When Asphalt Is the Right Call
Selling within a few years
The fifty-year arithmetic requires you to be there for some of the fifty years. If you are not, a sound asphalt roof that satisfies an inspector is the rational purchase.
The budget is not there
$6–$10 against $12–$20 per square foot is a real difference. A good asphalt roof now beats a metal roof you cannot afford for three more winters.
A simple shape, a modest building
A garage, an outbuilding, a rental with a short holding period. The case for metal is strongest on complex roofs over heated space you intend to keep.
18 Years or 25? Three Things Decide It
Ventilation
The single biggest factor within your control, and it does double duty. A properly ventilated assembly keeps the deck cold and dry, which extends shingle life — and it is half the ice-dam answer. If you are re-roofing in asphalt, this is the moment to fix it, while the deck is open and it will never be cheaper.
Architectural shingle, not three-tab
Heavier, better in wind, longer-lived. The price difference is small against the labour, which is identical either way. Three-tab on a house you intend to keep is a false economy.
Ice-and-water membrane where it matters
At the eaves and in the valleys. In this climate that membrane is the difference between an ice dam being an annoyance and an ice dam being a ceiling repair. It does not stop the dam; it stops the dam reaching your plaster.
Freeze-thaw is what kills asphalt here. Repeated freezing and thawing cracks the binder and loosens granules — which is why national lifespan figures tend to flatter asphalt in New Hampshire, and why the honest local number is 18–25 rather than the 25–30 you will see quoted elsewhere.
What It Costs Here
| Item | Typical |
|---|---|
| Asphalt shingle, installed | $6–$10 per sq ft |
| Typical 1,600 sq ft roof | $9,600–$16,000 |
| Service life in this climate | 18–25 years, up to 30 on premium architectural well ventilated |
| Tear-off and disposal | Separate line — ask for it |
| Deck repair | Rate agreed before tear-off, not discovered during it |
- Honest about when asphalt beats metal for your situation
- Architectural shingle specified over three-tab in this climate
- Ventilation corrected during the re-roof rather than left as found
- Ice-and-water membrane at eaves and valleys, properly detailed
- Tear-off, disposal and deck repair quoted as separate lines
- No pressure toward the larger number when it is not warranted
Questions
Will you try to talk me into metal?
We will show you the comparison on your own roof, because you should see it before spending five figures either way. Then if asphalt is right for your situation we will quote asphalt and install it properly. A specialist who cannot recommend against their specialty is a salesman.
Can I do a partial re-roof?
Sometimes, on a discrete section with its own planes — a separate ell, a garage, a dormer. Patching one slope of a roof that is failing everywhere buys a year and complicates the eventual job, because the new work has to be cut into later. We will tell you which situation you are in.
What about the "50-year" shingles?
Read what the warranty actually covers and for how long at full value, because most step down sharply after the early years and many cover material only rather than labour. The published service-life range in a freeze-thaw climate is what it is regardless of the number on the wrapper.
Does colour affect how long it lasts?
Marginally. Darker shingles run hotter, and heat is one of the things that ages asphalt — though in this climate the freeze-thaw cycling matters far more than summer heat does. Ventilation affects deck temperature more than colour does.