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Roofing: A Guide to the Options

duda@secondgen.com — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:52:50 GMT

A roof replacement is one of the biggest financial commitments a homeowner will make, so here's a guide to roofing materials that will help you spend your money wisely.

Replacing a roof is a substantial undertaking, with an average cost of $7,500 for an asphalt roof, “Remodeling Impact Report” from the National Association ofvREALTORS®. The price jumps if you upgrade to standing-seam metal and better quality underlayment and flashing.

But while you might get more immediate pleasure from those upgrades, they can't compare to the long-term value of a solid, attractive, and leak-free roof. About three-quarters of homeowners get new roofs not because they want to but because they have to. If you're one of them, here's a guide to your options.

How Roofing Materials Are Sold

Most roofing is sold by the "square," enough to cover 100 square feet of roof area. Our sample house — a typical two-story, 2,300-square-foot house with a medium-pitch roof — has a roof area of about 1,500 square feet. Double that if the house is only one story. Note: All costs are approximate.

Composition Shingles

Commonly called asphalt shingles, these are the most popular residential roofing material in the country. Most products consist of a fiberglass mat between two layers of asphalt. Tiny stones embedded in the top help protect the shingles from the sun's damaging rays.

Basic three-tab shingles have slits in the front, so each piece looks like three small shingles. Architectural shingles are a more upscale choice. They are thicker, longer-lasting, and don't have slits where debris can collect. They also create a more textured look, which many people prefer.

Benefits: Relatively inexpensive, and all roofers know how to install them. Good fire resistance. Some types are suitable for hail regions and available with wind warranties up to 130 mph. May contain zinc or copper to inhibit algae growth.

Drawbacks: Typically last only 20 years and need periodic cleaning to remove moss and debris.

Green factor: Some types have a reflective coating that can lower cooling costs. Though theoretically recyclable, most worn shingles end up in landfills.

Cost per square foot: $2-$4, installed

Average two-story, 2,300 square foot house, including removal of one layer of roofing: $7,000

Wood Shingles and Shakes

Traditional and beautiful, wood is no longer as popular because quality has declined, and because of rising concerns about fire. Shakes are thick and have a rough, split surface; shingles are thinner and sawn flat. Both types must be installed over spaced boards, not solid sheathing, so the roofing can dry.

Benefits: In dry climates, shakes and shingles perform well; some shakes have up to a 50-year warranty. Thicker shakes can be used where hail is severe.

Drawbacks: Not fire-resistant unless treated, so some building codes prohibit them. Thinner products can be damaged by hail. In wet climates, wood must be cleaned periodically to remove moss and lichen.

Green factor: Roof-quality shakes are cut from old-growth trees. Worn-out roofing can be recycled into mulch, provided it hasn't been treated with pesticide.

Cost per square foot: $5-$12, installed

Average two-story, 2,300 square foot house, including removal of one layer of roofing: $17,200.

Metal Panels and Tiles

Once found mostly on commercial and farm buildings, metal roofing is now the fastest-growing residential roofing material. There are two basic kinds: standing-seam panels and tiles. Panels come in pieces around 16 inches wide and up to 20 feet long, so they reach without a seam from the ridge to the gutters. Metal tiles can mimic the look of wood shingles or shakes.

Benefits: Extremely long-lasting; some come with lifetime warranties. Good fire resistance, and some styles are strong enough to resist wind and heavy hail. Panels go up quickly and require little maintenance.

Drawbacks: Higher initial cost than composition shingles. Tile roofs have numerous grooves that trap leaves, so they need frequent cleaning.

Green factor: Styles with reflective coatings reduce cooling demand by 10% to 15% and can qualify for a federal energy efficiency tax credit of up to $500.

Cost per square foot: $3.50-$11, installed

Average two-story, 2,300 square foot house, including removal of one layer of roofing: $16,800.

