Are Louvered Roofs Worth It?
While that question is a bit subjective, the price point they sit in creates a bit of expected trepidation. There are two pieces to this question. The first is whether or not the money spent gives you something of value. The second is whether or not you are missing the opportunity to do something else which would give you the same satisfaction or better value. Let’s break it down.
What’s the Value?
There are two pieces to the first part here. One is the actual value of the product and the other is the resale value to the house. The resale value gets a little complicated as well because it involves up-keep costs because your house is constantly collapsing around you.
Resale Value
We’ll save your time and say we’re not entirely sure. Some wooden pergolas offer 70%-80% resale value added to the house. Some outdoor kitchens offer 90-95% resale value back versus the cost of investment. Pools that are well kept can increase your home value by 7-8%, so then the question is where you live and how much the home is already worth. How much is someone willing to pay at the top end of the market in your neighborhood? Does a louvered pergola or louvered roof increase that home value enough before your house is the McMansion of the block in terms of housing prices? We can’t say for sure. What we do know is that a reasonable estimate for most backyard improvements is 50-80% of your project value you’ll be able to include in sale price if they’re well kept.
Upkeep Cost
Here’s the issue with most of the other improvements. If you add a wooden pergola it might only cost you $8,000, but you’ll need to paint or stain it every year almost. Paint or staining can be between $1,000 and $4,000. Within 10 years, you might be spending the same as you would’ve for a louvered version since your maintenance on a LouveRoof is a hose and maybe a good sponge if you’ve left the bird dropping for too long.
Materials
The value of the LouveRoof is in the materials. The entire thing is extruded aluminum, which is used for aircrafts, boats, machinery and all sorts of industries because of its incredible corrosion resistance and strength without weighing a ton. When you buy a Louvered Pergola, you’re buying aluminum. Here’s how it works.
The Extruder charges per billet weight of aluminum. That is then marked up by the pound and then sold as a unit to the end customer. Then you have an adder for the installation by your dealer. What that means is that on almost every build 70-80% of your purchase price is poundage of T6063 - T6 aluminum with a powder coat paint added to that.
Are the materials worth it? Given the simplicity of the system and the fact that you’re almost entirely buying poundage of aluminum, I leave that up to you to decide.
Opportunity Cost Louvered Roof or Covered Porch or Pergola?
If you’re looking for a permanent cover, you only have three options outside of the Louvered Roof.
Covered Porch
Whether the covered porch is made of wood and includes the need to finish it, insulate it, and paint or stain it or aluminum, you’re always going to have one major downside to a project like this: the space below and the windows adjacent are going to be permanently darker. If that doesn’t matter to you and your roof line doesn’t make a covered porch outrageous in terms of cost, then by all means, get a porch. Understand also that when you put it up, wind won’t circulate the same way it does now. It often will deaden some of that wind moving through. Also, please, please, please, get your roof insulated. You don’t want to still feel the sun as it heats your head through your roof.
Cedar Pergola
Pergolas are open. Let’s start by mentioning that. This will not shade you permanently. It won’t offer rain protection. Cedar pergolas are several thousand dollars in Cedar that will need maintnece. It will rot eventually where the posts meet the ground and the lattice work will attract bugs of all sorts who will want to burrow into it. While there are tarps and metal roofs you can smack on top, often those create other issues like a radiant heater with a black metal roof over your head or a leak fest with a tarp. Even the retractable fabric tops have their major issues with the spring tension often requiring a service every couple years.
Vinyl Pergola
What happens to plastic after years in the sun and rain? I can answer that for you. It degrades. Ever seen a clear plastic ten years later? It turns yellow, sometimes so yellow it turns brown. White vinyl does the same thing. Not only does the wood that’s loaded inside to give it some actual structure to stand up rot over the years but the vinyl starts to warp and age until it looks old. Does it work for likely the next seven years? Probably. After that, you’re going to need to replace it or find something different, especially if you’re going to sell the house. You want to add value, not give the buyer a way to push your price down.
Sunroom
The big momma. If you’ve ever gotten a quote for a Sunroom, you’ll find that they can range from $30,000 to $70,000 for the exact same square footage. Why? There are dozens of variables at play here. I’ll list a few.
Is there existing concrete, pavers or deck that have to be removed?
How many continuous lineal feet of foundation are needed?
Are we doing a vapor barrier in the new slab?
Is the new slab insulated?
Is it on an insulated deck system?
What are the windows made of? Fiberglass? Vinyl? Aluminum?
What is the frame made of? Cedar? Treated wood? Regular Dimensional timber? Aluminum? Is the Aluminum heat broken?
What does the ceiling finish look like?
How much extra roof needs to be tied into?
Is it a gable or a shed roof?
How much are the existing shingles per square?
What is the exterior trim? Siding? Brick?
What is the Interior Trim?
Is there a glass kneewall?
Do we have to work around a dryer vent or a window?
How many outlets?
How is it going to be heated?
How far is it from the main breaker?
Is there enough power on the main breaker or do we need a tail panel?
Can the existing house heat provide for the sunroom without making the house and the room disproportionately too hot or too cold.
So, are louvered roofs worth it?
Yes, but don’t take my word for it. Exercise your mind on the other options. Consider the upkeep cost and the fact that this unit will look the same 20 years from now as it does the day its installed with minimal upkeep. Understand it won’t darken the room its next to. It gives you shade and breathability. It’s control of your space when you want it and complete openness to the weather when you don’t. Give it a shot. You won’t be disappointed.
