Building Materials Anti Theft Camera – Used at Construction Sites

Are Stolen Materials Being Installed On Your Home?

By Greg Kapitan:
For some time since 1999 have been telling Houston area homeowners to be on the look out should they receive a very low bid on siding or roofing jobs. Why? Because, I realized that in in some cases siding and/or roofing contractors in the Houston Texas market who, in order to save on the cost of building materials, were using recycled and/or stolen building materials such as siding planks, roofing shingles and tar paper.

The Houston Chronicle reports about construction theft with their story that is very informative for both business and homeowners alike. As reported online and in the press, the local Houston Police Department are actually making arrests of several of those involved.  Homeless people were hired and paid with cash or drugs to hijack materials from job sites and later companies would  “fence the stolen material“, from Wikipedia – A fence knowingly buys stolen property for resale, these are the middleman, working between thieves and the eventual buyers of the stolen building materials, who are aware that the building materials are indeed stolen. With these stolen (hijacked) materials, it is likely that the warranty will not be honored by the manufacturer. Theft of building materials such as siding or roofing products is something that has been going on for some time.

This idea of hijacking product is nothing new to the construction world, as roofing and siding contractors and sub-contractors are familiar with or may have been involved in construction theft for many years. The violators had just been getting away with it for a long time, it was overdue and about time they got caught red-handed and stopped in their tracks!

Who is Stealing the Building Materials?

A good portion of this problem stems from subcontractors (crews that many of the larger, well-known companies around town, hire to perform the labor portion of the siding and or roofing jobs) who may be working for a company on a siding or roofing project, then having building materials left over at the end of the project, they take the unused product from the job. The crew was then sliding the product into their trailer or truck and driving off with it. These are new siding planks, trim, roles of tar paper, roofing shingles, boxes of pneumatic nails and accessories that are still in their packages and have never been used that were delivered and intended for use on the project.

Roofing materials just sitting on a jobsite just waiting for someone to take them after the crews take ther tools home

What Are The Crews Doing With This Material?

After hijacking the product, the crews would then either sell the unused materials back to the reseller yard (fence) or low bid their own side jobs and use these left over materials. There are several smaller reseller (fencing) yards around Houston who were willing to buy the unused siding or roofing materials from the crews as a discounted price. This arrangement would allow the crew to simply pull up to the the reseller yard, slide the siding planks or unload the roofing shingles from back of their trailers right into the helping hands of the reseller lumber yards then getting paid cash for the building materials.

As you can imagine, this is a win-win for both the crew, who brings this material in and gets paid, as well as the lumber yard, who gets product not only delivered directly to their door but pays a discounted price for materials that were charged to a siding or roofing company job completed by the crew.

What Are The Reseller Yards (fencing) Paying The Crews?

When the subcontractor crews delivered in the unused material to the resellers (fencing) yard, then the reseller yard would count up the quantity of the product (whether it is siding planks or roofing shingles). For example, let’s say that a crew brought in siding planks like James Hardie Siding and or the LP SmartSide Siding, these usually retail for approximately $10 a plank. The reseller yard gives the crew (that acquired them for free) $5 for each plank, then the yard resells it back to the public who purchases the material at a discounted price of $7.50 each. The same deal with roofing shingles such as the GAF Timberline Shingles, a crew might, for example, bring in 10 bundles of unused shingles that retail for $30 per bundle, the reseller yard would then pay the crew $15 per bundle at $10 per bundle for a total of $150, which I would call, “free money” to the crew and darn right underhanded!

The reseller yard, once again, turns around and sells this unused material to the public for $22.50 per bundle, a discounted price instead of the regular retail price of $30 per bundle that is typically charged. Again, another win-win for both as far as money savings goes for the crew and yard. However; this is an illegal fence practice of construction theft that both the crew and reseller yards are participating in and are literally banking on.

A brief overview:
> Siding Company pays $10 per siding plank (from a retail supplier lumber yard) and hires a crew to install the material
> The dishonest crew takes the extra siding from job they worked on without permission, at no cost to them
> The crew gets paid from a reseller yard at $5 per plank
> The reseller yard re-sells the stolen siding planks at a discounted price to the public for $7.50 ea.

Note: 90% of these transactions are completed as a cash transactions

HPD Police Car

What is the Condition of the Re-sold Material and is There any Warranty?

