Totally hear you on the sticker shock with architectural shingles. When I put a new roof on my old place, I remember standing in the aisle at the hardware store, staring at the price tags and thinking, “Is this really worth it?” Ended up biting the bullet for the same reason as you—those 3-tabs just felt flimsy, especially with the wind we get around here.
Funny thing about metal roofs—I was all set to go that route for my current house, but my partner had the same reaction. She called it “farm chic,” which, apparently, wasn’t a compliment. I will say, though, I’ve seen some pretty sleek standing seam metal roofs lately that don’t look barn-like at all. They’re pricey up front, but the energy efficiency and recyclability are big pluses if you care about environmental impact.
That said, sometimes it does come down to what’s on sale and what you can live with aesthetically. Roofs are one of those necessary evils…you want to do it once and not think about it for 30 years. Just wish they weren’t so dang expensive, no matter what you pick.
Roofs are one of those necessary evils…you want to do it once and not think about it for 30 years.
That’s the dream, right? I get the hesitation with the upfront cost, but after seeing how fast 3-tabs can fail in a bad storm, I’d say architectural shingles are worth the extra. Metal’s great for longevity, but honestly, not everyone wants to hear rain pinging all night or deal with the look. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles and hope you don’t see another hail claim for a long while.
Metal’s great for longevity, but honestly, not everyone wants to hear rain pinging all night or deal with the look.
Yeah, I totally get that. I’ve managed a few properties with metal roofs, and some tenants actually liked the rain sound, but others complained nonstop—guess it’s one of those personal preference things. Architectural shingles do seem to hit the sweet spot for most folks. They cost more upfront, but I’ve seen way fewer issues with blow-offs and leaks compared to the old 3-tabs.
One thing I’ve noticed, though: even “30-year” shingles don’t always last that long, especially if you’re in a spot that gets hammered by sun or hail every year. Insurance claims are a headache, and getting a decent roofer who’ll stand by their work is half the battle.
I’m curious—has anyone tried those synthetic underlayments instead of the old felt? I’ve heard they help with longevity, but I haven’t had a chance to test it myself.
even “30-year” shingles don’t always last that long, especially if you’re in a spot that gets hammered by sun or hail every year.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing. My neighbor’s roof was barely 15 years old before it started curling up and looking rough—lots of sun and a couple hailstorms did it in. I’m leaning toward architectural shingles too, but man, the price jump from 3-tab is real. Haven’t tried synthetic underlayment yet, but I keep hearing it’s way less of a pain than felt when you’re working in the heat. Anyone else’s shingles just kinda… give up early?
