Roofs and Siding!
Welcome back to our series titled ‘Why SunCoast? What makes us different.’ Today we’re going to talk about what you can do to make sure your roof is up to snuff and your siding is good to go.
Many people in our area have had massive water damage during Hurricane Florence (and many other storms) not from flooding but from roof issues to the tune of often over six figures! So, let’s talk options...
SHINGLES VS. METAL
There are pros and cons to most things and roofs are no different. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of shingles.
SHINGLE PROS:
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Cost-effective
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Can easily be replaced
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Can easily be repaired if missing a few
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Your roof won’t come off in one piece
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You can put a water membrane underneath so if you lose shingles water is not seeping through.
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Most roofers work on shingled roofs
SHINGLE CONS:
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They have to be replaced
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They have to be repaired
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You can have water leaking through (if you don’t add the waterproof membrane)
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The color fades
Alright, so what about metal roofs?
METAL PROS:
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In most climates, they are there for life
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You can pick pretty colors
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They don’t leak
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They are almost indestructible if installed correctly
METAL CONS:
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They are expensive
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If you don’t choose the highest quality rust can be a factor
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If they are installed incorrectly you can lose your WHOLE roof in one storm!
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Few people install them
SO WHAT DOES SUNCOAST DO?
We do whatever you want to the highest standard. If you want shingles, we’ll install shingles. PRO TIP: Ask for a water barrier to be installed underneath it. They won’t break the bank and they’ll give you some extra help if you lose shingles in a hurricane! If you want a metal roof we will find the best company to install it.
The big issue with roofs is how it’s done. Yes, there are varying degrees of quality so we use the highest quality of shingles and the highest quality of metal roofs the customer can afford. On our spec homes, we use shingles because we have a lot of experience with them and the cost keeps home prices affordable for the average home buyer.
SPEAK UP
Eugene often tells his clients, “If something looks wrong it probably is,” and he’s right. If you are looking at your roof and it just seems like something’s not quite right, speak up! Ask questions! You see hundreds of roofs every day just driving to the store so you don’t have to be an expert to spot a problem.
ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS
Before you commit to one type of roof it’s important to ask yourself some questions to help you make the best decision for your circumstances.
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How long are we going to stay in this house? If it’s forever, consider a metal roof but make sure it’s done by someone local and reputable.
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Do we live in high wind areas? If so, do some research on companies that install metal roofs. Check out their reviews. Talk to former customers. Ask your builder what they think? Shingles take a beating but you don’t have to worry about the whole thing coming off.
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Do we live by the ocean where the salt in the air is high? Shingles may be your best bet because even a galvanized metal roof will eventually rust.
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What is your budget? Are you trying to stay economical? Shingles may fit your budget better.
SIDING
PRO TIP: There are several options with siding and some of those are stipulated by your HOA if you have one so make sure you check the restrictive covenants prior to purchasing land. This goes for your roof as well although requiring a metal roof over shingles is rare.
The most common siding options here are vinyl and hardie. You can do a mix of all sorts of things and again, may be stipulated by your HOA but if it’s not, the limits lie within your budget and creativity. The most important thing is, you guessed it: How it’s installed. So what are the pros and cons?
VINYL PROS:
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Very economical
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Wide variety of colors but there are still limitations
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They have lap, shake, and board and batten styles
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Lasts a very long time if the quality is high and it is installed correctly
CONS:
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The biggest con is when a builder uses a really low quality and doesn’t watch how it’s installed it waves down the side of the house...and it can come off pretty easily
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If you like very specific colors you most likely won’t find them as they usually only have the top somewhat neutral colors
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Some HOA’s will not allow it
HARDIE PROS:
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You can paint it whatever color you like!
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There are some different styles you can choose from but be careful with board and batten...if it’s not installed correctly it will leak!
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It can withstand more pounding weather
CONS:
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It’s more expensive (mainly because of the extra cost to paint it)
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It has to be painted which means it may need to be repainted at some point
Quality house wrap comes first. Windows, doors, and decks all have flashing under the siding that directs any water so if that isn’t installed correctly you could have water funneling right in through your windows and doors even if the siding itself is installed correctly! Yikes! Would you like to guess how many times Eugene has had the siding guys take it down and reflash everything correctly? A lot. But the silver lining in that (other than the obvious) is that another person was just taught how to do it correctly so he/she can repeat better practices in the future.
If we use vinyl, we use a higher quality that is installed in such a way that typical higher winds should not bother it.
Eugene is really no different in any aspect of the building process. He is not afraid to tell anyone to start over. He is very nice about it but at the end of the day, he wants it done right so that’s what we do. David also has a particular eye for details so between the two of them not much gets by them. Their experience and lack of shyness about asking for things to be redone are what sets Sun Coast apart. That does not mean we are perfect. It means we try very hard!