The roof of a house might seem far away and a bit ‘out of sight out of mind’ but it is a singularly important feature of a house. Not only does it need to blend in seamlessly with the rest of the house, but it also needs to stand out and look beautiful. Here are some tips for choosing roof designs for houses
1. Going for the Visual Appeal
It makes sense to choose a roofing style and material for its aesthetic value. In many architectural designs such as sloping roofs, the roof is very visible indeed from the ground level so making it look as nice as it can is a major concern for homeowners.
The texture and the chosen color will make your house stand out from the other ones in the street and by increasing the curbside appeal, you might have less trouble selling the house later down the line.
Choose the visually appealing roofing material in accordance with the overarching style of the house whether it is a farmhouse, colonial style, Spanish, modern, and so forth. Whether you use specialty tiles, metal shingles or even terracotta depends very much on the general design concept the house is centered around.
2. Budget
Managing the budget is a fine balance since the homeowner (during a remodel or construction) has other building tasks to complete and pay for in addition to hiring the best roofing contractors he/she can find. How much you are willing to spend also depends on your plans regarding the house.
Do you want to live there for the foreseeable future or are remodeling it to make a sale? Many speculators or investors will sometimes spend less and opt for a lower-quality roofing material when remodeling an old house simply because their aim is to sell it off as soon as possible.
The style of the roof greatly influences the cost for example dome roofs are notoriously expensive to construct but a plain sloping or skillion roof with metal shingles will be easier on the wallet.
When picking a budget, always consider that roofs are rarely maintained and yet are more exposed than any other part of the house. A roof replacement or construction is not where you want to save money.
3. Where You Live
The location of your home plays a huge role in deciding both the style and the material of the roof. Consider the climate you live in, is it warm or cold, how often does it rain, and what is the weather like year round? Certain geographical areas have heavier snowfall than others while some may be exceptionally windy.
For very windy areas pyramid or hip, roofs provide adequate insulation and resistance against harsh winds. In areas prone to heavy rainfall, gambrel, gable, and saltbox roofs function very well. The water that runs off these sloping roofs can be harvested or drained away easily through drainage systems.
Warmer climates need a roofing material that provides some insulation so that the air conditioning in the house is more effective and the inhabitants can reduce their carbon footprint without using one all the time.
In warm locations, your roofing material should ideally be shale, asphalt, rubber, or clay. Roofing shingles that offer some light reflection can also work well for warmer temperatures. If you choose a material that is incompatible with the surrounding temperatures, you may have to spend more on roof repair and maintenance in the years to come.
4. Lasting Power
The durability and lasting power of the roof matter perhaps even more than the other factors. Most roofs if they are the correct type for the geographical location of the house will last anywhere from 15 to 25 years even with minimal maintenance and repair work.
Conclusion
Experts suggest however that you schedule yearly inspections by a skilled professional just to catch early signs of damage before they can translate to drainage failures and water damage. Making sure the roof is adequately and regularly cleaned is a task most homeowners forget about since the roof is not altogether visible.
Metal and asphalt are among the most durable roofing materials out there and they can withstand extremes of both hot and cold temperatures very well. Durability partially depends on the manner of installation as well. It is not uncommon to find loose shingles even if a house is only a few years old because the best roofing contractors were not employed at the time of installation.
Discover More
