If you’re looking to replace your roofing or building a new property, you will be thinking about the roof and which materials and colors to choose. The choice will impact the value and appearance of your home, so it requires careful consideration.
How To Pick The Perfect Shingle Color
You want color and material that blend into the surroundings and that matches the architecture of your home. The roof makes up 40% of the visible exterior of the building, so is an important aspect. You need to consider what the first impression you are trying to make about the appearance and value. So choose wisely.
What to Consider When Choosing a New Roof
The style of your home will be the first consideration. Whether you have a ranch-style house or a Georgian style, you need the roof to match accordingly. You also want to consider the shape of your home. Features such as dormers, gables, and other structural details will impact the overall appearance. The local climate also matters, especially if you live in hotter climates where reflective roofing will be more beneficial. Lighter roofing colors will keep the house cooler by reflecting more heat away. Local vegetation can also be considered. The landscaping around your home influences colors and appearance. Do you have deep green trees and bushes or a tropical or desert atmosphere? Look at roofing shingle samples in different light settings at different times of the day. This way you can get a true picture of how the tiles will look in reality. Depending on location, the color of the sun changes which means the hues of your roof shingles will change too. Roofers will provide samples for you to evaluate in different light settings.
Choosing Roof Shingle Color
Color is a very important choice when it comes to roofing shingles. This, along with material sets the tone for the property and can be a highly defining aspect. If you have an old-fashioned home, a trendy or vibrant color roof will look out of place. The same goes for wooden shingles on a modern home. You can get ideas from roofing contractors and architects, as well as looking around local neighborhoods at similar homes. There are also standard combinations of colors that work anywhere such as a black or gray roof with a white house. One final aspect to remember when choosing color is that lighter colors tend to make your house seem larger where dark colors reduce attention to your house.
What Color Is Your House?
To choose a roof tile color, you need to start with the color of your home. If you are planning on painting your home, be sure to consider the color you want before deciding on the roof. The roof tile color and house color need to complement each other. The structure of the roof is also important. A sloped roof will be more visible so will have a greater influence on the overall appearance. The color of the shingles needs to draw the eye without being overbearing, especially if the roof is highly visible. Ideal shingle and house combinations include:
- White houses are the most versatile and can be paired with practically any color shingle from black, brown, blue, green, or even a monochromatic look with white roofing.
- Taupe houses are also versatile and look best with darker roofing such as black, brown, blue, or gray. Similar taupe hies can also work.
- Gray houses work with a contrasting shade of gray or black as well as white.
- Red houses are best paired with gray, black, and dark shades of brown.
- Brown housing is implemented by brown hues, black, and most shades of blue and green.
- With wood houses, you want to keep roofing simple to complement the richness of the wood. Black, brown, and gray greens are the best hues to achieve this.
Roof Shingle Material
The materials will also depend on the color and style of your house. In addition to these, your budget and the neighborhood will also have an influence on the choice. A roofing contractor with experience in the local area, climate, and architecture can best help you when choosing materials.
- Asphalt: This is the most popular material that is available in different colors and is easy to install. Asphalt is also algae resistant which is ideal for humid climates.
- Wood: Wood is also popular and pricing varies. Some are high-end while others like pine and redwood are more affordable. Cedar is one of the most commonly used wooden shingles as it is very elegant and rustic, but it is also more expensive to repair or replace.
- Metal: Metal roofing is the most expensive but the best choice for hot climates, as it reflects heat. Metal roofing also can add significant value to a home.
- Slate: Slate is also expensive but lasts for decades when properly installed. Slate is ideal for elegant styles and can increase the value of your home.
Your Desired Aesthetic for Your Roof
When choosing a roof color do you pick something that matches the neighborhood or do you try and stand out? Do you like what your neighbors have done? Depending on the area you live in, you will also need to consider if there are any Homeowners’ Association regulations for roofing. The last thing you want to do is pay for a unique roofing style to find out it is against regulations and you have to replace the whole thing. You want to make sure that your new roof matches or coordinates with the neighborhood houses because a significantly contrasting home can cause problems with the resale and can be an eyesore. When trying to visualize what your home will look like, there are numerous selection tools on the web to help you do this. You can also use roofing color charts that allow you to enter details about your house’s colors and features, providing you with different options that work best.
Roofing Types and Resale Value
With the roof making up 40% of the visual appearance of your home, it impacts the overall value. If you ever plan to sell your home, the choice of roofing is especially important. You need to choose colors and materials that will add to the resale value. For those looking to flip or sell, sticking with neutral colors is best. This allows potential buyers to visualize their own style for the home. Having higher-end materials can add value to the home as can certain color combinations. The more harmonious the roof, sides, and house are, the more appealing it will be.
Final Thought
To get the best options for roof color, style, and material, it is best to work with a contractor that has experience in your area and with your type of home. Contact us today to look at our shingle options so you don’t have to struggle over color choices. We are here to help you start imagining just what your dream house will look like.
