As a homeowner, modernizing your house’s exterior is attractive and could be something you want to do. If you own an old house and want to renovate, the type of roof can make or mar the project. Believe it or not, houses with modern and good-looking roofs draw attention and may even increase the market price if you decide to put them on the market.
However, the cost of roofing, whether renovating an old home or building a new house, is high. The bigger the house is, the higher the roofing costs go. Some homeowners check the price and draw back in alarm, especially if they roofed their properties when the prices were affordable.
Roofing can cost between $6,000 and $15,000 or more, depending on certain factors. While roofing costs in 2024 are high, picking the right roofers is crucial, even for a large house. The search for affordable services and materials has made it easy for fraudulent companies to take advantage of people when they offer low prices.
You must understand the reason behind the high roofing costs to help you navigate the market and see why you cannot settle for low prices. When broken down, the costs make sense and can guide you in choosing what is best for your project. This article is a detailed explanation of what affects roofing costs.
Key Factors that Determine Roofing Costs
The following are key factors determining how much you will likely spend on roofing your house, whether as a new building or a renovation project. These factors will also help you get the correct contractor quote and plan your budget accordingly.
1. Complexity and Square Footage
The bigger a house is, the wider the roof becomes; the wider the roof, the more materials it will require. If you are a first-time house builder wondering why the roofing alone costs so much, you must consider the square footage of the house’s top and compare it to the materials it will consume.
It helps to know the price of building materials on the market if you are a hands-on owner and want to be careful about every expense. Roofing a large house will require more time and labor, which equates to more money. Then, there is the roof’s complexity. Some houses do not have regular roofing patterns but are complex and challenging to navigate.
While you will find roofers with the expertise, experience, and equipment to complete the job, consider the difficulty and how long it may take. A simple-styled roof will cost less to work on than one with multiple facets and angles. This factor significantly affects costs.
2. House Height
Another critical factor is the height of the house, which translates to the number of stories and how high off the ground the roof is. The higher it goes, the riskier the job of roofing the building, and contractors always consider this aspect when giving an estimate. You will get a regular pricing structure if it is a single-story building with a ranch-style roof.
While it may be higher than the price a few years ago, it will still be considerably lower than the cost of roofing a three-story building or higher. It will take more time to complete, which means more money for labor because the workers must take their time for safety purposes.
This factor is closely related to accessibility; the more difficult it is to access the roof, the higher the labor price and time. For example, a fence or patio may prevent easy access, and the contractor must find other ways to reach the top of the building. This means more challenging access to materials and tools. Certain landscaping styles may also cause an accessibility issue. Find out here how to protect workers from falling from roofs during projects.
3. Material
This factor may be the most important one that significantly affects roofing costs in 2024. Over time, manufacturers have developed stronger, more innovative, and better-looking roofing materials for homeowners, but this progress also means higher price points. Even the simplest and most regular materials are costlier today than a few years ago.
However, architectural shingles are excellent options for affordability without sacrificing quality. Many other options will fit your budget, but the classier and more exotic options may cost an arm and a leg. In other words, your choice will determine how much you pay as an overall budget. Remember that the larger the roof is, the more materials it will consume, translating to more expenses on the project.
4. Penetrations and Obstructions
You must also consider specific penetrations and obstructions on the roof. Examples include chimneys, vents, and skylights. These factors create extra work for the roofing team because it has to measure and calculate how to navigate the areas around the obstructions and penetrations without causing damage.
Such extensive work will require extra manpower and more time, which equates to more money. The more obstacles there are—some houses have multiple vents, skylights, and more than one chimney—the more manpower and time are required.
5. Decking
For many roof replacement jobs, the decking needs to be replaced. The wooden foundation goes in place before the actual roofing sheets are installed. If it is a brand-new project, consider the amount required for the entire roof, which may be a lot if the building is extensive. The case is slightly different for a replacement job; the decking already exists but often requires a new one because of damage.
Sometimes, the contractor can determine how much the job requires before removing the old roof. However, the usual occurrence is that the contractor must remove the old roof and assess the state of the decking before determining the amount for replacement or if there is any need to replace it.
Knowing the amount of decking required for the roofing foundation before the project starts helps with budgeting correctly. However, waiting for the old roof to be removed before determining how much decking the project needs may affect your budgeting. This resource, https://talesfrommamaville.com/, explains more about the importance and benefits of decking.
Conclusion
Every homeowner wants to modernize the exterior of their house. It improves the look and feel of the house while increasing its market value. However, the cost of roofing in 2024 has skyrocketed for various reasons, including size, complexity, building height, accessibility, and decking.
Still, you can carefully calculate and draw up a reasonable roofing cost estimate to correctly budget your projects without waiting for contractors to reply. Knowing the determining factors also helps you check multiple companies and their quotes to pick the one that best suits your needs.
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