Do Architectural Shingles Add Value to a Home Appraisal?
Architectural shingles can enhance a homes visual appeal to the right buyer
Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
A home appraiser is the authority on what a home's value is on the open market. Generally, the appraisal is based on the size of the home and what homes with similar sizes and features have sold for in the recent past. Items such as roofing materials may have an effect on the appraisal, but they more likely to enhance visual appeal to potential buyers than to actually increase the value of the home.
Tip
Although architectural shingles add visual appeal to a house, they may not add considerable value to a home's appraisal. But they are often more highly valued in the eyes of potential homebuyers, who prefer their aesthetic value over traditional single shingles.
What Are Architectural Shingles?
A type of laminated asphalt shingle, architectural shingles are also called dimensional shingles because they are layered, which gives them a look similar to slate or wood shakes. Non-layered, or single, asphalt shingles are thinner and flatter than architectural shingles. According to Consumer Reports, single asphalt shingles don't hold up as well as architectural shingles.
In Good Repair
The biggest key to any roof adding value to a home appraisal is that it is in good repair. An appraisal does not take into account repairs that need to be done on the home as a rule, since the home inspection deals with those areas. Still, a roof at the end of its useful life will be obvious, and it may cause the appraiser to note its condition and comment about a replacement that will be needed soon. And if an older roof leaks, water damage can result, which does adversely affect the home's appraisal.
Visual Appeal Can Increase Value
Any improvement that enhances the visual appeal of a home can increase its value, as the home will be more desirable to a potential home purchaser. Since many potential purchasers may like architectural shingles better than plain three-tab asphalt shingles, the upgrade will make the home show better and potentially increase its value in a real-world purchasing situation.
Similar to Others in Neighborhood
An object with most residential real estate is that it should stand out slightly from its surroundings, but also blend in and not be too different than everything else on the block. A real estate appraiser will look for these types of characteristics in the homes that he appraises. If all of the other homes in the area have another type of roofing, architectural shingles may be too different and might decrease the value of the home.
Other Roofing Options
Many roofing options exist beyond architectural shingles. Simple, flat asphalt shingles are often used, which are similar in material to asphalt but are not three-dimensional, meaning that they do not simulate traditional cedar shingles.
In addition, steel or metal is used to cover roofs as well. This is a long-life roof covering which will easily outlive most homeowners. Slate and copper are some of the more exotic roof coverings, giving unique appearances not easily duplicated with other materials, but at a significantly higher cost.
References
Writer Bio
Craig Woodman began writing professionally in 2007. Woodman's articles have been published in "Professional Distributor" magazine and in various online publications. He has written extensively on automotive issues, business, personal finance and recreational vehicles. Woodman is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in finance through online education.