Is short, most of the resold material is in fair to good condition however; the material may not be in as good of condition as it were just delivered by a legitimate supplier like ABC Supply and or West End Roofing Supply. When building materials such as siding and roofing have been resold, shifted around and compromised, there is NO Warranty and it Void on these compromised products. This is another aspect that most Houston area homeowners are not aware of. Let me explain why, when the siding or roofing material is delivered directly from retail lumber yards it is in great condition, banded together and has not been shuffled around as well as verifiable tickets and/or receipts for the product purchased from the original supplier, this is not secondhand product.

When being moved around, the integrity of the products can be compromised.  Like Hardie siding can end up with chipped ends and roofing shingles can be easily torn thus compromising the quality of the products. This happens when the crews load the extra material in and out of their trailers and it is often shuffled around with the trash. The moving around and hauling can cause the chipped ends and slightly torn roofing shingles that are then resold, possibly damaged, to the public at a discounted price.

How it Can Play Out on Your Job..

Now I will provide you with a scenario of how this can play out on siding or roofing jobs in the state of Texas. When the crew shows up on job like a siding job, the materials are all bundled together by the retail lumber yard who attaches a packing or delivery ticket. The siding company had the supplier deliver 10 squares of siding to the home for installation. The crew then meets with the supervisor of the siding company and goes over the job. Once the supervisor has left the job, the crew gets to work. The crew starts installing the siding material on the home and in the midst of the project, may slip a few planks onto their trailer upside down placing the trash on top to disguise it as trash, or they may, at the end of the job remove the leftover material without the knowledge of the siding contractor, placing it on top of the trash and covering it with a tarp as if it were trash.

Untrusting crew guy taking money

How Crews are Getting Paid, Part of the Problem!

You see, many siding companies pay their siding crews based the amount of siding installed on a job rather than paying them on the total amount ordered. So, if a crew gets paid $225 per square and 10 squares were delivered they get paid $225 for 10 squares totaling $2,250. However; most siding companies want to cut as much cost as possible to maximize profit, so they pay the crews based on the actual amount installed vs the amount dropped and then ask the crew leave any extra material for pickup by the supplier to receive a credit.

If there are 2 squares of siding material left over out of the 10 that was delivered, the siding company will only pay the crew for 8 squares of siding which would save the company 2 squares at $225 totaling a $450 in addition to the credit they will get from the lumber yard on the returned product.

When companies choose to pay their crews based on how much they install, the crew may choose to claim that all of the siding delivered was installed in order to get paid better. I have found that this method leaves room for dishonesty on the part of the crew. I have heard of them slipping a few planks into their trailed before they start the job, which can provide the crew with the opportunity to claim that the job needed more siding to complete when they run out of siding before the end of the job (totally even more squares). The crew simply tells the siding company they need more material (within believable reason) thus the crew ends up making more money on the job and as well as having extra material they can sell at a discount to the re-seller yard, so I have found this not to be good practice.

I have found a better method is to pay the crews based on the total amount of material dropped not just by the total amount of material installed. The crews are less wasteful and more honest going this route.

Education of Homeowners is the Key About a Low Bid (estimate)

Having been in the home improvement business for nearly 30 years and being aware of this happening over and over again, it is my intention to educate homeowners into having some insight on why their bid may be so low from some contractors vs others and can be a red flag.  If this is the case, it very well could be because the material was acquired at a lower price from a reseller yard provided by a crew that hijacked it from someone else’s home project.

How To Know New Materials Are Being Used on Your Home?

What can a homeowner do to ensure that ONLY NEW, Fully-Warrantied Material will be installed on their home? I am surprised at the number of Home Exterior Companies in TX are using used or leftover material from jobs, recycling and reusing them on homeowner’s homes in order to save money.  be sure to select a company who uses supplies from reputable suppliers who will deliver your siding or roofing product directly to your home like we at Texas Home Exteriors does and we’ll install ONLY NEW, full warrantied materials on your home.

The materials for your project will be delivered straight to your door directly from ABC Supply or West End Roofing. We only use reputable suppliers who are some of the Largest and deliver new products such as: Simonton, replacement windows, NT Window, GAF Roofing, LP SmartSide, HardiePlank and KayCan Vinyl Siding Product Suppliers in Texas and America!

