Roofing Material – An Overview

There are many types of roofing material available for most residential buildings, composition, shake, tile, asphalt, gravel and metal. What type of roofing material you choose to use depends on a variety of factors including your budget, the look you are trying to get and the geographical location. Composition roofs are the most common and are flat looking and inexpensive. This type of roofing material is also known as shingles or asphalt shingles. A shake roof is made up of shingles that are made of wood that can be thick or thin. Tile is made of clay and is commonly seen on homes in the South West because of its heat resistant qualities. Finally there is a tar and gravel roof that is generally used on commercial buildings that have a flat roof and as the name implies it is a layering of composite material and asphalt with a layer of gravel to hold the roofing material in place. This type of roof is particularly inexpensive but not the most cosmetically pleasing roof for a residential roof.

Metal roofs have also started to become more widely accepted as a residential choice since they are environmentally friendly and inexpensive choice, but the use of a metal roof again relies heavily on the overall look a homeowner is striving for.

A roofing contractor is a good source for information on what materials hold up best in your area against sun, rain, hail or snowy weather and they can help guide you in deciding what type of material is in your re-roofing budget.

To find a contractor that is knowledgeable about his stuff it is important to find a roofer that has a good local reputation and clients who will vouch for his work. The easiest way to find someone like this is to use a consumer based web site that posts the reviews of consumers regarding local businesses.

Web sites like these make it easy to find the best of the best by reading the reviews of people who have already used the business for better or worse and are willing to write why the experience was good or bad. Once you find a few suitable roofers, schedule them to come out and look at your roof and give you a bid on what it would cost to have the roof you want. If your roofer was given top ranks on the web site you can be assured that you are in good hands with them.