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Does a New Roof Impact the Curb Appeal of a Home?

October 27th, 2021 | 6 min. read

Does a New Roof Impact the Curb Appeal of a Home?

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Buying a house is one of the most expensive and proud purchases you'll make in your lifetime. So, it makes sense you want to show it off and make it look great. 

Some homeowners only consider the inside of their home, but how it looks on the outside is just as important. That's where a home's curb appeal comes into play.

The landscaping, the color of your house, light fixtures, and more all impact your home's curb appeal. But what about a new roof? 

Does it impact your home's curb appeal at all? If you've never had a roof replacement, you don't know the answer. 

At Bill Ragan Roofing, we use our 30 plus years in the roofing industry to answer this same question for homeowners like you in Nashville and surrounding areas daily. Using this experience, we're going to help you understand what a new roof does for a home's curb appeal.  

We'll start this article by breaking down how a new roof impacts your home's curb appeal. After that, we'll get to the 4 best roofing materials that take curb appeal to a whole new level. 

Does a new roof impact your home’s curb appeal?

Curb appeal is defined as the visual attractiveness of a home from the street. You can do the things we mentioned earlier to boost your home’s curb appeal. 

But the best way to make your home stand out from the rest is with a new roof. So, yes, a new roof does impact your home’s curb appeal. 

BeforeAfter1

In fact, it will increase the curb appeal, and your neighbors will definitely notice when they walk by. You’re probably thinking, “You’re a roofing company. Of course, you think a new roof will impact my home’s curb appeal.” 

However, a new roof is proven to increase your home’s overall aesthetic and can even add value to your home if you plan on selling. Depending on the type of roofing material you choose, it can add quite a bit of value. 

Now I’m not saying go out and buy a roof just for the sake of boosting your home’s curb appeal. But when the time comes for a replacement, you’ll be ready to go into the decision-making process knowing the type of roof you choose will impact your home’s curb appeal. 

The 4 best roofing materials to boost your home’s curb appeal

Now you know a new roof will boost your home’s curb appeal. While getting the most commonly used roof on the market (an architectural asphalt shingle roof) will still boost your home’s curb appeal. 

There are 4 roofing materials that will really make your home stand out from the rest of your neighborhood. Just be aware, these materials will come at a premium cost. 

1. Luxury asphalt shingle roof

Asphalt shingles are the most commonly used roofing material around the country. I already mentioned getting architectural asphalt shingles will improve your home’s curb appeal. 

However, if you want to take your asphalt roof a big step further look wise, luxury shingles really boost your home’s curb appeal. 

luxury asphalt shingle roof

Luxury (or premium) shingles are designed to look like slate. They are also larger and thicker than the other asphalt shingles that make them more durable.

But the extra durability and curb appeal come at a steeper price. You can expect luxury shingles to be about double the cost of architectural shingles

2. Composite (synthetic) shingle roof

While luxury asphalt shingles have a slate look, you can tell they’re not real slate. Our next roofing material actually mimics slate (and cedar shake) and can take your home’s curb appeal to the next level. 

This material is a composite (also called synthetic) shingle roof. These shingles are made of engineered polymer or recycled materials, like rubber and plastic. 

composite (synthetic) slate shingles

Composite slate shingles are modeled from actual slate and even have chisel marks to add a hand-crafted touch.

composite (synthetic) cedar shake roof

Composite cedar shake shingles have realistic grain patterns and deep grooves to create a shingle that looks just like real wood shake shingles.

If you work in the roofing industry, you might be able to tell the difference between composite shingles and the roofing material it mimics. But I guarantee you, your neighbors, or anyone walking by won’t be able to tell the difference.

3. Cedar shake roof

The next material on our list is a cedar shake roof. A cedar shake roof is a premium roof system made of natural wood (cedar) materials and is one of the most aesthetically pleasing roofs you’ll see.

cedar shake roof

The shingles themselves are made out of cedar trees from the Northwest United States or Southwest Canada. To make the shingles, cedar trees are cut into 2-foot sections and hand split or sawed into a tapered thickness (tapersawn). 

Hand split gives you a more rugged look, while tapersawn is a much smoother look. Just be aware, cedar shake shingles lose their color, rot, crack, and curl as they age, depending on the climate they’re exposed to.

4. Slate roof

The last (and most expensive) roofing material on this list is slate. A slate roof is a premium roof system made primarily out of natural slate tiles and other slate roofing materials.

slate roof

There’s a reason shingle manufacturers make asphalt shingles and composite shingles to mimic the look of a slate roof. It is by far one of the most beautiful systems on the market. 

It’s also one of the longest-lasting roofs available and can last around 75 years or even close to 100. The slate itself is mined (mostly in Italy) and cut into square tiles that must be installed carefully one at a time.  

Slate roofs are incredibly heavy, and your house has to be built or framed to carry the weight of the slate tiles. This is just something to keep in mind if you’re seriously considering slate as your roofing material. 

The guide homeowners like you need to buy a new roof

Now you know the 4 best roofing materials to boost your home’s curb appeal. While curb appeal is important to consider when deciding on the type of roofing material to choose for your roof replacement, there’s more to think about. 

These considerations include lifespan, cost, and so much more. Of course, you can keep researching to figure out the answers and information you need to make the right decision. 

But wouldn’t you rather save your valuable time and have all the information you need about all the different types of roofing materials in one place? 

If you answered yes, then you need The Complete Guide to Purchasing a Roof. This guide gives you all the information a homeowner needs to choose your roofing material (includes cost, lifespan, etc.), hire a roofing contractor, and much more. 

Save time while also having all the information you need about buying a new roof. Get The Complete Guide to Purchasing a Roof now. 

Since 1990, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roofing services to homeowners in Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Belle Meade, and other surrounding areas. We take the time to educate you to make the right decisions without sales pressure and get a roof that lasts for decades. 

Here’s your Complete Guide to Purchasing a Roof to learn everything you need to know about your upcoming roof replacement.

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