ABC Supply Delivering New Siding and Roofing Material

I hope that you have found this post must helpful in making an informed and educated decision. Please follow my, Kapitan The Siding Man Blog which is full of great content to help provide you with information and insight into many home improvement decisions.

Greg Kapitan, “Kapitan The Siding Man”

Free Estimate with New Material

Texas Home Exteriors Roofing Crew

Here is the short version to that question; between $195 – $295 per sq per 100 square foot area, now we’ll go into more information on this is determined. Homeowners across the country often ask, “what is the cost range to replace my roof?” This is a great question as there are a variety of factors that need to be considered when determining the cost of a roof replacement. In this post, I will do my best to provide answers to help you understand how determine approximately how much your roof replacement will or should cost Keep in mind that the answers and information provided reflect my direct and personal experiences as well as considerations for location of this experience as my company Texas Home Exteriors services the Southeast Texas, Houston Texas and East Texas metro areas.

During my time serving the greater Houston, southeast Texas metro areas, my company has observed an average roofing replacement cost at around $7,500 and ranging from around $4,500 for a composition (asphalt) shingles on upward to over $30,000+ for high-end slate or metal roofing shingles.

Four Factors Included in Roof Replacement Cost:

1 – Size of Roofing Area

Roofing Companies and Contractors determine pricing cost for roofing on a per square measurement basis. A square is 100 square feet, which is referred to “1 square” in roofing terminology (or lingo), of roof surface area. For example, a 10′ x 10′ roof surface area equals a 100 sq. ft. thus the size would be one square (abbreviated as 1 sq.). This 100 square feet (sq. ft.) section of roof, in roofing terms, is equal to one roofing square (or 1 sq.). The measurement of your total roof surface area determines how many squares of roofing shingle area for the roof as well as the amount of roofing materials that will be needed to complete the job. It is important that each and every roofing slope of the roofing area be measured and calculated individually and added to your over total squares for an more accurate cost.

One Story Two Slope Gable Roof 6/12 pitch

For instance, let’s say we are calculating a simple two slope gable roof. The front slope is measured at 25′ x 50′, by multiplying these to numbers we get the square footage of that section equaling 1,250 sq. ft.

Now let’s say the back slope is the same 25′ x 50′ section for another 1,250 sq. ft. We would then add these two numbers together, the front slope of the roof is 1,250 sq. ft. plus the back slope of the roof is 1,250 sq. ft. for a total of 2,500 sq. feet of roofing area for this particular roof example.

It is necessary then to add 15%-20% (depending on how simple or cut-up the roof is) to the 2,500 sq. ft. total for waste, starter and ridge (2,500 x 15% = 375). Now add those two numbers together, 375 sq. ft. + 2,500 = 2,875 sq. ft. for the grand total square footage of roofing area for this roof.  I recommend rounding this number up to 2,900 sq. ft. then multiplying it by 100 to convert to a square for a total of 29 squares.

In the Houston Texas metro area, roofing companies and contractors will charge anywhere from $195 – $295 per square to replace most roofs (this is for a standard 1-2 story with a roof pitch of 5/12 or less). So, let’s say, with this 29 sq. roof, a contractor provides you with a bid of $225 per sq. ($225 X 29 = 6,525), the total roof replacement cost would be $6,525. Note that this price should include all that  has been outlined in our Best Roofing Shingle Practices.

2 – How Many Layers of Roofing Shingles will Need to be Removed?

Understand that if your roof has only one layer of roofing on it, then the replacement cost will be lower per square than one with two or several layers of roofing. Typically for each additional layer, you can expect to pay an additional $25 per square for removal. So with one additional layer on your 29 square roof, expect to pay an extra $725 ($25 X 29 = $725) to remove one layer, note that this price includes haul off of the shingles to the landfill or recycling center (for two layers of roofing, you would multiply the $725 x 2 paying the $725 twice for an extra $1,450 on this 29 sq. ft. roof and so on with each layer).

One and Two Story Home 8/12 – 12/12 Pitch Cut-Up Complex Roof. GAF Timberline Roofing Shingles – Weatherwood Color

3 – Pitch / Difficulty of the Roof

The pitch of any roof will determine the labor cost due to the difficulty, the steeper the roof, the more difficult thus more costly the replacement will be. Keep in mind , if the roof pitch is greater than 5/12, you can expect to pay an up-charge based on the steepness and difficulty of the specific roof. Why is this necessary might one ask?

