Funny you mention the “better” shingles—my neighbor paid extra for those fancy architectural ones, but three years in, he’s already patching spots. Meanwhile, my plain old 3-tabs are still holding up (knock on wood). I’m with you, it’s all about who’s swinging the hammer.
On the insurance front, I’ve noticed they get real picky about roof age. Mine’s 17 years old and my premium jumped last renewal, even though there’s no damage. Has anyone actually gotten a straight answer from their agent on what counts most—age, material, or just zip code? Sometimes it feels like they’re making it up as they go...
I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not convinced it’s just about the installer. Material does matter, at least in my experience. We had a hailstorm a few years back—my neighbor’s 3-tabs were shredded, while my architectural ones barely lost a granule. That said, insurance seems to care more about the calendar than the condition. My agent danced around it, but basically said once you hit 15 years, expect higher premiums no matter what. It’s frustrating, especially when you keep up with maintenance and still get dinged for “age.” Sometimes I wonder if they even look at the roof or just go by the build date in their system...
Sometimes I wonder if they even look at the roof or just go by the build date in their system...
That’s a good question. In my experience, most insurers do rely heavily on the build date, unless you push for an inspection or provide documentation of upgrades. But I’ve seen cases where a well-maintained 18-year-old roof outperformed a 10-year-old one that was neglected. Ever notice how some policies ask for photos or even drone shots now? Makes me wonder if the industry’s slowly shifting toward actual condition over just age, but it’s definitely not the norm yet.
Ever notice how some policies ask for photos or even drone shots now?
Yeah, I’ve had a few insurers request drone footage—felt like I was auditioning for a home improvement reality show. Still, most of them just want the build date and maybe a shingle selfie. It’s wild how they’ll ignore a pristine roof if it’s “too old” on paper. Meanwhile, my neighbor’s 5-year-old roof looks like it went three rounds with a tornado and still gets the green light. Go figure...
Had the same thing happen last year—insurance wanted drone pics, but my roof’s so steep I nearly lost a shoe just trying to get a decent shot. The kicker? They flagged it for “age” even though it’s in better shape than half the houses on my street. Meanwhile, my buddy’s newer roof has missing shingles and still passed. Sometimes I think they just spin a wheel behind the scenes... It’s like the older your roof, the more invisible any actual maintenance becomes.