Re-Roof vs. New Roof: What’s the Difference?
You may realize your roof needs work, but you may not be sure if it needs a re-roof or a completely new roof. Sounds confusing. So, what’s the difference? Here at Ferris Roofing, we are all about educating our customers. We are here to explain what each term means and which option is best for you. Not just anyone can determine the optimal solution. It takes an in-person inspection by a qualified professional.
Give us a call here at Ferris Roofing and we will come out to give you a free consultation and estimate. It’s our job to evaluate your current roof, assess its condition and provide you with the best suggestion moving forward. The type of job you need will depend on many factors, from age of the roof to the condition of the materials to the presence of leaks. Even architecture and ventilation come into play. We will be happy to give you a detailed explanation of which is the better solution for you: re-roof or roof replacement.
Factors that Affect Price
You may have used these two terms interchangeably in the past, but the truth is, they’re two distinct things. How do you really know if you need a re-roof or a brand new one? The average homeowner spends $6,600 to install a new roof in this country, according to Home Advisor, with factors affecting price like:
- Roof size
- Pitch
- Type of application
- Materials used
- Number of layers
- Where you live (prices for materials can vary by region)
- Code requirements
- Number of accessories like skylights, chimneys, plumbing pipes or other adornments
Re-Roofing
This is the process of laying a new set of shingles over the old set of shingles. This should only be done once. After that, the layers become too thick for roofing nails to penetrate. With no time consuming tear off process, re-roofing is faster and less expensive than a complete roof replacement. There’s also less labor and material involved, so your cost is lower. This is a good option for your home if this is the first time you’re re-roofing, you have no issues with your existing roof deck, and you don’t have any major leaks or other problems. Even if your roof is coming to the end of its useful life, if there are no major problems present, re-roofing is a valid route to take.
New Roof or Complete Roof Replacement
There are many reasons why a complete roof replacement would be in order. If your home’s roof is at or past its expected life span and it’s experiencing major problems, you might want to look at replacement. Have you experienced major water damage, soggy shingles, lots of missing shingles, or large areas of moss or mildew coverage?
Have you repaired the same spots over and over to no avail? Is your home’s energy efficiency failing fast? Have you already re-roofed your home once or twice? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s best to consider replacing the entire roof.
Factors to Consider
When thinking about your two options, you should keep the following factor in mind:
Materials:
- Overall, shingles are easier to re-roof than metal, which is more expensive and hard to come by. Depending on the material involved, you could save money in the long run by replacing the roof rather than just re-roofing a portion of it.
Architecture of home:
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- The pitch and story of the house will play a role too. If you have a low pitch, one-story home, it’s much easier to re-roof than homes with multiple stories and steep pitches. It stands to reason that the higher the roofers have to go, the higher your labor costs will be because it takes longer to get up and down.
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Ventilation:
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- Even if you are planning on a simple re-roof, you can’t cut off ventilation to the attic because this will affect the temperature of the whole house. Your HVAC system will be taxed if it has to work overtime, leading to higher repair and replacement costs. With re-roofing, it’s important not to cover the attic fan or leave holes where the elements can get in.
In general, keep in mind that an overlay won’t last as long as a new roof.
Contact Ferris Roofing in Dallas
Ferris Roofing Contractors fort worth TX serves home and business owners throughout Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and surrounding areas with comprehensive residential and commercial roofing services. Contact us today at 817-532-5244 to learn more about re-roofing vs. new roofs.