advice on new roof

[mikebw]

Slate roofs are great, until you have to help your dad remove every one and put up new tar paper, and then hammer each one back in consuming several days of your summer vacation, but really great.

[macphanatic]

Not all slate is created equal. Some is softer and doesn't last as long. The other issue could be the weight.

I would suggest doing a tear off if you can afford it, especially if you live in an area where it snows. No reason to reduce your dead load capacity of the roof.

I would ask for the cost to replace decking by sq ft or by piece I plywood. In northern climates, you will want ice dam underlayment for at least three feet and used around skylights and dormers.

I would have flashings around vent stacks and chimneys replaced. No reason to use old ones when replacing a roof.

If you're in a coastal or high wind area, have the contractors specify how hey will install the underlayment and shingles to provide adequate resistance. No staples for securing shingles.

Make sure that they have insurance, including work comp. Ask about their limits. If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor doesn't have coverage or enough of it you could wind up being sued.

[olnacl]

Still had the original slate roof on my 100 year old east side Milwaukee house when I sold it. Might be overkill for someone planning to live in a house for 10 years.

[davester]

I'm pretty sure that lazydays lives in the Pacific Northwest, which has the potential for a massive earthquake (of course so does the lower midwest, though not as frequently). A slate roof is a no-no unless he has a zillion bucks available to install a gigantic moment frame beneath it.

[Trouble]

Two words

"Pizza Hut"

[MikeF]

Some blue tarps and bungie cords. After all, it's only 10 years.

[OWC Jamie]

If you're sold on slate you might want to contact the many building products suppliers that actually carry slate roofing tiles in Oregon and Washington.
Like these guys: http://www.solarstonenw.com/index.htm
or these guys: http://www.legendsco.com/legendsproducts.htm

A material best suited for your local environment and roof's structural capabilities will suit you best, IE replacing what you've got now.

in white

[Frank]

If you live in a wet area where mildew is a problem, choose a top line fiberglass/asphalt shingle that incorporates copper granules. In our area the "Architectural" grade shingles all take on a charcoal color after a few years, no matter what the original color was. The better quality shingles also have a higher wind rating.

[lazydays]

Hi guys, thanks for all the good advice so far. Sounds like I need to check:

Insurance
Workers Comp
Flashings around vent stacks and chimneys
References (already did this, they just finished two houses on my street)

Here is a picture of my house if anyone wants to suggest a style. I can't afford anything fancy like slate. I just need a good quality roof that looks decent.

[slbett]

My guess from looking at picture that the house is between 15 and 25 years old. That would mean that you have the original roof on the house. It's time. Best way is a complete tear off with new ice guard installed at least 6 feet from gutter line. If you haven't experienced huge ice buildups or water damage at ceiling and wall junction on front and back, then you could just add a second (no more than two total) layer over existing. If you are only staying 10 years, it will still look and perform well. Most people are more concerned with age of roof and not layers. I doubt you would see any monetary benefit when you sell by doing a complete tear off. This all assumes you only have one layer now and no major curled up shingles that would prevent the new shingles from laying flat. Also, no leaks that caused damage to wood underneath.

The new architectural 25 to 30 year shingles are the way to go in my opinion. Best bang for the buck over the 10 years you would be there. White house with black shingles are much better looking than say a pink house with purple shingles. In other words, stick with accepted colors in neighborhood for best resale.