The Roof Over Our Heads

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A home's crowning glory, the roof, should be designed to not only shelter you from sun, rain and snow but to cohesively unite all of the exterior finishes of your new home.

Deciding on what type of roofing material you want for your new home should be based on appearance, desired life of a roof, material durability and of course, cost.

"The roof is critical with respect to the performance of the home from both a style and ventilation perspective," says Bruce Borden, President, Walden Design Build Inc. "It is imperative that a roof is designed to breathe; a well ventilated roof will prevent such conditions as ice damning (happens when snow or ice melts and then refreezes pushing up the roofing material and causing it to leak)."

"A roof can make a house, especially if you spend a little bit more on the roofing material and on the design of the roof itself - pitch, peaks, valleys and craftsman style overhangs add a lot of curb appeal to a home. You can also use more than one roofing material on a home. Try incorporating pre-finished metal roofing such as copper standing seam on a bay window or copper scalloped tile on a roof overhang. The copper looks especially good when used in combination with a laminate or cedar shake," suggests Borden.

The last few years have seen a steady influx of new roofing products and the expansion of colours, sizes, shapes and textures available in traditional products. Asphalt or fiberglass composition shingles remain the most common and least expensive type of roofing material. Fiberglass shingles have a class A fire rating which may reduce your insurance premiums.

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