You can expect to pay roofing contractors an up-charge on a roof with a greater pitch because the pitch of the roof is steeper. This makes the roof installation more difficult to work as it makes it more difficult to walk on thus a more dangerous job for the roofing crew as well as more difficult to control the materials from sliding off the roof during installation so more safety issues come into play for the workers as well as liability, these roofs require more skill as well as greater attention to detail.

With a higher pitched roof, the entire roofing process will take longer overall so expect an installation on a steeper roof to take a longer time to be completed. This is what you will find roofing contractors calling a labor difficulty up-charge. These types of roofs are also cut-up roofs that have more waste in materials and will increase the over all cost as well.

Notice the roof on the home in the image to the right, this roof displays GAF Timberline roofing shingles on what is referred to as a “cut-up and steep roof” in the roofing industry. On the other end of the spectrum is the small gable roof photo above, it has simple non-steep roof that is easy to walk on and is non cut-up. The cost on this simple roof would cost less to replace than the more difficult steep and cut-up roof.

4 – Shingle Material Choice Affects Roof Replacement Cost

The most common roofing material used in the United States is a shingle that is laminated composition (or asphalt shingles). These type of shingles are used on about 80% of homes across the country. The use of composition shingles is primarily due to the affordability and replacement cost of this type of roofing shingle. Composition asphalt roofing shingles are made from a fiberglass mat which is then coated with asphalt (tar) and colored mineral granules making the shingles waterproof. These shingles typically come with a 30-year warranty. And now shingles like GAF Timberline Lifetime Roofing Shingles provide a lifetime transferable warranty from the manufacturer.

Composition Laminate Roofing Shingle

There are a variety of other roofing materials to choose from like wood, metal, tile, composite and slate. When considering these types of roofing material, keep in mind they are much more costly options so the cost of your roof replacement can increase very quickly from double to even three times or more.

These types of roofing materials cost much more, so naturally the total price of the roofing project increases. Also, keep in mind that the installation of wood, metal, tile, composite and slate roofing material is more expensive and often require special tools and skill for installation. For even more information, you can read Bob Villa’s article on How To choose a Roof for Your Home.

Some of  the more expensive roofs like metal come with a 50 year warranty which is often transferable to the next homeowner. Asphalt composition shingles like GAF come with a lifetime warranty option. There are many roofing shingle choices to choose form and to consider when requesting roofing estimates. Keep in mind that if you have HOA or POA (Homeowners Association HOA or Property Property Owners Association), who may require you get approval before installation of your new selection of roofing shingles and/or color, so be sure keep this in mind and check with them before proceeding with your roof installation.

Quick Review and Conclusion

In the greater Houston Texas metro area, the cost for a typical roof replacement can range anywhere from $195 – $295 per square for removal of one layer of shingles, replacement of rotted wood found under the shingles, installation of the tar paper, installation of new GAF laminate composition roofing shingles, flashings and a ridge vent. This is for a standard a 1-2 story home without a steep pitch (5/12 or less pitch). This is the guideline we use here at Texas Home Exteriors Inc.

Roofing Storm Chasers Scams

Roofing Advice Downpayment and Storm Chasers

Over the years, I have heard numerous horror stories of homeowners giving a roofing contractor a down-payment only to never hear from them again. Please, do yourself a favor and do not give a deposit or any money up front to and individual or roofing company saying they will replace your roof and are needing money up front to buy roofing materials. Any good, reputable, local, established roofing company or contractor should not need any money up front to purchase materials for your installation as they should have open lines of credit established at their local roofing supply yards, like ABC Supply.

One other thing you should be aware of and concerned about is hail-damage storm chasers scams,  the BBB warns about the numerous amounts of complaints they receive every time a hail storm comes into town from roofing contractors. If you think that your roof has any kind of damage from hail or wind storms and you are wanting your homeowners insurance to inspect it and pay for the damages, we recommend using a local roofing contractor who can provide references. Be wary of door knocking storm chasers and any roofing companies from out of town. These guys may be willing to work with your insurance company to get them to pay for your new roofing replacement cost but you will be glad that you selected a local roofing contractor if there are any issues with your roof and you should need to call them to honor your warranty in the instance such as experiencing a leak sometime after the roof is installed and the crews are long gone.

