have to multi quote. I estimate matrails and labour and demolition dumpster haul away. If the excess over charge surcharge is insane, keep looking - unless you just like throwing money away for nothing.

The roofing job must be warrantied for replacement without pro rating for many decades.
 
I did just that with a local "in town" company, In the past The owner and a couple workers used to be on the jobs site. Now the guy is off cruising the coast in his new 'vette (not my words but words of the contracted roving domestic estimator) and the job was completely sub contracted out to migrant labour. They were quick professional; and did a great clean-up job and ... they didn't flatten the shrubbery.

You have to multi quote. I estimate matrails and labour and demolition dumpster haul away. If the excess over charge surcharge is insane, keep looking - unless you just like throwing money away for nothing.

The roofing job must be warrantied for replacement without pro rating for many decades.
My friend hired a local contractor for Hardie board siding. $45k

Demanded the owner be on the job. He was there for 2 days only and my friend was happy because the owner did the worst work.
When the subs took over the quality went up..
 
What about the noise when it rains?
The "metallic" noise doesn't transmit well through the roof decking at all. There's a tiny bit more noise, but you really have to listen for it to even notice.

Like I mentioned above, for standard overlap joint metal roofs, there's typically a ~1" air gap between the metal and the roof decking itself. My Amish guys used rough cut true 1"x4" boards for the gridwork. There HAS to be an air gap for this type of roofing. It's a huge benefit in the heat of summer as the majority of the sun's heat is either reflected by the metal roof, or pulled away from the roof decking below the metal in the air gap space, by convection and exhausted out the ridge vent.

The more costly standing seam metal roof attaches directly to the decking with an insulation barrier in between that is going to muffle the sound and prevent heat transmission.

Again.. Metal roofs do have some advantages over shingle. Let me just give you the bads: If you have lots of roof penetrations and valleys they may not be the best option for you. I don't have faith in the long term sealing integrity of the surface mount boots that are used for penetrations.

Snow load is another big problem that people who've never had a metal roof do not understand. The snow that builds-up is extremely destructive. Gravity takes it downhill constantly. It will bend and break off any roof penetrations (plumbing vents, HVAC vents, service entrances) if precautions are not taken. I've been there. It will tear off gutters and do soffit damage. You cannot walk on a metal roof to remove snow, so once it's up there, it's up there. All the snow rails on my roof are ugly but unfortunately necessary.

Overlap metal roofs also have all the screws that poke through the metal. Supposedly the rubber "gaskets" on them degrade over time and need to be replaced. I've never known anyone who had leaks due to this, but supposedly it's a thing and the screws need to be replaced at some point.
 
Last edited:
My friend hired a local contractor for Hardie board siding. $45k

Demanded the owner be on the job. He was there for 2 days only and my friend was happy because the owner did the worst work.
When the subs took over the quality went up..
7 grand in materials for primed Hardie cement lap siding (Ten bucks a .65' x 12' plank)

Man that's enormous labour and overcharge costing.

Owner be paying Alimony x2 :) :)
 
My parents had a beach house with very tight corrugated galvanized roofing that I no longer see. I thought this thing was going to be loud.
You couldn't even hear hail inside.
Not real pretty but bullet proof.
I did see one builder in Florida using it but they only were in business for a few years
 
My only issue with metal roofing is that it makes your roof slippery. At least with shingle roofs you don't have this issue. If I had to go on a metal roof I would want a permanently mounted stainless steel anchor point and a harness. I got on the roof at least once per your for my inspections and I do my own repairs.
If you had a quality metal roof, you would need no inspections. My 21 year old metal roof looks and performs the same as it did the day it was installed.
 
Back
Top