Choosing the Right Roof for Your New Home

When it comes to designing your custom new home, you’re going to have plenty of things to think over. For instance, you have to decide which floorplan works best for your family; what types of features you want to include in your home, and more. But, you’re going to find that some choices are simply more important than others.

One of the most important things you’re going to have to choose is the type of roof you want on your new custom home. This is a crucial decision because the roof is the one thing that stands between you and the elements. It needs to be high-quality and installed right. At Trinity Custom Homes in GA, we can help you choose the best roof for your style home. But, to help get you started, here are some pros and cons for the most popular roofing materials that can help you narrow down your picks.

Metal Roofing

Metal roofing is an extremely popular option in the southern states because it has the ability to withstand severe storms, fire, and high winds with ease. This type of roof is very eco-friendly and it can help improve the home’s energy use because it absorbs a third less heat than asphalt roofing materials. Metal roofing helps keep a home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Metal roofing gives a home clean, crisp lines and over time, it develops a patina that can lend it an even more interesting look.

There really isn’t much you can say negative about metal roofing except that it is one of the more expensive roofing options, especially if you want to go with copper roofing. Once installed, a metal roof will last anywhere from 30 to 50 years, or longer.

Asphalt Shingle Roofing

Asphalt shingle roofing is one of the most common and affordable roofing options nationwide. They are reasonably reliable and can withstand fire and fair winds. Their nice appearance and affordability make them a popular option for most homeowners. In fact, this type of roof accounts for 80% of the residential roofing market.

But, asphalt shingles fall short in a number of different ways. For starters, they are not particularly eco-friendly. They are a petroleum-based product that although being able to be recycled, rarely is. They are also not as durable as most other premium roofing options. An asphalt shingle roof will need to be replaced every 15 to 20 years in most cases whereas a metal roof is essentially a lifetime roof.

Clay Tile Roofing

A clay tile roof gives a home an old-world Italian or Spanish look. These tiles are made from natural clay and fired in a kiln. As a result, the final product tends to be heavy and this will require additional reinforcements to be installed in most roofing applications. As heavy as they are, the tiles are also brittle, so they can be chipped or broken when hit hard enough. But, in the right environment, a clay tile roof can last 50 years or longer.

Clay tiles offer excellent protection against fire, but they don’t perform exceedingly well in high-wind situations. And, while they are made from all-natural materials, the energy it requires to create them makes them not very eco-friendly. In terms of cost, clay tiles tend to be very expensive to buy and costly to install.

Concrete Tile Roofing

Concrete tiles are more affordable than clay tiles, but they offer similar fire and wind resistance. And, also like clay tiles, these also require an incredible amount of energy to produce. Concrete tiles are made from a mixture of sand and Portland cement and one of their beneficial attributes is that they can be manufactured to look like clay, slate, or even wood shakes.

Concrete tiles are long lasting (50+ years) and low maintenance, but they can also suffer chips and cracks if hit by flying objects. And, because of the sheer weight of these tiles, additional reinforcements are needed before they can be installed on a home’s roof.

Slate Tile Roofing

Slate tile is one of the country’s oldest roofing materials. It is made from natural slate rock, so it is very eco-friendly. It is also extremely durable and long-lasting. In fact, once it’s installed, it will last as long as the home stands (75+ years). It also offers very good protection against fire and is capable of standing up to high winds.

The problem with this type of roofing is that it needs to be installed by specially-trained roofers. Other challenges include these tiles require roof reinforcements due to their heavy weight and they can only be installed on steep-sloped roofs. All of this combined makes slate tile roofing among the most expensive options available.

Plastic Polymer Roofing

Plastic polymer tiles are synthetic roofing shingles that are crafted to resemble slate tiles or wood shakes. Because they are made from a high-tech plastic polymer, these tiles are very durable, low maintenance, and long-lasting (50+ years). They are lightweight and can be installed on both moderate and steep-sloped roofs. They also offer very good fire and wind resistance.

Even though these tiles are made from plastic polymer, they are eco-friendly because most are made from recycled materials and they can be recycled again after being replaced. Their cost is moderate when compared to all other roofing materials.

Wood Shake Roofing

Wood shakes or shingles are made from rot-resistant woods like cedar or redwood. And, while this type of roof offers good wind resistance, it does not perform well against fire unless a special fire retardant is applied to the tiles. Wood shake roofing gives a home a natural look when installed and over time, the wood fades to an elegant silvery gray.

Although lightweight and eco-friendly, wood shingles don’t last quite as long as most other roofing materials. In fact, a wood shake roof requires periodic maintenance despite it having such a short lifespan (between 15 and 25 years). The cost for a wood shake roof is moderate compared with other roofing materials.

Trinity Custom Homes in GA Can Help You Pick the Right Roof For Your Home

If you live in Georgia and you’re thinking about having a home custom built for your family, Trinity Custom Homes in GA can help. We’re one of the country’s largest custom home builders with builders throughout five southeastern states, including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Our team of expert architects can help you design the ideal home for your family’s wants and needs. Just give us call today at 888-818-0278 to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced custom home builders and we’ll go over all of our options with you.