How would I get an Un-Bias answer about the good and bad about the different type of Roofs.?

I live in the South Florida area and I am looking to replace my Roof, but I don't know which type is best and longer lasting. How do I get an Un-Bias answer about the good and bad of the different type of Roofs and which one is superior and longer lasting.





Thank you.|||Only roof to use in florida and i live in florida is a 3/4 plywood sheating, 26-29 guage steel roofing, usually 3 foot wide and what ever length you need. and screw down with 2 3 inch coated , rubber headed wood screws. Predrill your holes, to make an uniform pattern.





Id also use instead of common felt , id use the sticky thick stuff and then nail this down, has a greater chance to stay on with it being stuck on the plywood. Some call it Ice shield, put it right in your valleys too.





Shingles suck, in any form and under any conditions. May be cheaper, but an average 3' by 12' long sheet of 29 guage steel costs around $35 a sheet, it covers a lot of area. Comes in a lot of colors too.





With metal you add good caps to the sides and top and have side vents in the house, not on the roof.





I also have Bermuda shutters for my house now too, keeps out the sun and can be closed to protect your house. South Florida is known for these shutters, but up here by Tampa not many are used.





Metal roofs will last a long time, color may fade, repaint it.





Dont use the cheap galvanized sheets you can buy at home depot etc... Use at least 29 guage, youll have to order it most likely fit your house. Cutting it is not easy. Should also have screw on each rib , no more than 2 feet apart up and down. screw in those end caps good too. Those screws is what holds on, and metal can take hits from debris.





Goodluck!!|||First of all, what is a common roof material in S. Florida? If you are talking asphaltic shingle, the higher the life span rating, the better the shingles and the more expensive it will be to reroof your place. With 30+ year shingles you can chose more elaborate designs. Stay away from 20 year asphaltic shingles, they are junk.





If you are looking at tile, metal, cedar, or some other roofing material, check for other answers.|||I have relatives in Florida, Daytona Beach area, and I know how bad the winds can get there, Wind will be the biggest factor of choosing which type of roof to use. Also the type of roof, is it a slight slope, or steeper? Metal Roofs make for a higher installation and material cost, but installed properly will last the longest. A good 40 or 50 year dimensional asphalt composite shingle usually has a wind rating of 130 mph and make for a long lasting roof as well, upon proper installation.|||Do you mean ROOF or ROOFING? I will assume roofing...





It all depends on what you need in terms of price and look. Asphalt shingles as cheapest, easiest to replace or repair, and last between 15 and 20 years. The next is metal roofing, which is supposed to last fifty years or more but is much more expensive. The last options is decorative, slate or cedar or terracotta, but that is the most expensive and might require a redesign of roof trusses to carry the extra weight. It is also not nearly as durable as the metal roof.





If you have a flat roof, and you can afford it, you should put on a pitched roof. Flat ones leak and limit your roofing options to asphalt or rubber, which both leak.





Hope that helps!|||Ok...I live in n.w. FL...just got a new roof (due to Ivan) in 05.


If you can afford it...get one of the new metal shingle type ( it looks like an asphault shingle, but it's light weight aluminum, comes in different styles and colors...someone on our block has one...WOW...)


We on the other hand, couldn't get a roofer to call us back...so we got the 'new' demensional, asphault shingles (50 yr Corning). I talked 3/4 of the block into getting the same thing and they did.


The roof looks like a million bucks. You can't hear the rain, it doesn't flap in the wind..(make sure they use -6- nails in each shingle, FL code...also they have to -glue- down the last course and have ridge vents glued too, as well as nailed).


One of my neighobrs went with the old flat shingles...well, they don't like the way it looks and it's not gonna last...(our house is 12 yrs old this yr...25 yr roof lasted 10 yrs, due to hurricanes and general FL weather, it went bye-bye...these shingles are HEAVY).


You're gonna wanna watch the roofers...(like anything else...)|||Try these sites for resources:


http://www.demesne.info/Improve-Your-Hom鈥?/a>


http://www.demesne.info/Improve-Your-Hom鈥?/a>


http://www.roofingstore.ca/roofing_budge鈥?/a>


http://www.rainbowroofing.com/our_people鈥?/a>


http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/buil鈥?/a>