When the time comes to repair or replace a roof, homeowners may find the many factors to consider to be quite daunting. It’s not just about choosing the right roofing contractor, though that most certainly is a major decision to make. It also comes down to materials, which the best contractors do give you a choice.
Most reputable contractors will be advocates of builder grade roofing materials, but the name can be a bit confusing. It sounds a lot like an upsell, given the nature of the label, but the truth is that, while reliable and solid materials, these are intended to be affordable, and therefore agree with your budget.
Most contractors care about providing an affordable service, while also going easy on your pocketbook. This is a delicate dance to orchestrate, and it’s mostly accomplished with the aid of builder grade materials in most cases.
Sadly, most homeowners misunderstand these materials, thinking they’re an upsell, or “cheap” in a way that’s negative, resulting in making choices that cost them far more than was ever really necessary. Today, we’re going to take a look at builder grade materials, and get a better understanding of how they allow a quality roof to be built or repaired affordably, without cutting any corners.
What Exactly Are “Builder Grade” Materials, Then?
Builder grade (also known as “contractor grade”) materials are mass-produced by a strict set of standards and regulations. This has advantages, chief among them being the same kind of predictable, reliable qualities and properties brought about with any implementation of assembly line manufacturing.
Being produced en masse, they also tend to be far more affordable than other roofing materials. On the scale, they are ranked at the bottom, but this is on a scale where luxury materials dominate the higher end. This means that this “bottom” position is very skewed as a result, which isn’t entirely fair to these materials.
In the case of custom builder grade materials, long-term durability and quality are very possible, but without the price going through the … well … roof. This is why most reputable contractors will try to recommend this grade of material when repairing or replacing a roof. It empowers them to perform quality, reliable service at a price that makes the customer quite happy.
What About Longevity?
Once people know these are considered “lower end” materials, they tend to assume that they don’t last very long. This isn’t true at all. Most contractor-grade materials last between 15 to 20 years on the outset, though some stronger materials can last up to half a century with proper maintenance and care.
Once more, these materials empower a contractor to provide long-lasting quality in an affordable way.
Identifying and Comparing Builder Grade Materials
Builder grade materials tend to come in the form of three-tab shingles as a prime example, where architectural shingles (the higher end, luxury option) do not. While less resistant to high winds than architectural shingles, they are cheaper to replace should they curl under strong weather conditions, however.
Architectural shingles are likely to be blown off if the wind is strong enough, and will result in much higher repair costs versus the admittedly less durable but far more affordable builder grade options.
Why Choose Architectural In Stead?
While most contractors will argue for builder grade materials for the sake of your budget, if you can afford better materials, they’re definitely going to agree with you. You can expect less leaks and ongoing maintenance needs if you go for higher-end materials, and take advantage of lifetime warranties that most contractors are more comfortable to provide with such materials.
Why Choose RGB Construction
RGB Construction has been providing quality roof repair and replacement for decades, and we’re prepared to work with the best builder grade or higher end architectural grade materials depending on your budget. Within the bounds of the materials used, we back every roof 100%, with your satisfaction guaranteed.
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