Also, with shingles, I’ve noticed the installation makes a huge difference—my neighbor’s 10-year-old roof is still fine, but another guy down the street had his peel off in the last big storm.
Man, that hits home. My uncle’s house is two blocks from the water, and he swears his metal roof is invincible—until the year it started rusting around the screws. Turns out, the installer used the wrong type of fasteners, and now there’s orange streaks running down the panels. Meanwhile, my own place has basic asphalt shingles, but the guy who did it was a total stickler for detail. Hurricane came through last fall and I lost exactly one shingle... which I found in my backyard flowerbed, looking only mildly offended.
I’ve seen those green roofs you mentioned, but only on a coffee shop downtown. It looks cool, but I can’t imagine all that soil and grass sticking around when the wind picks up. Maybe I’m just picturing my lawn after a storm—half of it ends up in the neighbor’s pool.
Honestly, I’m starting to think it’s 50% material, 50% who’s swinging the hammer. Some folks just slap it on and hope for the best.
Honestly, I’m starting to think it’s 50% material, 50% who’s swinging the hammer.
That’s pretty much what I’ve seen managing properties near the coast. Even top-grade shingles or metal panels won’t hold up if the underlayment’s sloppy or the fasteners aren’t right for the climate. The devil’s in the details—drip edge, flashing, even how the nails are angled. I’ve had roofs with “lifetime” materials leak in year three, just because someone skipped a step. Sometimes it feels like luck, but honestly, it’s usually the install.
Yeah, I’ve wondered about this too. My last roof was “hurricane rated” asphalt, but the install crew rushed through and I ended up with leaks around the vents after just two seasons. Now I’m looking at synthetic underlayment for the next go-round, but is it really worth the extra cost if the crew’s just gonna cut corners? Has anyone actually seen a difference between felt and synthetic when storms hit? I’m trying to keep costs down but not end up patching every year.
but is it really worth the extra cost if the crew’s just gonna cut corners?
Man, I feel you on this. I shelled out for the “premium” synthetic underlayment last time, thinking I was buying myself some peace of mind. Joke was on me when I found out the crew stapled it down like they were in a race with the pizza delivery guy. Didn’t matter what I paid for—water still found its way in around the chimney after the first big storm.
Honestly, I’ve had both felt and synthetic over the years (Florida, so we get our share of wind and sideways rain). The synthetic does seem tougher—less likely to tear if a shingle goes missing—but if the install’s sloppy, it’s like putting a fancy lock on a screen door. I’d say if you can, spend a little more time vetting the crew than the materials. My neighbor went with basic felt but had a perfectionist roofer, and his roof’s been bone dry for five years. Sometimes I think it’s less about what you use and more about who’s swinging the hammer...
if the install’s sloppy, it’s like putting a fancy lock on a screen door.
That line made me laugh because it’s so true. I went all-in on “eco” underlayment last year—supposed to be recycled plastic bottles or something. Felt good about it until I caught the crew tossing soda cans off the roof and nailing through seams like they were playing whack-a-mole. Ended up patching leaks myself during the first big downpour. At this point, I’d rather have a crew who cares and old-school felt than the fanciest green stuff installed by folks in a hurry.
