Homeowners have a right to be concerned about roofing shingles prices, installation costs or labor costs and other incidental costs associated with roofing. Most people prefer asphalt roofing shingles as these are readily available in a wide range of choices both in colors and prices. You can even make your choice based on design and texture. Another material that is commonly used is wood shake shingles. The prices work out to double that of asphalt and there is also the risk of fire. Either the shingles come coated with fire-retardant or you have to apply it to prevent accidental fires.

Building codes have strict requirements for fire safety, impact resistance and wind resistance. Depending on the local area, its weather and climate patterns and also on whether you live in a fire-prone area the building codes will be tailored for protection of its citizens.

Asphalt shingles cost $8 to $10 per square feet. Wood shake shingles can cost you $16 per square feet. You could also go for tile roofing or metal roofing depending on whether your local climate is suitable for the same and also on your budget. Tiles and metal are more expensive but they also last longer than asphalt shingles.

Typically the American home is two stories high and has around 1500 square feet roof area. The roof is most cases are simple where the dips and angles are kept to a minimum. With a moderate pitch the roofing is relatively simple. The costs can be worked out for these types of roofs with a simple roofing calculator found on many websites.

For individual quotes, it is better to either contact a number of contractors who are skilled in roofing installations or fill simple online forms that contact several contractors on your behalf and you will quotes from a number of roofing contractors within a few hours. When comparing quotes it is better to be informed rather than left scratching your head about what a particular term means.

For example hip, gable, flat and other terms refers to a roofing type. Ridges and valleys are the dips and peaks on the roof. Starter shingles are the first row of shingles laid out at the eaves of the roof. Ice dam shields are laid close to the edges of the roof to prevent the formation of ice dams that can prevent the proper drainage of water and cause the water to back-up behind these dams causing water seepage and leakage. Square is a roofing term that refers to 100 square feet of roofing area.

For asphalt roofing you need roofing shingles and roofing felt which goes under the shingles and provides an extra layer of protection. Usually 30 pound felt is used as the under lying layer. This costs around 20 dollars to a roll. For 1500 square feet roofing area you will need around 5 rolls.

If there are more than two layers of shingles underneath the layer you are going to lay then the old shingles have to be removed. This will require additional labor and cost allocation. The old and damaged shingles have to be torn down, they have to be safely disposed off in designated landfills, and they need to be transported from your home to the land fill. This will cost money. So, factor in an extra 1000 dollars for this.

The other materials you will need are nails and roofing cement. Accessories like ridge caps, gutters and vents can either be purchased along with the shingles or separately. You will need flashing to seal the gaps around the vents and for the valleys. Figure in a few hundred dollars extra for all this.