Roof Replacement vs Roof Repair Dollars and Cents
If your roof requires maintenance but you have no idea about how much it will cost then you’re at the right site. In today’s article, I am going to mention the overall cost needed for roof repair and replacement.
How much does the Roof Repair Cost?
The roof repair cost depends on the severity of the damage to your roof. Roof repair can be anything from a few missing shingles, replacing a pipe boot, fixing the leakage around a chimney or skylight, or even repairing a leak in a valley. Some of the major problems that we see are where a roof was not properly installed and the shingles have already started sliding off of a roof. Another major repair that we see is when there’s been a roof leak around the chimney or skylight. Those are a couple of examples of major roof repairs. Roof repair on an asphalt roof is much cheaper than it would cost to do roof repair on a slate or tile roof. There is another thing to consider when you are wanting to know how much it is going to cost to do a roof repair and how steep is your roof. It is much harder to repair a roof that has a 45⁰ angle than one that is easily walkable.
So for some of the more common minor roof repairs, they start at $350. Whereas for some of the more complex repairs, the cost could run up to $2500. An average, roof repair, $150 to $1500 will be the cost for minor roof repair and $1500 to $7000 for major roof repair.
On which factors does Roof Replacement cost depend?
Talking about roof replacement, the expenses vary depending on some factors. These factors include the shape, structure, and size of the roof. Prices also vary depending on the quality of the material to be used. Let’s have a look at these factors.
Labor Cost
First of all, the price is based on labor. If your roof is steep or not walkable that means it will cost more labor as it is difficult to work on steep roofs. Secondly, roofers have to see how many layers your roof has in it. It is possible that the previous homeowner or contractor did not fully replace the roof. That means a good contractor has to tear out all the layers and has to start from scratch. One thing that you should keep in mind is that more layer requires more labor. That means more layers will cost you more money.
Type of Material
There are different types of materials used in the construction of the roof. Metal and asphalt shingles are one of the most commonly used materials for roofing. The cheapest material used for roofing is asphalt shingles. Asphalt has some premium brands that can jack up the price. But simple and plain asphalt does not cost much. The average cost of asphalt shingles per square meter is 1$ to 2$. On the other hand, metal roofing costs about 4$ to 6$ per square foot.
Area of the Roof
A larger area means it requires more material as well as labor. The average cost for roof installation including the material price is around 10$ to 17$ per square foot. So an increase in the area will increase the amount of money needed to replace the roof.
The expenses may vary from country to country. For roof replacement, most homeowners can expect to pay around $11000 to $17000 on average.
Roof Repair Vs Roof Replacement: What Is Beneficial?
The cost of replacing vs. repairing a roof is something you should consider before deciding which option is best for you.
Repair is usually less expensive, but this is not always the case. Repairs can be more expensive per square foot. You don’t get bulk discounts on materials, and they can be as labor-intensive as a replacement. The cost is also affected by the extent of the repair. Will you only replace a few shingles or patch a small area? Or do you need to address any underlying issues that are discovered?
For example, live in a high-wind area? Are the existing shingles wind-resistant? Repairing the isolated damage repeatedly will most likely result in failure. Repairing confined harm over and over will almost certainly cost more in the long run than upgrading to a stronger roof.
When it comes to repairs, replacing missing shingles or patching an area by replacing missing or damaged shingles is the least expensive option. However, as previously stated, matching the new shingles with the old may be difficult. If aesthetics are important to you and it is on a highly visible section of the roof, that may not be the best solution.
Partial replacement, or replacing a section of the roof rather than the entire roof, can be a less expensive option. If the roof damage is limited to one side of the roof, this may be an option. The old shingles on that entire side are removed, and a new moisture barrier and new shingles are installed. If the old roof did have two layers of shingles — the maximum number of layers allowed — then the cost of removing two layers of shingles may eat into your savings.
Another downside to partial replacement is that you still have an old roof on the rest of your house. Full Replacement often seems like the most expensive solution, but it’s actually less expensive per square foot than repair or partial replacement. It also allows for a complete inspection of the roof structure. Any underlying damage can be discovered and dealt with before you put on the new roof.
A full replacement effectively restarts the life of your roof, allowing you to take advantage of newer materials and solutions — or upgrade to a higher-quality roof option. If your insurance covers the damage, you may only be responsible for your deductible, making the cost of repair even less of savings.
In which condition you should prefer replacement over repair?
If the lifespan of your roof is going to end soon then you should stop wasting money on roof repair again and again and start replacing your roof from scratch. If there is damage caused by the storm to your roof, it is suggested to have your roof replaced instead of repairing it. It is because you have lost the integrity of the life of your roof. Lastly, according to the thumb law, if the repair on your roof is going to cost 25% of what it would cost to replace your roof then it is best to go ahead and replace your roof.