Roof Replacement Cost Web Links

Roof Calc – Roofing Calculator

Homewyse – Cost to Install Shingle Roof

Fixr – Costs Roof Replacement

Improvenet – How Much Cost Replace Roof

Home Cost Helper – Cost New Roof

Zillow Cost Replace New Roof Shingles

Greg Kapitan of Texas Home Exteriors

See the Angie’s List’s roof replacement cost article for more information as well. You will find the prices and opinions in their article similar and supportive although I have included additional information, recommendations and references not provided in their website article.

I hope that you have enjoyed and found this post informative in helping you to make an educated decision on your roof replacement for your Houston Texas metro area home.

If you are looking for estimates for replacement of a roof, please be sure to get a few estimates from at least three different roofing contractors to compare what they are offering as well as service and cost comparison which will help you evaluate which contractor will give you the best roofing installation for your money.

Keep in mind that a low bid (estimate) is often missing items that will effect your roof replacement cost and the overall quality of the roof. Please, stay away from the low bidder as this roofing contractor will cost you more money in the long run.

Greg Kapitan, “Kapitan The Siding Man”

Free Roof Replacement Estimate

A $7,500 Roof Replacement Job= $75 A Month!

Houston Texas Roofing Contractor

Are you and your family considering replacing your roof? Is your home more than 12 years old and still has its original roofing shingles? If so, Texas Home Exteriors has an exciting, easy option for you!

You should always call around and get several roofing estimates for your home located in the Houston, The Woodlands, or Spring, Texas metro areas, be sure as you contact and meet with the various roofing contractors. Make sure to also ask the contractors about FINANCING OPTIONS. Here at Texas Home Exteriors, we offer a financing option we know you will love.

How Does Texas EZ Pay Work?

Texas EZ Pay 1% Mo Payment Financing

Texas EZ Pay provides homeowners with a 1% monthly payment. For example, let’s say your entire roof needs to be replaced, and you’ve decided to go with Texas Home Exteriors, if your roof was bid to cost $7,500, with our financing option, your monthly payment for your new roof would cost $75 per month.

So, rather than using money from your personal reserves, you have the option to take advantage of our 1% monthly payment option!

No Liens – No Closing Cost Instant Approval

To get started, all you need to do is to simply click on the link below, fill out the form and submit it and we will have an instant approval for you.

The financing paperwork will then be presented to you providing you with the opportunity to review the 1% Texas EZ Pay option and decide whether to accept or reject the financing option. With Texas EZ Pay financing, there are no closing costs, no liens will be place on your home and you can get instant approval.

When Texas Home Exteriors comes out to your home for a free roofing estimate, there is no pressure for you to sign anything. We want you to feel comfortable that you made the right choice as your roofing contractor. When we come out to bid your new roof and let’s say the price is $6,500, that will only cost you a $65 a month payment with instant approval with Texas EZ Pay!

Roofing Contractor Shingle Options Presented to You By Mr. Richard Smith

Mr. Richard Smith and his wife Kosy of Texas Home Exteriors Roofing Pro Rep

Know that with Texas Home Exteriors, no stranger will be showing your at your door.  Texas Home Exteriors roofing specialist Richard Smith not only has over 30 years of experience in the roofing contractor industry, but has witnessed many roofing companies coming and going right here in Houston Texas.

Richard has installed well over 1,000 roofs in the greater Houston TX metro area and he knows his stuff!  Richard knows exactly what to look for during your new roof installation with best roofing practices. He will be there to assist in overseeing the crews and ensure your roof is installed correctly to our standards with fully warrantied roofing material.

Our roofing contractor crews respect Richard and his extensive knowledge because the know he is experienced and well educated and keeps up on the latest roof options and methods. Richard will show you the various roofing cost options and explain the details about our roof system installations. He will also explain and provide you with additional roof options to consider like, ridge vents, flashings, shingles, algae streak resistant shingles and more!

What type and color of roofing shingles are you thinking of using on your home? When Richard comes out, he will present you with some exciting shingles and options to choose from.  For instance, he will bring actual samples of a variety of roofing shingles and patterns manufactured by GAF, a leader in the roofing industry which shingles that come with a lifetime warranty. Richard Smith will show you the roofing shingle options available for you to choose from for the Houston Texas metro area climate.

