The second important factor in determining the cost of metal roofing is your roof’s slope, which requires you to get information on its rise and run. You can get these figures yourself with the help of ladder, level, and measuring tape, if you are willing to climb the ladder to the height of your roof’s lowest edge. Roofing companies with websites have roofing calculators to turn your data into estimates of the cost of metal roofing.

How To Calculate The Cost Of Metal Roofing

Congratulations! You’ve decided on a metal roof to either go overtop or replace your current roof. Perhaps you live in a state where there are tax cuts for large home repairs like a new roof. Perhaps you have a great credit rating and are sure to get a homeowner’s loan from your bank. But before you can approach a bank for a loan, you need an estimate. A competent roofer will give you an estimate, but you can determine the cost of metal roofing yourself.

The Roof Calculator

Many roofing businesses have websites that include roofing calculators. You feed them the data they ask for and they automatically figure out an estimate for you as to what the cost of metal roofing for you will be. But determining what you need to tell them takes a little work.

First, what kind of metal roofing material are you looking at? Aluminum and tin cost far less than copper or even corrugated iron, for instance. All of the materials have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the area you live and how steep your roof is.

Then, you need to determine your roof’s rise and run. If you have a flat roof, you don’t have to worry about this, but if your roof is at any kind of angle, then you need to get a ladder, a marker, a three foot level, measuring tape and your brain.

About a foot up your roof’s lowest edge, stick one little side of the level onto your roof’s side so that your leveling tool is the same angle as the ground. Get your measuring tape and figure out how long it is from your level’s middle to the roof. Divide it by three if you’re using a three foot level or two if you’re using a two foot level. Write this down. You have now figured out your roof’s rise.

Now get off the ladder and go up to the attic with the level and the measuring tape. Place the little edge of the level against an angled beam or gable. Your level should be sticking at an angle to the floor. Measure the distance from the middle of your level to the roof. Divide by two or three, depending on how long your level is. Write this down. You have the roof’s run.

Rise and run help you figure out your slope. So you’ll get answers like a pitch of 4 inches in a flat 12 inches, or 4 in 12. This is vital information to determine the cost of metal roofing. The website should tell what formula they use to determine your slope and thus how many square feet of roofing you need. This will give you a good idea of the cost of metal roofing.

The first step in knowing how to install metal roofing involves knowing whether to choose the V-shaped roofing material with crimped edges, or the humped roofing material which is more difficult to install. In addition to the roofing material itself the job requires rolls of 30-pound roofing felt and metal roof edging.

Learning How To Install Metal Roofing Is Quick And Easy

For the homeowner who needs a new roof on their garage or shed and wants to put metal roofing on for its durability, they can do it themselves, and learning how to install metal roofing is not hard unless the roof is at too much of an angle to safely walk on. The roof itself should be able to support the weight of someone walking on it and the installer must have knowledge of using simple hand tools and an electric drill.

Metal roofing is available in two basic styles, one that has a series of V-shaped lines and the other has a hump, resembling the letter ‘R’ on one edge. The style with V-shaped lines is easier to install and the crimping gives it some extra strength so that it doesn’t wave around while being installed. If the installer has trouble figuring out how to install metal roofing, it is advised they contract a professional to make sure it’s done right.

Preparing Roof For New Metal

The first step in how to install metal roofing is to remove all of the old roofing materials with a roof shovel, basically a steel shovel with a flat blade, as well as any leftover nails. Thirty-pound roofing felt needs to be put down, rolled from one end to the other, parallel to the roofline. It needs to overlap a minimum of three inches, and is laid down with a two or three inch overhang on all sides.

Once the felt is in place, edge strips are put in place to help prevent water from backing up under the new shingles as well as providing an even edge to roof. Once this is done, use a chalk line to snap a line every two feet, from the crown to the edge. The roof is now ready if the person feels they know how to install metal roofing.

Cut the pieces of roofing to length, measuring top to bottom, allowing at least two inches for an overhang. Line the first piece to the left side of the roof and attach with roofing screws every two feet on the inside edge. On the other edge, screw the roof down away from the edging. Complete each step until complete. This is how to install metal roofing.

Using caulk or rubber strips, plug the edges where the trips overlap to keep bugs and birds out, and then add a piece of roof edging to cover all open holes at the end of the sheet. A metal cap will be used on the crown once the job is complete.

The reputation of the residential metal roofing industry has suffered because of shoddy work done by hundreds of independent, or “cowboy” roofing contractors, and The Metal Roofing Alliance was founded in an attempt to salvage the industry’s good name. You can find a great deal of very useful information at the Metal Roofing Alliance website.

Choosing A Residential Metal Roofing Contractor

If you live in it, then the building you live in is called a “residence”. When you are looking for a goods roofing contractor, you will want one who has experience with residential roofing, as opposed to commercial roofing. Often, commercial roofing is flat and has many issues that your home won’t have. A good choice for roofs on any home is residential metal roofing.

You can choose from tin, copper, metal or aluminum roofing. Choosing which type of residential roofing material can often be easier than finding a roofer. You can’t control the weather or how close your home is to the sea, or factories or rainfall amounts. Where you live and what weather you get will help you choose the residential metal roofing material for you. But what about the contractor?

Metal Roofing Alliance

Good roofers hate shoddy or “cowboy” contractors more than you do. One cowboy contractor makes all roofers and builders look bad, unfortunately. So, proper roofers follow local and state laws and police themselves. One place you can turn for a recommendation for a good local residential metal roofing contractor is the Metal Roofing Alliance (http://www.metalroofing.com/).

They are made up of roofers, roofing material manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and contractors to help the customer find the best roofing materials and roofers for them. They started in 1998 as a few individuals in the roofing industry trying to help clear the reputation of the entire roofing industry. They now have a user-friendly website that will help teach everything you never wanted to know about residential metal roofing.

Others To Ask

If you have a trusted friend or family member who lives in your area and recently hired a roofer, ask which one they used and if they were happy with them. You can also ask your bank for a list of roofers they trust.

When you schedule a meeting with your prospective residential metal roofing contractor, ask him or her all the questions you can. If you are not happy with their answers or if they talk over your head, then drop them. A good contractor will be happy to explain the reasoning behind why he or she is spending your money. Good residential metal roofing contractors will also put detailed estimates in writing. They are also easy to get a hold of by phone or with an office. You don’t have to go with the first roofer you come across. Do comparison shopping and you’ll find the best roofer and roof for you.