Choosing a roof people actually look up to admire.

Resale value and curb appeal aren't the same thing, but on a roof they overlap more than usual. A thoughtful color and material choice rarely pays back the way a kitchen remodel does, but it prevents the kind of ten-year regret that makes homeowners want to redo the roof early. For a 25-year decision, spending an afternoon on the design side is time well allocated.

Section oneThe color decision, in context

Asphalt shingles come in twenty-plus color lines from each manufacturer, but in Des Moines' housing stock, five or six dominate by context. Brown-black blends (Weathered Wood, Hickory, Barkwood) work on almost any vinyl- or cedar-sided house. Cool gray-charcoals suit brick and stone facades. Warm earth blends flatter craftsman and prairie-style homes. Color chips look very different in a retail envelope than they do covering a 30-square roof under a blue sky; ask for a full bundle sample laid on the existing roof before finalizing.

Section twoLight vs. dark, and the attic consequence

Darker roofs run measurably hotter in summer than lighter ones — five to twenty degrees attic temperature delta in mid-July Iowa sun. If your attic ventilation is marginal, a deep black shingle will make it worse. Modern "cool roof" shingles reflect more infrared even in dark colors and mitigate much of this. Ask for the color's solar reflectance index if summer cooling matters to you.

Section threeMetal color and finish, specifically

Standing seam panels live longer than the paint on them, so color choice is partly about fade resistance. PVDF (Kynar) finishes hold color for 30+ years; SMP (silicone-modified polyester) is brighter out of the box but fades noticeably faster, especially in red and deep blue. For any metal roof you intend to keep, PVDF is the right answer even at its premium. Matte and low-gloss finishes are increasingly specified over the traditional high-gloss, and they age far more gracefully.

A typical Des Moines house shows more roof than wall from 60 feet away — closer to half on older ranches and bungalows.

Section fourRidge, vent, and trim proportions

The ridge cap, vent, and rake trim are the visible edges that frame the roof. On asphalt roofs, high-profile ridge cap (made from cut-and-bent dimensional shingles) reads much better than the thin standard cap. On metal, the ridge height and rake trim proportions are a design choice — 1.5-inch ridge looks more residential; 3-inch ridge reads as commercial/agricultural. Most contractors default to a stock answer; asking the question gets you a better one.

Section fiveMatching existing siding and trim

A roof that fights the siding color ages badly — the eye reads the clash every time it sees the house. Neutral siding (white, gray, beige) forgives almost any roof color. Strong siding colors (navy, sage, red brick) narrow the acceptable roof palette. If you're planning to repaint or re-side in the next five years, make the roof color decision with that future in mind. Otherwise you'll be matching paint to roof instead of the other way around.

Informational only. This page is general guidance from an independent resource — not legal, insurance, or professional contracting advice. Roofing is a significant financial and safety decision; confirm specifics with a licensed Iowa roofing contractor, your city's building department, and your own homeowners policy before acting on anything here.