3 Mistakes To Avoid When Trying To Save Money On A New Roof

You don't want to put things off when you need a new roof. The situation can quickly go from bad to worse if a leak is involved. This can be especially stressful when you are looking at the cost for a new roof. Even so, there are a few money-saving mistakes you don't want to make, because they will actually cost you more in the long run.

#1: Re-roofing over the old shingles

A re-roofing job may look like a way to save some cash, since you won't have to pay for tear down or disposal of the old shingles. Unfortunately, this is a false economy. Any rot or degradation affecting the old shingles will quickly spread to the new. The layer of old shingles are also more likely to cause gaps or unevenness in the new layer, which increases the chances of moisture working its way underneath. This can shorten the life of your new roof exponentially. This means you will have to replace it much sooner, which will cost even more now that there will be two layers of shingles to pull off.

#2: Skipping the new sheathing

Not every roof needs new sheathing, but you don't want to dismiss it out of hand. Make sure your roofer removes all the old paper and fully inspects the plywood sheathing. If cost is a major factor, you can usually save money by only having damaged sheathing replaced instead of replacing the sheathing on the entire roof. To further extend the life of your new or existing sheathing, invest in a quality moisture barrier as well. This has a minimal upfront cost but it will save you from having to replace the sheathing again the next time you need to put on new shingles.

#3: Ignoring the flashing and eaves

The metal flashing provides an important seal along roof valleys and around rooftop items like chimneys and vents. The fascia and soffit boards along the eaves serve a similar purpose. Ignore the temptation to cut corners and costs by simply reusing what was there. Although made of metal, flashing strips do corrode and degrade over time, so it's imperative that they are replaced when the shingles are replaced. As for the eaves, you can sometimes reuse your fascia and soffit boards, but only after they have been inspected by your roofer to make sure they are in good condition.

For more help, talk to a roofer like Regency Roofing in your area.

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