Gone are the days when an eagle’s eye view revealed a sea of identical monochromatic roofs in new home neighborhoods. Builders have now come to embrace the dozens of colors, choices and incredible durability roofing options available to them, whether building custom residences or an entire community of production homes.
Concrete DiversityConcrete tile roofing, used in a preponderance of western U.S. housing, remains to a popular roofing material for homebuilders. Closely echoing the more delicate Spanish-style clay tile roofs that grace many older, historic buildings in the west, concrete tile roofing carries a warranty that can range up to 50 years, making it among the most durable roofing products.
Amazing AsphaltAsphalt roofs are both exceptionally versatile and architecturally correct in almost every part of the country for nearly all kinds of homes, making it among the most common and cost-effective roofing products in the U.S. This type roofing material is easy to find, easy to install, and easy to maintain, costing significantly less than higher-priced rivals. New designer asphalt shingles are fuller, thicker and look multi-layered.
Cedar Shake with a TwistCedar shake, adorning many western homes, is still the choice for more traditional architecture, offering a golden, feathery crown to the popular Craftsman styles that have found their way back into the new home market. A natural product now available in fire resistant varieties, cedar shake is also a roofing of choice for custom homebuilders, whose clients want the aesthetics that only real wood can offer.
Rocks of AgesSlate roofing can be seen on some of the most elegant custom residences in the U.S. This tough-as-nails, natural roofing material has been around longer than any other, having been used from ancient times through the Middle Ages and is still the roofing used throughout much of the world today. Although it carries a 75-year warranty, many claim that it lasts for 100 years and beyond, making it an already historical addition to any new home.
A Roof of ClayBy the mid-19th century, the introduction of the Italianate Villa style of architecture in the United States prompted a new interest in clay tiles for roofing. Clay tile roofing has proven its durability, offering non-fading permanent color. Weathering can mellow the tiles’ appearance, improving their looks with age. Clay tiles are fire resistant, able to withstand harsh chemicals and are not susceptible to biological degradation, leaving them resistant to excessive mold growth and are not affected by extremes of heat or cold. Another important fact is that clay tiles are a natural and sustainable product.
The Metal StandardIn the residential markets of the western U.S., metal roofing is seen most often in the heavily-wooded areas of Central California and the Northwest because of its fire-free reputation. But metal roofing is now more versatile than ever before. Sheets of aluminum or pre-coated steel are pressed into modular panels through a stamping process creating the look of individual shingles, shakes, slates, or tiles. The benefit of this type of roofing is that it is designed for quick installation. Metal roofing can also be painted to match any color palette.
Dena Kouremetis is a veteran freelance real estate consumer journalist and California real estate broker. She may be reached by email at REritr@aol.com.
Click
here for more information.