I’m sure most of you know this already, but roofs are expensive! They’re expensive and not overtly exciting. Buying a roof doesn’t give you the feeling of buying a new car. And while they’re not flashy, roofs are essential to the overall health of your home.
When your roof system ages and deteriorates, it compromises the look and protection of your home. Old roofs are ugly, and they will eventually leak. You have to replace them at some point. But, as I mentioned already, there’s the high cost to consider. In most cases, homeowners look to repairs as a low cost solution to their roofing issues. But repairs can still cost thousands of dollars, so homeowners have to consider if a repair is money well invested.
Before you commit to paying for a repair to your roof, here are some things to consider:
the cost of your roof repair
First, how expensive is it to repair your roof?
The cost of repairing your roof depends on several factors.
If you're going to have your roof repaired, then consider how big the repair is, how difficult your roof is to access (height, steepness), and the type of roof material. Repairs that require more work and a higher degree of difficulty are going to cost you more.
Repairs often bring additional costs for roof accessories (flashing, underlayment, wood decking) that need to be replaced as well.
You also want to consider the age and condition of your roof. Paying to repair a roof is kind of like paying to repair a car. Once the cost of repairing your roof exceeds the roof's value, it's better to get a new one.
With my personal home, I wouldn’t spend more than a few hundred dollars to repair a roof that is 15 years or older.
But each homeowner’s situation is unique. If the majority of your roof looks and functions fine, then a repair might end up being your best option. But money isn’t the only thing to consider. There are a couple other issues to account for with roofing repairs.
Repairs Disrupt your roof system
It's crucially important to weigh a roof repair against a roof replacement because roofs are an integrated system.
For example, if a shingle is damaged it can be very difficult to remove and replace it without damaging the shingles around it.
Or if you have a leak, where the leak barrier and wood under the shingles are damaged. A roof repair would require removing and replacing all of that material, which also involves taking off more shingles. This could mean you’re looking at a more expensive repair that could still potentially compromise the integrity of your roof system in the near future.
Roof repairs can be an unwise investment because they so often act as a relatively expensive band aid for a bigger problem. Not to mention, roof repairs look like band aids as well.
Roof Repairs Kill Curb Appeal
Repairs almost always compromise the uniform look of your roof. If you choose to replace a section of shingles on your roof, even if you can match the shingle type and color, it’s going to appear mismatched. Roof repairs make your house look patchy.
Now if it’s on the back of the house, you may not think it’s a big deal. That’s up to each individual homeowner. But all you have to do is drive around town. You’ll see roofs with repairs, and they all stick out like a sore thumb. This not only has a negative impact on curb appeal, but on your home value as well.
It’s also important to note that if you’re considering a roof repair due to storm damage, while some insurance companies might offer to pay for a repair at first, you might be entitled to payment for a replacement. I’ll have more on these kinds of scenarios in a coming post. This is something we’re dealing with a lot so far this year.
Making the best decision for you
At Evergreen we make sure that we go over all of your options, accounting for the nuances of each situation. This is includes handling roof repairs on insurance claims. That’s the reason we create posts like this. We want to educate people on how to best take care of their homes, in a financially prudent way.
If you’re considering a roof repair, reach out to us, and we’ll walk you through all of the solutions we would consider for our own home. Click the button below to schedule a free estimate and consultation.
