this is the trade off Richard. Time, materials and effort to air seal vs cost to foam insulate& air seal in one step. one takes considerable effort and time although materials are less the other takes little time little effort and higher cost. air sealing is the KEY to insulation performing as spec'ed. foam just makes it easier. And haven't you noticed that FAQ's are ok for the other guy..but this is MY house ans I have specific to me questions...LOL! Just the way it is... OP, in my cooling climate we insulate to R-38 there is a diminished return on investment with more insulation..but it starts diminishing when you insulate over R-19 as the first few inches of insulation work the best.However most states mandate R-30 and above and there is a good savings in higer values. Just how much for above R-38?? Don't know for heating climates..ask Joe @ bulding science! I'm glad to hear that you would remove the batts before foam sealing the attic floor. Personally this is the location I would purchase in your situation. No mechanicals or ducts in the attic make the roofline install more of a profit for the foam co than actual benefit to you. If I were you I would opt for this, but with the specification that the insulation at the eaves of the house be installed from attic floor to soffits to roof making this an air tight install. (it won't be 100% air tight...even though they sell it as such) This will seal exterior walls at top plates which is always an air infiltration site. Oh and WELCOME YOU! Merry Christmas all!

Proper attic ventilation would be more efficient. Grey shingles might have a little more reflectivity, but when asphalt shingles warm up in the summer, they get blistering hot no matter the color. A shingle will get too hot to handle even on a warm sunny day let alone the summer months, that is why getting the hot air circulating and out of the attic is key. If you want to take it a step further, you can install radiant barrier on the underside of the rafter/trusses coinciding with venting to keep the hot from the roof penetrating the attic. Here's a link to mr. ed sumpolec who is a retiered nasa engineer and gives out his phone # for a reason. It's best imo to talk to him in person about your particular project/install as it varies according to region. Here is a link that might be useful: radiant barrier

What would he have installed other than asphalt shingles if the weather was warmer? You may be thinking of organic (cellulose/wood fiber) vs fiberglass base mats. The asphalt fiberglass shingles are thinner, lighter weight, and have a Class A fire classification, but the asphalt organic shingles are supposedly more tear resistant, more flexible in cold weather and have a Class C fire classification. The manufacturing process required for fiberglass shingles is simpler than for organic shingles since the fiberglass mat doesn't need to be saturated with asphalt before going on to be coated with a more viscose asphalt common to both types. It is the absence of the highly flammable asphalt saturant that gives the fiberglass singles it's better fire classification. The warranty periods have less to do with the quality of the shingle and more to do with marketing. If someone is willing to pay more for a shingle the manufacturer wants to be able to offer some feature in order to raise the price. Before fiberglass shingles, the weight per 100 s.f. for each shingle model was what they used to indicate quality and raise the price. Now for lightweight fiberglass shingles it's the warranty period. The company is counting on the fact that most homeowners will not be in the house for 50 years but just in case you do they pro-rate the warranty and don't include labor. In reality it's the first 5 or so years of the warranty that counts. The purpose of a warranty should not be to force the manufacturer to give you 10% of purchase price in the 45th year but to replace them in the first 5 years if they came from a bad batch. All a coating machine has to do is run at the wrong speed or the asphalt be at the wrong temperature or the filler be of a low grade for the shingles to be of poor quality in a 1/2 mile long fully automated plant. If you get past the first 5 years the shingles will probably last until you move. It is important to get a good installation warranty from the roofing contractor. The longest lasting shingles are the "architectural" or "laminated" ones. In a hot sunny climate or high altitudes, a lighter color will extend the life of an asphalt shingle longer than any other feature.

Many people in my area have had problems with Certain-Teed shingles. They have deteriorated after half their guaranteed life and any compensation has been very small. I too have gone with Elk Shingles. Hopefully they last much longer. Good luck.