Clay or Concrete Tiles

Red clay tiles are an essential feature of Spanish-style homes in much of the Southwest and Florida. In addition to traditional styles, clay and concrete tiles can mimic wooden shingles or shakes, while others look almost like slate.

Benefits: Long-lasting; some manufacturers offer lifetime warranties. Well-suited to relatively dry climates, and will not burn.

Drawbacks: Heavy, so the roof structure must be able to support the weight. They can be damaged by hail. Concrete tiles are moss magnets in damp climates; use glazed tiles instead.

Green factor: Long-lasting clay and concrete tiles can be reused and eventually recycled into new building materials.

Cost per square foot: $5.50-$10.50, installed

Average two-story, 2,300 square foot house, including removal of one layer of roofing: $17,500

Slate

Quarried in the Northeast and Virginia, slate is much more common in the East than in the West. Because slates hang from nails and are not glued down, they are best suited for fairly steep roofs that shed water quickly.

Benefits: Slate can last for decades, doesn't burn, and sheds snow and rain well.

Drawbacks: Slate is expensive and requires skill to install and repair, which can be an issue where such roofs are rare. The roof structure must be able to support the heavy weight.

Green factor: Slate is a natural material, and slicing it into shingles requires little energy. If a building with a slate roof is torn down, the slates can be reused.

Cost per square foot: $10-$20, installed

Average two-story, 2,300 square foot house, including removal of one layer of roofing: $29,300.

Evaluate Your House for a Two-Story Addition

duda@secondgen.com — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:48:29 GMT

By: Rich Binsacca

When considering a two-story addition, carefully evaluate what’s possible physically, financially, and legally.

Adding a two-story addition to your house will enhance your property’s value and help you gain a considerable amount of living space. But before you engage a design professional and remodeling contractor, it’s important to educate yourself about building codes, structural issues, and the professional expertise needed to accomplish your goals. A thorough understanding of the process ensures that the all phases of the work proceed smoothly and without costly delays.

A two-story addition is one of the more expensive home improvement projects you can undertake. Costs start at about $100 per square foot for a simple, no-frills add-on room and can reach as high as $500 per square foot, depending on complexity and the kind of finishes and amenities are planned. With that kind of investment at stake, you’ll want to make sure your planned addition won’t make your house prohibitively expensive or out-of-character for your neighborhood.

Evaluate Your Neighborhood

Walk around your neighborhood with a camera and a notepad to get a clear sense of how nearby homes compare with yours in terms of size, appearance, and features. Will building the two-story addition you envision keep your house within the neighborhood norm? An addition that is completely out of scale with the street may hurt resale value.

If that’s the case, you may be better off investing in a different neighborhood and buying a house that already has the size requirements and amenities you seek.

Consult a REALTOR® for a list of “comps” -- a report that compares the features and values of homes in your area. Most real estate agents will provide this for free, and are happy to put you on a mailing list to receive updates.

Also check out your local tax assessor’s website to compare property values -- information such as purchase price, amenities, and tax assessments are public record. That search may also indicate how your proposed addition affects your property taxes.

Understanding Codes and Restrictions

Devised to ensure the health and safety of occupants and preserve neighborhood value, building codes and ordinances dictate details such as setbacks -- the distance from your property line to the nearest structural points of your house. Because a two-story addition is a physically large project, knowing your setbacks is a key first step in evaluating your property.

Typically, the minimum allowable setback for a single-family detached house in the suburbs might be 20 feet from the curb or street, 10 feet on each side, and 15 feet to the back. Though each jurisdiction varies in specifics, ignoring these regulations can result in fines and you may even be ordered to remove the new construction.

In some instances, utility companies or other entities may have established right-of-ways through your property. Although rarely used, these right-of-ways provide a space corridor so municipalities and other service providers can access vital systems for repair. These right-of-way corridors may affect your setback restriction.

Note that setbacks often refer to the closest physical part of the addition to the lot line. In some cases, that may be the eaves rather than the side of the addition.

