How to Decide on the Best Roofing Shingles for Your Home

When it comes to your home, you want only the best. But how do you decide what the best roofing shingles for your home will be?

IKO Cambridge Weatherwood Shingles

Deciding on the best roofing shingles and the right roofer for your home roofing needs can be difficult if you do not know what is important and what you should look for. There are some tips that can help you make the best possible choice in your situation, and prevent some of the most common mistakes that can be made.

You have many options when it comes to shingles. Different factors and features that you can compare when it comes to your shingle choices include:

• Type
• Composition
• Color
• Texture
• Pattern
• Visual appeal
• Warranty offered
• The overall look in your neighborhood
• Shingle material
• Maintenance
• Durability
• Quality
• Cost

The Best Roofing Shingles Will Combine Quality, Appeal, and Affordability

The best roofing shingles in any given situation will be the product that offers the best appeal, quality, and affordability. This may not always be the same type of shingle, or even the same material or pattern. Each case is different and unique, and only you can decide which product gives you the most benefits and fewest drawbacks.

Asphalt shingle material performance depends of the quality, quantity and compatibility of asphalt fillers, reinforcements and surface granules.

Source: National Roofing Contractors Association

Before you can make any shingle choice you should compare several types and brands. This will help you determine what is reasonable, and which ones do not give you the best quality and protection for the price. All of these factors are important and need to be balanced carefully so that you get the desired results.

Insist on References from Any Roofer Being Considered

Before you hire any roofer, insist on getting references for them from past jobs that are similar to yours. The best roofing shingles on the market will not be as effective if they are not properly installed. References will help you ensure that the roofing specialist chosen has the experience and knowledge that you need.

Never just take the word of the roofing professional. Once you have several references, check out a few of the jobs in your area. This will help you see the quality of the work and how well the roof has stood up over time. Eliminate any professional who cannot provide references or whose previous jobs have not been durable.

Examine and Compare the Material Warranty Offered

The best roofing shingles will offer an extensive warranty. Many of the top shingle products in the industry offer a warranty of 25 years, and some will cover even longer. When you examine the material warranty, you can do a cost versus quality benefit and get the best of both worlds.

Ask About Any Labor Warranty

In addition to the warranty offered by the best roofing shingles that you have picked you also need to examine any labor warranty offered by the roofer or roofing company. If the professional does not stand behind the labor that they perform then you may want to choose another company instead, one that does offer a labor warranty on the work performed.

Compare Costs but Never Decide on Price Alone

Choosing the best roofing shingles will involve some cost consideration, but you should never make any decision based on cost alone. You want to get the best price but not at the expense of quality or performance. Look for shingle products and contractors who offer mid-range pricing. This ensures that quality is emphasized without paying more than necessary.

Ask for explanations for price variations, and don’t automatically choose the lowest bidder.

Source: Better Business Bureau

If you choose the lowest price, whether you are comparing roofing materials or companies, you could end up getting exactly what you pay for. If you make the wrong decisions then this could end up costing you much more later on when repairs or a roof replacement are needed earlier than expected.

The Contract Should Spell Everything Out Before You Sign

Once you have chosen the best roofing shingles and the right roofer for the job make sure to read the contract very carefully before you sign anything. All of the details should be included in the contract, and you should know exactly what will be done and the total cost involved. This includes any rubbish removal, clean up, and other factors usually overlooked.

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What are the best roofing shingles that you have found? What do you like about this product?