Whether you are renovating your house and need to re-roof the house or whether you’re putting up a new roof, there are a number of critical points you should pay very careful attention to. This job is worth the time, money and trouble you’re going to invest in it because your whole house depends on it. There is no room for half-measures. If the job is being taken care of by a contractor then he too must treat this with the utmost care.

The durability and integrity of the roof depends on the materials you put into its construction. Let’s see what these are, and how you should select them.

Listing out the materials required for the job will give you a more or less accurate estimate of the enormity of the job. You’ll have to plan to spend that much money and time on it. It is better to over-estimate by about 5% to 10%, depending on the price of the material and how frequently it is required. Short estimation does not only entail an extra trip to the supply store, but it means downtime. Your assistants will be earning pay for waiting. That’s going to add significantly to budget overruns. When creating your estimate, consult a supplier. His experience will help you to fine tune your estimate. Online stores have a helpdesk, so consult them too. Forewarned is forearmed! The materials most commonly used for roofing the house are asphalt shingles, wood shingles, stone, and clay tiles. Newer materials like metal, plastic and composites are also used.

The actual material needed will depend on the existing roofing material and its construction, if you’re renovating. Asphalt shingles will need to be replaced with the same because clay or slate will overload the structure. Overloading the existing structure may lead to structural failure, even to the point of collapse. Reinforcing the structure will mean unnecessary expense of time and money.

In any case asphalt shingles are very good. They are durable and economical in the long run. There is a small problem in using asphalt shingles. They tend to crack when exposed to extremes of heat and cold.

You do get a lot more liberty in selecting the material to roof your house with when you’re putting up a fresh roof since the construction of the roof is in your hands. However, you’ll need a lot of expertise in designing the roof, a job that calls for the skills of a civil engineer. Don’t take this lightly because the integrity of the roof depends entirely on getting the design right.

A house must be pleasing to look at, and you should aim to build an attractive house. But visual appeal is secondary to structural and budgetary requirements. Don’t sacrifice structural strength for visual appeal! Build for climate and conditions of the region your house is located in, never mind that fancy chalet in the design book!

Nowadays there are a number of metal and composite imitation shingles which are both lightweight and long lasting. These will give better service than the traditional shingles.

To summarize, the prime roofing commandment is: Thou shalt use only top quality material for the roof! Neglect of the prime roofing commandment will lead to frequent roof repair jobs. Seepage from the roof can affect the integrity of the supporting walls, indicating more repairs, more expenses. A damp house is also responsible for the health problems of its inmates. So take care to select and use only the best quality material for the roof of your house!

Asphalt roofing shingles remain the most popular choice for home roofs, although wood and metal are growing in demand. Go to www.roofing-information.com to learn more about your roofing choices. Choosing the right roofing material can be the difference between a roof that lasts, and one that needs constant repair.