GAF Timberline Roofing Shingles and Texas 1% EZ Pay

GAF Timberline Lifetime Roof Shingle Houston TX

If you are looking for a professional roofing contractor in Houston Texas metro area like Texas Home Exteriors, please fill out the form below and we’ll arrange for Mr. Richard Smith to contact you and come out to your home at a convenient time for you. He will present options and provide you with a detailed roofing replacement estimate with 100% Texas EZ Pay Financing in your hands in no time.

Call or Email for a Free Estimate

What many Texas homeowners desire is a roof that’s not too expensive, requires no maintenance, and lasts forever. However most roofing shingles are replaced and or at least repaired every ten to twelve years here is southeast Texas due to the intense heat and leaghty sun drenched summers. By carefully choosing re-roofing material, you can reduce the cost and increase the duration of the life of your Houston TX roof. In the long run, you’ll use less building material, fill up less landfill space with discarded materials and have a roof that lasts for years or even a lifetime with some options.

If you select a light-colored surface or a material that doesn’t absorb heat from the sun, you significantly reduce the cool needs of the home or building. When your attic stays cooler, your cooling bills reduced. I will post more on “Cool Roofing” shingles in a future blog.

Popular Roofing Materials

Below I provide a quick overview of the most popular types of roofing. Remember that cost alone does not determine quality of the roofing shingle and not all of these products will meet the specific needs of your home or building. By carefully selecting the right material, ensuring it is installed properly and by performing occasional modest maintenance, your roof can function properly for 20 to 50 years or even longer!

Composition/Asphalt Roofing Shingle by GAF Timberline Laminate

Composition Roofing Shingles

Asphalt and composition roof shingles are the most common choice for a clean look at an affordable price. Higher quality versions made from asphalt or fiberglass shingles offer a more durable option, we’ll discuss those later.

Bob Vila tells us that Composite Shingles come in a large selection of types, brands and colors. They are versatile, adapt easily to different applications, are relatively easy to install and in some applications can even be nailed in place over an existing roof. This type of shingle is low maintenance and can be walked across without damaging the material. Most brands also offer Class A fire protection and can be recycled.

The negative side of composition shingles is that they don’t have the lifespan of other roofing materials like tile or metal, they don’t offer the dimensional look of tile or wood shakes, and there is a possibility of them blowing off in high winds. At Texas Home Exteriors, we use GAF Roofing Shingles with the GAF roofing warranty.

Wood Shake Shingles

Wikipedia – “wood shingles are thin, tapered pieces of wood primarily used to cover roofs and walls of buildings to protect them from the weather” Wood shake shingles offer a natural look with a lot of character. Because of variations like color, width, thickness or cut of the wood, no two shake roofs will ever be the same. Wood offers some energy benefits, too!   It helps to insulate the attic, and it allows the house to breathe, circulating air through the small openings under the felt rows on which wooden shingles are laid.

A Great Natural look. Wood Roofs require proper maintenance and is much more costly to replace.

A wood shake roof, however demands proper maintenance and repair or it will not last as long as other products. Keep in mind that mold, rot, and insects can be a problem with this type of roofing. The life cycle cost of a shake roof may be high, and old shakes cannot be recycled.

Additionally, installing wood shakes is more complicated and costly than roofing with composite shingles and the quality of finished roof depends on the experience of the contractor as well as the caliber of the shakes you use. The best shakes come from the heartwood of large old cedar trees, difficult to find anymore thus adding to the cost. Note that some contractors maintain that shakes made from the outer wood of smaller cedars but the usual source today are less uniform and more subject to twisting and warping causing them not to last as long.

Roofing Tiles

Roofing tile is a good choice for homes with Southwestern, Italian, Spanish Mission, Terracotta designs or even for homes with a modern, clean look.

Tile lasts a long time with an expected lifespan greater than the material on which the roofing rests. Tile will not rot or burn and it cannot be harmed by insects. It requires little maintenance and comes in a variety of colors, types, styles and brands.

Terracotta Roofing tiles have a long lifespan, but are heavy and may require extra roof support. Additionally they are fragile and can break if walked on.

The biggest drawback to tile by far is its weight. Depending on the material used to make it, tile can be very heavy, so heavy that extra roof support may be required. Originally made from clay, new tiles are being made from lighter materials and lightweight metal tiles can be installed over existing roofs. However, keep in mind that with some new materials color is added only on the surface of the tile which can fade over time.