Codes and ordinances also regulate building height to preserve views from homes behind or around yours. For suburban homes, the height restriction is about 35 to 45 feet. Some communities add solar restrictions that limit the height of new construction so that surrounding dwellings have access to sunlight.

Codes also dictate the maximum percentage of the lot that can be covered by built structures, typically up to 50% for an urban or suburban property.

If you live in a designated historic district or one governed by a neighborhood or home owners association, certain rules and covenants might be even more restrictive.

Start by gathering basic information about your house such as surveys, lot dimensions, and property lines. These are available through your municipal property office and local building department. Many public records, regulations, and permits can be examined at government websites.

Consider Your Property

The next step is to refine your ideas for a room addition by inspecting your home and property. Although a design professional, such as an architect, will help solve possible problems, you’ll want to enter design discussions with clear ideas for a basic plan that suits your needs and lifestyle.

Determine if there appears to be an area that is within allowable setbacks that would accommodate an addition. Note significant landscape features, such as trees and retaining walls, that might have to be altered or removed -- at additional cost.

Visualize exit and entry points for your addition, and how new traffic patterns will be established both inside and outside your home. Other projects, such as a new deck or patio, may be necessary to ensure your addition is well-integrated with your property. If so, be sure to plan for the additional expense.

Develop an understanding of how an addition will affect the living spaces and traffic patterns inside your house. Make sure that access to the new rooms flows along a logical traffic corridor and doesn’t disrupt existing living areas.

Hiring Professionals

The complexity of a two-story addition means engaging an architect and a reputable contractor.

Your architect will prepare a complete and code-compliant set of plans as part of the building permit application, and will help you decide on the best solutions in terms of the look and location of your addition. Expect to pay an architect 5% to 20% of the total job cost.

You contractor will coordinate all workflow, schedule delivery of materials, and help you make decisions that occur during the construction process. A contractor makes a bid for the total project -- be sure to ask for an itemized bid.

While it might sound like a no-brainer, hire professionals with experience doing the kind of project you envision. Ask neighbors who’ve done similar renovations for recommendations and then benefit from their experience. You search should include visits to completed projects and bids from several prospective architects and contractors.

Hiring professionals enables you to focus on making informed and timely decisions, protecting your budget, managing the stress of a room addition, and coordinating and communicating with your project team.

7 Easy DIY Home Projects That’ll Make You Say, “Yes I Can!”

duda@secondgen.com — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 18:51:39 GMT

By: Leanne Potts

Beautiful you-can-do-it inspirations for easy DIY projects.

As anybody who’s been inspired by HGTV can tell you, DIY home projects on TV look amaaaazing.

But DIY renovations in real life: kiiiinda the toughest thing ever. And, yet, these rookie craftsmen did beautiful, jaw-dropping work that will totally inspire you. Check out these easy DIY projects for your home:

#1 Pinterest-Worthy DIY Window Seat

An empty recess in a room is a ripe spot for a DIY project, as home improvement blogger Britt Kingery can tell you.

She and her husband, Justin, built a window seat so ridiculously Pinterest-worthy you’ll want to make one for yourself (like, right now).

It’s a roomy 10-foot beauty, so you can seat a houseful of guests without dragging chairs all over the place. And (bonus!) there’s storage underneath for stashing lots of stuff out of sight.

You can custom-create your own for about $250 if you’ve got a few essential DIY tools.

Or you can do an Ikea hack to get the same result. Just attach one of their long, horizontal storage systems to your walls. Then add cushions and preformed molding for the same custom look.

The big reveal doesn’t happen overnight, and a renovation almost always looks worse before it looks better.

Britt Kingery, home improvement blogger

#2 Miracle Makeover With Just Paint, Stain (and Patience)

“The Brady Bunch”-orange wall and abused floors in the before photo are homely enough to strike you blind.

But what a miracle paint, sanding, and stain can do! Lighter shades on the walls, trim, and floor reflect natural light, making the space so much brighter. And for very little money (about $150).

