Roofing advice for an old and poor guy

[Arky217]

I apoligize for this being such a long post, but I need advise on replacing the roof on my house and it kinda requires an explanation.

I've got a 1700 sq.ft. house with a 24'x26' attached garage.
About 3 years ago, I replaced the roof on the garage when I converted it from a carport to a garage. The garage had 3 layers of shingles; the bottommost two layers were pretty much rotten. I removed the shingles and reshingled it myself. It was quite a job for a 60 year old.

The decking on both the garage and the house consists of boards, not plywood or waferboard. Many of the boards on the garage were warped so that the edges were curled up, and also had loose nails backing out. I spent considerable time with an angle grinder making the worse edges smoother and also renailing quite a few boards. I'm sure the boards on the house are the same way. Also, I found out when shingling the garage that when the place where you're supposed to nail the shingles happens to fall right between the edges of two boards, it makes it a real hassle to nail properly.

The house also has 3 layers of shingles, and I've gotten 3 years older, but I still need to reroof it myself as I am on limited social security income. Another factor is that I plan on selling the house in a couple of years and moving into something smaller.

If I paid a roofer to reroof the house, it would cost me about $6000. I really can't afford that and I'm thinking that no roofer is going to go to the effort to do to the boards what I did on the garage. So, I'm kinda of thinking of possibly reroofing with metal panels instead of shingles. The way I see it, I have the following options:

1) Strip the roof, fix the boards like I did on the garage, and shingle it. This would be the cheapest way, but it surely would be a job for someone 64 like myself. (I remember the garage, 100 degree days, hauling the shingles to the roof, the sore knees, etc.)  (But, actually, I think that I would do it this way if I could only be assured that I could strip one
side and get the felt on before a rain. The roofers can do the whole roof in a day, but it would take me weeks.)

2) Strip the roof, nail down cheap ($5.99) 3/8" waferboard over the boards, then reshingle. (This, I think, would give a much better base for the new shingles. (I could proably put down the waferboard as fast as I could fix the boards, however, this would be a more expensive method and even more work for me.)

3) Strip the roof, fix the boards, put down felt, then metal panels. (This would be much easier on me, and would lessen the chance of a rain catching me, but I wonder that the boards would be smooth enough for the panels. Some of the panel screws might fall over a concave area of the boards and pull in on the panel, distorting it and making for a not very weathertight roof.)

4) Strip the roof, put down the waferboard and felt, then the metal. (This would be the most expensive, but maybe the best way; still a lot of work for one old man.)

5) Strip the roof, put down felt, then nail down nailing purlins for the metal. (This would be faster and easier on me; not sure about a condensation problem between the felt and metal, however.)

6) Just leave the old shingles on, nail down nailing purlins over the shingles, then put on the metal. ( I could take my time with this method, but I'm sure it's not the most desirable way to go.) (It would be the easiest way for an old man, however, and I would be out only the cost of the metal panels, I can mill my own purlin strips.
Sure would like to just do it this way, but I wonder about leaving those 3 layers of shingles on the roof.

Appreciate any advice,
Arky

[MushCreek]

In some areas, 3 layers of shingles isn't code legal, never mind adding metal on top of it. That might impact your ability to sell the house. If you go with shingles, buy a nail gun. You can always sell it after you're done, and it saves a LOT of time.

[MountainDon]

We got a discount on our home owners insurance when we went to a metal roof. But only if all ols shingles were removed.

[secordpd]

Where do you live Arky?

Maybe there is a group that will help you out, like   http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/section/about/


If I live nearby I'll give you a hand.

[n74tg]

Hello Arky:

I'm down in Hot Springs, so not that far from you.

I put my metal roof on back in February of this year.  The metal panels were the same cost as 3 tab asphalt shingles back then (about $80 per square).  For a 30 x 60 roofed area it took about a month to install, but I didn't work everyday and there were some days off for rain.

I put them over 2x4 purlins.  I will spray the inside with expanding foam insulation later, when it cools down some.   

If you want more info, the metal roof is discussed in my blog (address below).

[cordwood]

 I am semi retired and live in North Central Ar. if you would like a hand. If you are in county and not city codes probably are not a problem. Valleys and Ridges are the main concerns in the Ozarks, They ones on the house too!
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1700 sq ft = about 3 days for 2 guys working in cruise control.