Roof coatings and tile paints are often advertised by specialist companies as a silver bullet-type cure to all your roof problems. Nothing could be further from the truth. Roof coatings do not prevent heat loss via the roof (a popular claim).
They do not offer any long-term protection against moss and they can look awful when the paint/coating starts to peel off.
One claim often touted by roof coating companies is that a roof coating will increase the value of the property. This is simply not true, if you ask any estate agent or property expert they will tell you the same thing, that spray painting tiles does not increase the value of a house.
Would you be prepared to pay extra for a property that looked like this?
Or Would You Want to Pay Less?
As someone who has worked in the building trade for over 18 years, my first thought after looking at this photo is:
How the hell am I going to tidy up that mess? How much will that cost?
The truth is most roofs in the UK look almost identical, they all have the same “weathered” appearance. While a roof paint may seem a good idea, it certainly won’t should the coating peel off or look anything like the example in that photo.
Potential Buyers
Any potential buyer looking at that house will most likely be thinking:
Why is there paint peeling off the roof tiles of this house? Why does this house look out of place compared to the neighbouring houses? How much will it cost to rectify? Will I need to “re-coat” this roof every few years? How much will that cost?
As stated in previous articles on this website, using a powered jet wash to clean a roof in preparation for roof coating/paint can cause damage and reduce the life expectancy of the tiles.
High powered jet washing is not recommended by tile manufacturers, Trading Standards or most roofing organizations.
So the Question Becomes: Will a Roof Coating Lower the Value of the House?
Only a buyer can tell you if they would be prepared to pay more or less for a property that has had its roof unnecessarily covered in paint. Personally, I would be concerned about what the roof will look like in a few years when the paint starts to wash or peel off.
I would also be VERY worried about the cost to scrub that awful paint off.
Thinking of Having Your Roof Power Washed and Coated? Read These First!
Is it safe to pressure wash a roof?
How to clean a roof and remove roof moss WITHOUT power washing