Roof, Siding, Windows & Curb Appeal Guide

Shingle types compared:

Roof deck condition: Before re-roofing, the contractor should inspect the plywood decking beneath the old shingles. Rotted or damaged decking must be replaced — this is a common "surprise" cost. Budget $50–$100 per sheet for deck replacement.

Ice and water shield: Required in cold climates along eaves, valleys, and around penetrations (chimneys, vents). Prevents ice dam damage. Building code specifies installation zones based on your climate zone.

Ventilation: Proper roof ventilation (ridge vents, soffit vents) extends shingle life and prevents ice dams. A roof replacement is the time to fix ventilation — it's far easier with the old roof removed.

The honest comparison: Fiber cement (James Hardie is the dominant brand) offers the best combination of durability, appearance, and ROI. Vinyl is the budget choice and performs well for the price. Real wood is beautiful but demands ongoing maintenance that most homeowners underestimate.

Key specifications explained:

• U-factor: Measures how well a window insulates. Lower is better. Look for 0.30 or below in cold climates, 0.40 or below in moderate climates. This is the single most important energy performance number.
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): Measures how much solar heat passes through the glass. In hot climates, you want a low SHGC (0.25 or less) to keep heat out. In cold climates, a higher SHGC (0.30+) lets the sun help heat your home in winter.

Window grade levels:

• Residential grade (R): Standard for most homes. Adequate for typical conditions.
• Commercial grade (C/CW): Better structural performance, larger sizes available, better air and water resistance. Worth considering for large windows or high-wind areas.
• Architectural grade (AW): Highest performance. Required for commercial buildings, rarely needed in residential unless extreme conditions.

Installation method:

• Full-frame replacement: Removes the entire window including the frame. More expensive but allows inspection and repair of the rough opening, proper insulation and flashing. Best for older homes with potential moisture damage.
• Insert/pocket replacement: New window slides into the existing frame. Less expensive, less disruptive, but you lose some glass area and can't address problems with the existing frame. Only works if the existing frame is in good condition.

Lead times: Standard sizes are typically available in 2–4 weeks. Custom sizes, special shapes, or specific colors can take 8–16 weeks. Order early — windows are the most common cause of project delays on exterior renovations.

If you need a new roof, siding, and windows, doing them as one coordinated project often saves 15–20% in labor compared to doing them separately. Here's why:

• Scaffolding/equipment setup: Happens once instead of three times. Setup and teardown costs for each project are significant.
• Flashing and integration: The connection points between roof, siding, and windows are the most failure-prone areas of a home's exterior. Doing all three at once allows proper integration — new flashing at roof-to-wall connections, proper window flashing under new siding, drip edge integration.
• Housewrap/weather barrier: If you're replacing siding, you should be installing new housewrap (Tyvek or similar). Doing this while windows are also being replaced allows the window flashing to integrate properly with the housewrap — eliminating the most common source of water intrusion in homes.
• One contractor, one timeline: Managing three separate projects with three contractors and three timelines is dramatically more stressful than one coordinated project.

The planning tip: If your roof has 5 years left and your siding is failing now, consider whether it makes financial sense to replace the roof early and do everything at once rather than replace siding now and roof separately later.