Bev27, if that "less than 20 years" is on a replacement roof, that's about all you get in So-Fla. I do not know why original tile roofs last 25 years but replacement tile roofs only last 16-18 years... BIG MYSTERY!?!? You'd think the tract home builders would be using the cheaper underlayment, etc. Might have to do with trusses sagging over time...? (FYI: if you ARE on your original tile roof, when they strip it off, every ceiling in your house will crack a little, because the trusses will "bounce back" when that tremendous weight is removed. No biggie, a bit of spackling and paint... but save the interior re-mod/re-paint 'til after the roof job. ;') I'm in Ft. Laud, got the worst of Wilma, and the houses with cheapie thin shingles took flight, while those with heavier higher quality shingles were fine. If your area of SW FL has not yet adopted the Miami-Dade codes (as Broward has), then it's up to you to get familiar with them, and get quotes based on that... e.g. RING-SHANK NAILS, closer nail spacing, etc. That said, NO, you do NOT want to downgrade to asphalt shingles. The concrete (not thin clay barrel tiles) tiles will last 2.5-3 times longer than shingles, PLUS the esthetics, property value, and COOLING COSTS issues. If upfront cost is an issue, the recent run-up in values should give you plenty of equity to borrow against. Having my own home plus rental props in So-Fla, I realize that I am really just RENTING MY ROOF... yep, it's about $100/month/property! (OOPS, that's 2003 pricing... ) The experience vireyafl had in Andrew with CEMENT-glued tiles is no longer a problem if the new EPOXY FOAM is used--it's rated for 208MPH! Make sure you get that too. The METAL roofing sounds promising, but of course the problem is finding a roofer that KNOWS how to install it properly. Perhaps mfrs. websites list roofers they have certified via training and inspection of their jobs. Of course since the attic is well-nigh useless in So-Fla, I'd REALLY rather have the all-concrete roof (pre-stressed T-sections anyone?), and only have to worry about caulking up the seams every N years. ;')

I hope this works awm. As I noted, we're in the midst of some major landscape reno. The county is finally putting in sidewalks so our street is a construction zone! We took advantage of that to redo drainage and put in new hardscaping and landscaping. Today, in fact, we're hoping to make some serious headway into getting the footings for the wrought iron and stone fence put in and the lamp post relocated. We're also going to put in an outdoor electrical receptacle so I can finally have a dedicated line for my fountain and christmas lights instead of running an extension cord from the garage! We will be repainting so the house color will change. We're not committed to the brick facade either, but that won't be for at least a year before that changes out.

A charcoal roof is definitely a great idea. It will look fantastic with the brick. For the gutters, fascia, and trim, you've got a few options—depending on what appeals to you most. White/off white would be the most traditional for gutters, trim and fascia. Using a gray, everywhere, like the gray on the windows of your front porch, will give everything a more updated and sleek look. Or, you could do your gutters and fascia one color, and do all your window trim in black or another color. I would recommend repainting your fascia to match whatever color gutters you choose (and I'd use the same color for the downspout). And I'd also recommend painting all your window trim the same color. I personally really like the gray trim with the black you've got going on with the front porch windows. I'd carry that look to all the other windows on the house. Here's a little sampling of each of those looks, plus a color combination or two you may not have considered. Super cute house, and you've got a great garden! Good luck! Traditional More modern other color combos

I read the warranties from the major manufacturers and spoke to the technical folks at each company while researching conditioned attics many years ago (yes, I may need to get out more.) Shingle warranties are written so it's virtually impossible for a homeowner to ever benefit from them. Incidentally, at that time, the only manufacturer who would stand behind their warranty if insulation was applied to the underside of the roof deck was Elk and they're no longer in business. Whether you'll get the benefit of a shingle warranty probably has more to do with the roofing contractor's relationship and volume of business with the manufacturer than what's written in the warranty.