How Much Value Does a Roof Add to a House
Of course, adding a new anything to your house will raise its value. Sometimes, a new roof will even add too much value and inspire buyer shyness. To make the best new-roof choice for your house, the first question to answer is why you're thinking of replacing it.
There are two main reasons that people replace their roofs. The first is because it needs replacing–that is, they have no plans to move and their current roof has simply completed its life cycle, so it's time to get a new one. The other reason is because they're planning to sell their house and want to get it ready.
This second group, the sellers, is the group that usually finds itself asking the internet, "How much value does new roof add?"
Below, we'll answer the question of how much value does a new roof add with this second group primarily in mind. People planning to continue living in their house for a while would do well to be familiar with this stuff too, though.
Roof Replacement Costs
On average, Americans usually pay somewhere around $7,000 for a new roof. In the Denver area, that's more like $9,000. We have special winters, which demand more from a roof than those in, say, Oregon or Alabama.
Now, roof replacement cost is generally broken down into two categories: removal of the old roof and installation of the new one. Removal usually costs somewhere between $1 and $5 per square foot and installation hovers (again, on average) between $1.50 and $3 per square foot.
Roof replacement is one of those home improvement projects that is usually better left to the pros. It's dangerous and difficult. Even if a savvy DIYer completes the job without getting hurt, the chances are better than with most projects that he will have done it wrong and, thus, will need the roof replaced again soon.
How Long Does a New Roof Last?
The question of how long does a roof last depends on what it's made of (and the skill of the installers). Broadly, asphalt lasts around 20 years. Fiber cement can sometimes edge out asphalt and go for 25. Wood shake could go for your whole 30-year mortgage. High-end materials like slate, tile, and copper often last 50 years or more.
Whatever material you choose and however long your roof is supposed to last, there are maintenance things you can do along the way to stretch out its useful life. The most basic thing is that classic chore–cleaning the gutters. Moisture from clogged gutters can rot roof sheathing so it's important to keep the gutters clear and functioning.
Also, do what you can to keep the roof clear of debris. Trim branches so that they don't hang over your house and drop twigs, needles and leaves on it. If big patches of tree debris don't blow away after a few days, it's good to clean those off. They trap moisture; at its worst, this moisture can help moss and weeds grow. Roofs aren't for planting moss and weeds on. The roots slowly mutilate the surface of the roof, causing it to have to be replaced much sooner. A roof rake or soft brush on a telescoping pole will often do the trick. If you use a hose, keep the water flow gentle. Power washing your roof will seriously injure it.
How Much Value Does a New Roof Add to Your Home?
How much value does a new roof add to your home? About two thirds of its cost, usually. So if you pay $9,000 and accordingly raise your house's price by $6,000, you figure you paid $3,000 to make the thing much more sellable.
If you go for high-end materials–copper, for example–prospective buyers will be less likely to put in an offer. The fact is that they didn't make the decision to do something so expensive and, unless the market is red-hot, you may have to settle for a lower ROI if you get a really nice new roof.
The exception is if you're planning to live in the house for a long time yet. If this is your home–not an asset to sell right now–then go all-out. Get that copper roof. It might last 50 years or more, and its value will depreciate after a couple of decades, making its effect on your house's price more palatable.
Now, there are two special tricks you can use to get more value out of a new roof if you're selling: market it and transfer its warranty.
Obviously, a new roof (like a new anything) is a selling point. Everybody likes to find out that their new shelter is going to be really good at sheltering them for at least the next 20 years. So tout that upgrade for all it's worth. If you use it right, it will make the house easier to sell which is a whole other category of ROI.
Additionally, you can often transfer your roof's warranty to your buyer. When you pick a Denver roofing company, make sure their warranty is transferable and then advertise that warranty right along with the new roof. It'll probably cost a few hundred dollars to transfer, but that's pocket change when you're talking about a whole house.
Inspect!
The best thing you can do for your roof is to have a trusted roofing company inspect it. It never hurts to have a pro take a look and tell you what they see. Maybe some small repairs are all you need; maybe you don't even need that.
A roof is just so easy to get used to and sort of forget about over the long term and, when you remember you were supposed to maintain it and might need to replace it, it can be daunting to figure out where to start. Not to worry–Rocky Mountain Exteriors was founded to help with this problem. Contact us to get started!
How Much Value Does a Roof Add to a House
Source: https://rmext.com/how-much-value-does-new-roof-add/