Recycling asphalt roof shingles & roofing costs in general

[mainegirl]

Good morning,

I just met with a roofer the other day who quoted me a price to replace the roof on our gabled farmhouse and attached barn. Needless to say it made my eyes pop out. I had wanted to get a metal roof, but apparently they're 2-1/2 times more expensive than asphalt shingles?! Yikes! I hadn't realized the price had gone up so much!

I'm trying to find information on recycling asphalt shingles. Apparently in Maine they recycle them for road material so they don't end up in landfills.

I was also wondering if people here had done the work themselves and how hard it is to do? Is it common to take the shingles off ourselves and then have the roofers install new ones? We don't have the money to get the whole job done at once so I'm looking for cost-saving measures wherever we can.

[tnrsmom]

Jen, my dh does roofs and always reccommends that if someone wants to cut costs the best way to do it is to do tear off. Have someone else put the new roof on so that if there is a problem, you are covered. If you do it yourself and have a problem in a year or two, you are kind of screwed.

Good luch.