The key to such an amazing transformation, Kingery says, is to be a tortoise, not a hare.

Sanding, taping, patching holes, and waiting on stain, paint or polyurethane to dry takes care and patience if you want professional-looking results.

“The big reveal doesn’t happen overnight, and a renovation almost always looks worse before it looks better.”

#3 Instant Open Floor Plan

Cramped, dark kitchens are so very 1981.

Sarah Lemp of the “All Things With Purpose” blog turned her dated kitchen into an open, light-filled space that feels and functions like a larger room.

The cost? $300. Yep. For less than the cost of a set of countertop canisters at Williams Sonoma, Lemp worked magic.

The biggest fix? She just removed a set of overhead cabinets that blocked light and the view into the dining area, making an instant open floor plan.

Then she turned to paint, the budget remodeler’s friend. She used a soft griege (designer-speak for grayish beige) for the walls of the kitchen and dining area.

She painted the remaining upper cabinets white, and the bottom ones dark gray.

“I love the look of white cabinets, but figured a darker color was more kid-friendly,” she says.

Lemp skipped the requisite subway tile backsplash and went with peel-and-stick shiplap instead. “It was easier and cheaper,” she says.

#4 Brighter Bedroom With Paint and Wood

This may be an ugly room, but we’re not sure because it’s so dark all we can see are cheap blinds and a poofy valance that hasn’t been fashionable since the Olsen twins were toddlers.

It needed major help.

Ashley Rose and Jared Smith of the blog “Sugar and Cloth” pulled off a weekend makeover by painting the walls a lighter color and replacing the window treatments with wispy, white drapes that practically pull sunlight into the room.

A pair of wall-mounted reading lamps added a second layer of light, because a lonely overhead fixture can’t light the whole room all by itself.

And that wall behind the bed? It’s strips of reclaimed wood with an adhesive backing. Peel, stick, and you’re done. No nails. No glue. And just one tool: a level to make sure you stick the wood strips in a straight line. Awesome.

#5 An Easy-Peasy Backyard Patio

Dirt’s ugly. It’s also a pain, turning into mud when it rains, dust when it doesn’t, and sneaking into your house on the feet of dogs and kids.

Covering it with a paver patio is a great fix. Chelsea Foy of the blog “Lovely Indeed” built this one in a neglected flower bed in just 10 hours.

She used patio stones molded to look like several individual bricks, because leveling one large stone is tons easier than leveling a bunch of bricks.

Those arcs of large river rocks just off the patio make a natural-looking transition between the factory-perfect pavers and the rest of the yard. They’ll also give you less lawn to mow or flowers to tend.

#6 Fancy Wall Molding for a Bargain Price

Wall molding makes a room look so custom, so finished, so much better than boring old drywall. But it costs around $25 a square foot just for the materials.

Mysha Barton of the blog “Remington Avenue” pulled it off along her stairs for just $30 — total.

The secret? She used MDF (medium density fiberboard, aka fake wood) to keep it cheap, and didn’t mount it in the traditional way with board panels on the wall.

Instead, she put thinner “chair rail molding” directly on the wall, and painted everything white, including the wall to get that rich look of molding.

The toughest part was cutting all those angles, Barton says.

She got it done with a miter box and a handsaw. “My advice is to use scrap wood to practice your angled cuts before taking on your expensive molding pieces.”

Barton did this project in just eight hours with three small children in the house, so even if 10th-grade geometry made you cry, you can do this.

#7 A Space-Saving Workbench

A DIY workbench is a gateway project, one that can lead you to harder projects and possibly, a home improvement addiction. Make this workbench your very first project and you’ll have room to do scads of projects — money-saving ones.

It’ll fit in a small space because it’s actually a door mounted on door hinges, so you can fold it flat against the wall when you’re not using it. Be sure to buy a solid wood door, not a hollow one, so it’s sturdy enough to stand up to years of projects.