Parade of Homes

122 Parade of Homes Spring 2017 One increasingly popular choice for roofing material over the past decade has been metal. Whether you choose panels or tiles, a metal roof can be expected to last as long as you own your house. "The main thing is the durability. It's going to last forever unless you have a terrific hailstorm," Ploeg- man says. However, a metal roof can run as much as two or three times the cost of laminate shingles. Metal also offers far fewer choices in terms of colour and style. Another non-traditional roofing op- tion is rubber, an eco-conscious op- tion since tiles are produced from recycled materials such as tires, saw- dust and plastic bags. "If you want to be green that's the product to pick," Ploegman says. It's going to cost you some green to go green, though. Rubber shingles can cost three to four times as much as their asphalt or fiberglass counterparts. Still, they do provide a strong return on investment and can, "last about forever," Ploeg- man says. "They're not going to get damaged by the elements." If price is no object, you may want to consider cop- per. Although it has traditionally been used to cover historic public buildings, it is now being selectively used on some homes, even though the price re- mains, "out of this world," says Ploegman. A much more affordable option, he says, is the copper penny style of sheet metal, which typically costs about 30% more than most other roofing materials. One old-school option that remains extremely popular is cedar shakes or shingles. not only are they produced from a biode- gradable resource and naturally moisture resistant, they can last 50 years or more if the roof is properly maintained. Still, the primary draw of cedar is its curb appeal. Suderman says cedar shingles can transform an ordinary home into something ex- traordinary. "If you get the right house and the right people and the right builder you could end up with a beautiful piece of art," he says. "Cedar shakes offer one of the most beautiful roofs out there." That beauty doesn't come cheap. A cedar roof can cost more than twice as much as a regular shingle roof. Part of that cost can be attributed to the fact that installing a cedar roof is far more labour intensive, Suderman says. And what might the roof of the future look like? One option might be solar shingles, which collect sunlight and convert it into electrical power. Although they are already in use in some parts of the country, Suderman says Manitoba's harsh winter climate might make them impractical here. "How effective are they going to be when they're covered by snow for four or five months of the year?" UP On THE rOOF Cont'd from page 121 'If you get the right house and the right people and the right builder you could end up with a beautiful piece of art. Cedar shakes offer one of the most beautiful roofs out there.'

• Cover