A guest post by Grace Bailey edited by Deb Villeneuve
When you are putting a roof on your home, you will need to give a decent level of thought to the type of roofing – roof coverings and materials that you are going to use. There are many factors that will dictate the ways in which you should be thinking about this stuff, as it will be the sort of thing that stays in place for a long time, and a mistake could cost you dearly! You will need to think about the material that you use in terms of it’s protective abilities, as the wrong choice could mean a lifetime of repairing leaks. You need to consider the prices and the difficulty in laying these roofing materials, as well as the overall look of them. You don;t want to spend time and money putting a roof in place only to then feel a bit embarrassed by it every time you see it! Its not as if your roof is the sort of thing that will go unnoticed as well, you need to give some thought to the fact that there is no way of covering the thing up once it is in place!
Start by considering your neighbors. If you live in a built up area, then you may well need to fit in, rather than standing out. Whilst people like their houses to be interesting and pleasant to look at, few want to stand out in a negative way, and if your roof covering splits opinion then you will find that you have a great deal more difficulty with selling the place. You can find that some residents are very protective of their streets, and a strangely colored roof could set you apart enough to put you in the bad books of your neighbors. Whilst you may not really care about that kind of thing, the aesthetic of the roof has to work in it’s setting, and the neighboring houses will form the context within which the house sits, so keep in mind the choices that others around you have made!
The type of coverings that you use may well be affected by the laws and climate of your area. In certain countries and in certain areas, you will find that the weather means that some roofing options are constricted by the authorities. For instance, should there regularly be high wind in your area, you will likely find that you have to nail down your tiles, or shingle which will affect the materials that you can choose form. Other forms of tiling simply get hooked over furring strips, and this is not enough to hold them down in strong wind. If you know that the elements are likely to be tough, then you would likely want to go for a hard wearing covering in the first place.
Think about the actual materials that the tiles or shingle that you are using is made from. If you are using a hand made tile, it will be more expensive, but will give your home a more traditional look, as the roughness of the difference between the tiles will add a hand made finish. If you are looking for neat lines, then a machine sawed shingle may be right for you, but you again need to be sure that the colors are right for your needs. Slate is a lightweight option that has been used in roofing for hundreds of years, it is durable, but won;t put too much pressure on the construction of the roof itself, making it an excellent option if you like the look of it.
Read more tips at Battersea handyman services
