When you’re in the market for a new roof, one of the first decisions you’re going to need to make is the kind of material you’ll use for your roofing. Two of the most common selections are asphalt shingles and clay or ceramic tiles. But which of these options is more expensive, and what are the other factors you’ll need to consider when making your decision?
Here is a quick roof tile comparison that should help you make a decision for your central Florida home.
An overview of the costs
If your primary focus is cost, then you’re going to get much more bang for your buck by installing asphalt shingles instead of tiles. In fact, the relatively low cost associated with shingles is perhaps the primary reason why they remain far and away the most popular selection for roofing materials in the United States.
The cost savings for shingles include both the materials and the labor. All types of roofing are installed and sold by the “square,” or 100 square feet. For asphalt shingles, you can expect an average square to fall somewhere between $65 and $80, depending on the specific type and brand of shingle. The labor costs for installing the material, assuming you’re hiring a professional to do the job, will usually add another $50 per square, plus average costs of around $1,500 for tearing off an old roof and adding new felt and other materials. These costs will vary depending on where in the United States you live, but those are some of the average prices you can expect to encounter.
The cost of tile roofs, meanwhile, is significantly higher. In general, you can expect the materials to cost anywhere from $120 to $250 per square, meaning the materials alone will be twice to nearly four times as expensive as asphalt shingles. While the costs of tearing down an old roof will probably remain the same, labor will be much more expensive—likely anywhere from $500 to nearly $700 per square. This is because the process of installing tile roofing is much more difficult and time-consuming than the process of installing new asphalt shingles.
Don’t forget about resale value
There are, of course, some financial aspects you should consider beyond the basic costs. One of these is resale value.
Any new roof is going to add quite a bit of money to your home’s value, which means any new roof will be considered a good investment. It will last for years to come, providing reliable protection, and if you sell soon after installing a new roof, you can expect a large return on your investment. While both tile and shingle roofs will help your market value, the added longevity of a tile roof will likely increase the value just a bit more.
There are a lot of other factors to consider when selecting roofing materials and when comparing tile roofs in central Florida, including durability, environmental issues, installation concerns, weight and general appearance, but this should at least give you a sense of the cost of each of these material types. For more information, contact the experts at Winter Springs Roofing & Repair today.