Roof replacement can be as simple as removing useless shingles and paper (insulator), or it can involve the installation of the deck, gutters, roof vents, and soffits and repairing any damage left behind after the wear and tear of the old roof. Roof repair, though, is usually limited to taking care of damage.
When you find roof damage ( after a storm or a fallen tree limb), how do you know whether you should just repair the damage or completely replace the roof? the answer isn’t that simple. Once you’ve received the proposal for the repair or replacement, it will be up to you to decide what you want to do with the roof. If you find it challenging to figure out the answer to that question yourself, we will help you.
Budgeting for roof repair or replacement
What a roofer says your roof needs, or what in reality is required, all comes to your budget. Luckily, most insurance holders’ policies will cover damage your roof receives from a storm, and may even cover the cost of a total roof replacement if the damage is too much. Without insurance, roof replacement is too expensive, with asphalt shingle replacements costing anywhere between $8,000 and $20,000, most often around $12,000. This amount is too much for something you don’t get to use every day.
Structural Damage
Roofers can easily repair the outer layer of your roof, such as the shingles. It is harder for them to improve the structural elements of your roof, such as the roof deck. To reach and repair the central area of the roof. They must first strip the shingles off the roof to come and repair the roof’s central area. In such a situation, you have to replace shingles, too.
Structural roof deck damage often results from deteriorated shingles, anyway. So, by replacing those older shingles, you can protect the roof deck from going through this process again.
Roof Type Considerations for Repair or Replacement Decisions
Your roof type can be a significant factor in deciding whether to opt for roof repair or replacement.For example, a slate roof can last over 100 years, so it may make sense to repair damage rather than replace the whole roof. Roof tiles can be replaced individually, and less labor is involved. With other types of roofs, age comes into consideration again. Replacing some shingles won’t make the shingles around them last any longer.
Long-Term Plans
Are you planning to stay at home for the rest of your life?
If you’re considering selling in a few years, a new roof can be a selling point for potential buyers. You don’t need to spring for the most expensive roof, but some work would be enough. If you plan on staying for the rest of your life, upgrading your roof can be justified because your cost will be spread over the home’s life. And choosing a higher-quality material isn’t always that much expensive.