Also be aware that some types of tile are fragile, so walking on them can and will often break them thus making it more difficult to accomplish maintenance like painting or cleaning rain gutters and fireplaces. Initial installation can be complicated and tile can cost more than other roofing materials but it does have a nice look.

Slate Shingles

Slate Roofing Shingles like Davinci are actual shingle-like slivers of rock that commonly shows up on more upscale homes. Although slate is by far a more expensive choice, it offers a very natural look and can be laid out in a variety of patterns.

The benefits of slate are identical to those of tile with a very long lifespan, good fire protection, low maintenance and an invulnerability to rot and insects. It comes in a good selection of sizes and colors, although colors are limited to those found in nature.

Like tile, slate can be very heavy and sometimes requiring expensive extra support. It too is breakable enough that walking on it is difficult for a non-professional and complicating tasks such as rooftop maintenance, gutter cleaning and painting but again is a very lovely looking option.

Concrete Roofing Tiles

Concrete is now a roofing material that is commonly used. Concrete Tile Roofs Shingles, simulated wood shakes, lighter-weight tiles and concrete panels are being manufactured from a variety of fiber-reinforced cement products. Some are coated with plastics, enamels, or thin metals with some even containing recycled materials. Although the products themselves are not yet recyclable, they are a good choice for durability and resource efficiency.

Concrete roofing material shows an interlocking greystone colored roofing tile

The advantages of concrete roofing vary from product to product, but generally they all have a long lifespan, require low maintenance, offer good fire protection and are resistant to rot and insects. Concrete mixed with cellulose can mimic the appearance of wood shakes while improving on the durability and fire protection that real wood affords. It can approximate the look of clay tile or slate while mitigating the structural problems caused by the weight of the real material.

Concrete is more expensive than some roofing materials and early types of concrete roofing had problems with the material curling, breaking and changing color. Technology has improved, however; and these problems have mostly been overcome. Style and color choices are expanding and by mixing the cement with additives, manufacturers are producing lighter and lighter products.

Metal Roofs

Metal Roofing is increasing in popularity and back in style. In the late 1700s, zinc, copper, and lead were the most popular materials used for roofing and used for such famous historic buildings as the Washington Monument and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello both having metal roofs.

Metal Shingles with the look of Shake Roofing Shingles

Standing-Seam Steel Roofing is the most popular residential metal roofing on the market today (the term standing-seam describes the upturned edge of one metal panel that connects it to adjacent sections, creating distinctive vertical lines and a trendy historical look).

Stone-Coated Metal Roofing Shingles are pressure formed with an aluminum-zinc alloy coated steel with an acrylic bonded stone chip finish. The stone coating resists fading and UV penetration and is a beautiful roofing choice. We have used both Decra and Metro Stone Coated Metal Roofing.

Metal roofs can also be made to resemble wood shakes, clay tiles, shingles and Victorian metal tiles. Aluminum or coated steel is formed into individual shingles, tiles or into modular panels four feet long that mimic a row of shingles or tiles and look very nice.

Greg Kapitan (the siding man) Texas Home Exteriors

Metal roofs are durable, fire-retardant and almost maintenance-free. They are also energy-efficient reflecting heat and blocking its transfer into the attic. Research by the Florida Solar Energy Center in 1985 showed that metal adsorbed 34 percent less heat than asphalt shingles (believe it or not) and homeowners switching to metal roofing reported saving up to 20 percent on their energy bills. Be sure not to make common metal roofing mistakes by choosing a qualified roofing contractor.

Well that was a bit of a lengthy post, I know, but I hope you found it information as it is my intention to provide information homeowners and those interested in roofing and shingle trends and available roofing options across the U.S. If your home resides in the Texas coastal wind zone, see that page for more in depth roofing installation requirements. Stay tuned for a post on Cool Roofing Shingles and FREE Solar Ventilation!

“For A Home That’s Superior, Call Texas Home Exteriors!”
Call or Text for FREE Roofing Estimate with NO Pressure and Texas EZ Pay Financing at: 281.919.6999. You can also email me at: Greg@TexasHomeExteriors.com and we will be happy to provide you with an estimate and answer questions you might have.

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