Roofing | Odyssey Design Studios

The Average Cost of Replacing a Roof

As a homeowner, replacing the roof on your home can be one of the most expensive upgrades that you will make over the course of your owning a home.

What determines the price of a roof?

The type of roofing material is a large part of the cost of your roof, but the size, accessibility, pitch, roof height, removal of the old roof, as well as other factors are also used when calculating the cost.

On average, the price of a new roof can run anywhere from $4500 all the way up to $50,000 or more for high end roofs.

Most roofers charge by the roofing square, this is equal to 100 square feet (a 10 by 10 foot area).

Why does the roof pitch affect the price of a new roof?

The slope or pitch of your roof affects the price because this dictates how easy it is for the roofers to work on your roof. Will they need a harness because of the steep pitch? Or does your roof have a gentle slope which allows for them stack materials directly on the roof and work without a lot of safety equipment.

Why does accessibility matter?

This is a part of labor costs that many people don’t think about, if roofers can drive a truck loaded with materials directly beside the house, then loading and unloading just got a lot easier. But if a lot of their time is spent carrying materials, supplies, and tools back and forth from the truck, you will see this reflected in the cost of the roof.

Roofing materials also determine the price

We have a couple of articles that you might want to read about the different types of roofs to consider:

Other costs to keep in mind

If you’re replacing a roof with damage from hail, water, or other things, remember that the damage might go further than you think. After the old roof has come off, the roofers might find other damage that will need to be addressed before the new roof can go on. Plan your budget accordingly.

Home Building 101: Major Phases of Construction Part II

Today we’ll continue our conversation that we started last week when we began to go through the process of home construction. We’ve already covered steps one and two, you can find that post here.

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Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC

When the frame of the house is finished and the initial inspection is passed, then the roofing and siding installation can installed and the contractors for plumbing and electrical can begin installing pipes and wires. At this time, single piece shower and tub units are installed as well since it is easier to maneuver them into place before the interior walls and doors are finished. Sewer lines, vents, water supply lines, and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system are put into place after which insulation is installed in the ceilings, floors, and walls. This is the perfect time for installing radiant floor heating.

Once the roof has been installed, the house is “dried in”. This means that it is safe for the electrician to install the lights, light switches, electrical outlets, and run the wires from each of these to the breaker box. Cable TV, music system cables, and telephone cables and also run at this time.

Inspections

After each of the above is installed, they will require an inspection to make sure that they meet the building code. These are typically three separate inspections split into framing, plumbing and electrical, and mechanical systems.

Drywall Installation

After the inspections are successfully passed, drywall (also known as Sheetrock) will be installed.

Insulation Installation

Insulation is a critical part of home building especially for home owners in South Texas as we need to keep the heat out and the cool air from escaping; this can lead to some confusion since there are many types from which to choose. We’ve gone over a few of these types in previous posts; you can read about fiberglass and foam insulation, cotton and cellulose insulation, or home insulation FAQ. The majority of homes will need insulation in all exterior walls, the attic, and some floors that are above basements or crawl spaces.

Check back next week as we continue to explore the process of building a home. Have a question about this process? Drop us a comment below, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

Green Wall & Green Roof 101

House building technology is ever growing and changing, sometimes it can be difficult to keep up with the new methods and options available to the custom home builder. Two terms that have been thrown around lately are “green wall” and “green roof”. Today, we’ll take a quick look at what exactly is a green wall and if there any notable benefits for home owners in South Texas.

Green Wall

A green wall (also known as a living wall) is a wall that is covered first in a growing material such as soil that then seeded or planted with plants that either fully or partially cover it. Green walls are typically built with a watering system integrated into the design. Found outdoors and indoors, green walls can be attached to existing walls or can stand on their own and come in all shapes and sizes. Green walls are popular for public spaces, but are also becoming an attractive and eco-friendly home feature.

Green Roof

A green roof (also known as a living roof) may just look like a rooftop garden but it is actually specially engineered to be able to support the weight, life, and growth of plants. Coming in three categories: intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive, green roofs come on a scale of difficult to maintain to self-sustaining and practically maintenance free.

Benefits

Green walls and roofs are a way to replace lost greenery in urban settings. This can reduce air pollution, and help keep cities cooler. Dense urban areas tend to be hotter than rural areas and green walls and roofs absorb heat from the sun instead of re-emitting it. Green roofs and walls also absorb and filter rainwater, this decreases surface runoff which reduces flooding and helps to keep pollutants out of water reservoirs. A green roof is a great insulator because it keeps a house warm in the winter and cool in the summer, this means that your house won’t require as much energy to heat and cool it.

If you’re interested in learning more about green walls and roofs, talk to your custom home builder. They’ll know how to strengthen your home’s structure to support the additional weight of a green roof, or where a green wall would work well in your home.

Standing Seam Metal Roof

Commonly agreed on by architects as THE best roofing available, the standing seam metal roof is worth considering for your custom home. Here’s some basic information to help you get started.

What is it?

A standing seam metal roof comprises metal panels running from the roof top to the eaves of the house. Every panel is made with ribs along each side, these fit into the corresponding panels on each side which effectively hides the fastenings but also creates the signature raised seams running from the top to the bottom of the roof. The metal used to make these roofs is typically aluminum, copper, and steel, with the most expensive of these being coper. While the standing seam metal roof seems to have popped up out of nowhere, it has actually been around since the mid-1700s.

Benefits

Made of thin sheets of metal, a standing seam metal roof is lightweight, which will reduce your structure’s load bearing costs. You can also install a metal roof directly on an existing roof, this will effectively abolish the cost of removing and disposing the old roof. Metal roofs are durable and more will last long past their usual warranty of 30-50 years. It is also wind and fire resistant. In a hot climate like South Texas, a standing seam metal roof can reduce your home energy consumption because the roof reflect sunlight which means that roof absorbs less heat which will help to lower your utility bill. Because of the material of which it is made, metal roofing can be 100 percent recycled whenever you decide to replace it, not to mention that it is initially made up of mostly recycled material as well. It’s a great choice all around for those that are trying to be eco-conscious.

Though metal roofing has been around for a long time, it really hasn’t changed much, though there are now many more finishes available for home builders. Zinc is another choice metal for roofing and it can last for a lifetime if it is properly made and installed. With metal roofing, there is also the choice of a non-gutter roof or an integrated gutter.