How to Know if You’re Paying Too Much for Roof Repair

Everyone wants to make sure they’re getting a fair price for the service they receive. If you’re having your roof repaired, it’s important that you understand the inherent costs so that you don’t wind up paying too much. However, if you’ve never undergone a roof repair before, it can be hard to know how much you should pay. A number of factors can influence the final cost of your roof repair, which means you should all the research possible to fully understand the process. Here are some of the factors that can affect your roof repair cost that you should know before you make any purchasing or contractor hiring decisions.

What is the Source of the Leak?

Generally speaking, roof repairs revolve around leaks. No matter how you found the leak or where it is, you need to know what the cause of the leak is to have any chance of knowing if you are paying too much for repairs. However, you might not know that roof leaks have a number of different causes, each of which has their own repair needs and costs A few of the common causes of a leaky roof include:

• Leaky Flashing: Flashing is the metal that goes around the things that project out of your roof; it helps the rain and snow run onto the roof properly. Your chimney, skylights and vent pipes all have flashing that might leak if it is cracked or pulls away from your roof.
• Valleys: The valley is that little gutter that runs down the places in your roof that the larger flat pieces meet. These can become cracked or pulled up during high winds. They may also get clogged up with moss or fungus.
• Damaged Roofing Materials: Shingles, metal and slate roofs can all crack and be damaged. Pieces of the roofing material may even be blown off or torn off due to bad weather.
• Ice Dams: Snow on a roof can partially melt and then refreeze, preventing snow from running off. These ice dams can cause serious damage to your roof.

When planning your roofing repair, finding out the exact cause of your leak will go a long way towards determining your final costs.

Costs for Repairs

Many factors go into the cost of a repair. Generally speaking, you should expect a reputable contractor to charge anywhere between $40 and $80 per hour in labor, not including the cost of materials necessary to get your job done. Remember, before the repairs can begin your contractor may need to spend an hour or two finding out what the issues on your roof are. They will bill for this time. Once the problems are identified, the roofing repairs can begin.

The cost of materials will depend on the type of roofing materials you have. Asphalt shingles should be cheaper than slate or metals. Wood shake can be one of the more expensive options. Materials should be on the order of $250 for shingles and can be as high as $600 for slate.

Plan Ahead and Keep Your Roof Repair Cost Low

Roof repairs can be a very stressful time as a homeowner, particularly if don’t know exactly how much your project might cost. Fortunately, by planning ahead, you should be able to find a great roof repair cost that will fit into your budget and allow you to fix your roof as soon as a problem occurs.