Unlike many other house-related tasks, roofing is more complicated and time-consuming. It is not like changing a lightbulb where you can attempt it many times. Roofing work needs to be very accurate, because it’s going to protect your home for 20 to 30 years. If you are a homeowner, chances are low that you know a lot about roofing procedure and materials; yet if you’ve committed to it, you will need to make decisions about the timeline, materials, workforce and many other small things that will come up in the process.
One of the fundamental decisions that you will need to make relates to materials. What kind of material should you choose for your roof? What is the best one? What are the price ranges? All of these are questions that you will face at one point or another. Keep reading to find the answers to these questions.
Categories of Roofing Materials
When deciding which type of roofing material you want to install on your roof in Los Angeles, the common rule that applies is “the higher the price, the better the quality.”
Generally speaking, we can order the types of material by low, medium and high costs. Here is a little material-price chart that can guide you during your decision making.
| Low Price | Rolled roofing |
| Asphalt shingles | |
| Medium Price | Metal roofing |
| Slate | |
| High Price | Natural slate |
| Green roofing |
Let’s see what are the differences in these materials, besides the price.
Rolled roofing
Rolled roofing material comes in 100 square feet rolls. This material is recommended for residential properties as well as small shops that have flat roofs. If you don’t care about aesthetics and need to get the roofing done, rolled roofing material is a convenient choice.
Asphalt shingles
Asphalt shingles are also commonly known as composite shingles. Unlike rolled roofing that doesn’t look so good on its own, asphalt shingles are not only affordable but also come in a variety of colors. If you do care about aesthetics but still don’t want to spend a lot of money, then asphalt shingles are your go-to option.
Metal roofing
Now on to medium priced roofing materials. Metal roofs have proven to be very resistant to weather conditions. Metal roofing comes in different “sub-materials” such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper or zinc. Metal roofing costs a little more than the previous options, but it is also a lot more durable.
Slate Roofing
Slate roofs are probably the most durable among all roofing materials and they also come in different colors, thus giving you the choice of making your roof match with the rest of the house. The only difference between slate and higher priced materials is that it is not as eco-friendly. But the good news is if you care about the environment, you can go with natural slate that costs a little more. Besides the material cost, installing slates is expensive too because it requires a lot of diligent work. This sounds really simple – just grow grass on your roof. In reality, it requires a lot of calculation and planning. For one thing you need to make sure the water after rain or snow doesn’t remain on your roof. Green roofing does have many benefits like keeping the warmth inside and keeping the house cool in hot summer days. From the price perspective, the planning and “installation” cost a lot.
