Roofing Products not to buy

There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey. – John Ruskin

Roofing products to not buy: There are roof coatings available to the homeowner in big-box stores that are expensive and don’t work very well. These are not the same grade of coating that is available to a roofing contractor. Before buying a coating that you must then install yourself, it might be worth getting an estimate from a roofing contractor to see how much a repair might be and compare the costs.

If you are looking at metal roofing, either installed by the homeowner or by a licensed roofing contractor, be aware of the styles and grades that you’re looking at. “Agricultural style” metal comes in galvanized panels and colors, and can be be bought many places. However, this metal is fastened to the roof with exposed grommeted fasteners. These grommets will not last more than twenty years, rendering your lifetime metal roof into a 20 year product. Standing seam metal roofing is more expensive but has no exposed fasteners. Grades of standing seam metal roofing varies by thickness, or ‘gauge’. There are both metric and American gauges, and they are different. Make sure you know what gauge measurement you’re getting when comparing prices.

Be very wary of “budget”, “second” or “builders grade” products. While a little cheaper, they may have significant defects or may have been stored for years beyond what is allowed by the manufacturer. There are also companies that produce inferior products because they are selling on price alone. These companies routinely re-brand their products about every 5 years. If you find these products or are offered an inexpensive product by a contractor, think twice – especially if you’ve never heard of the brand before or it is something that you can’t buy locally. These products will have a very limited lifespan, and you will have wasted your money. Renaissance Roofing, Inc. can assist with financing options if you are considering using inferior products or cheap contractors because of budget limitations. We can help you protect your home for many years with top-quality shingles and accessories.