Longevity of materials. It can be hard to know what type of material makes the most sense. If it always seems to be a tradeoff between price and longevity, that's because it is. Here is a rough guide as to how long you can expect certain materials to last.
- New roof shingles (asphalt): Minimum of 15 years. As much as 30 years.
- Wooden deck: Most will last up to 15 years, possibly more if properly sealed and maintained.
- Ceramic tile: If ceramic is treated properly, there's no reason it can't last up to 100 years or more.
- Vinyl: Vinyl is not the most aesthetically appealing choice, but it can last from 10 to 20 years.
- Wood flooring: Properly care for, wood flooring can last 50 to 100 years.
Longevity of appliances. When replacing appliances, it's always a good idea to bite the bullet and go for quality over economy when possible. Buying a cheap appliance might seem like a good solution at the time, but you can wind of spending as much or more replacing or repairing cheap appliances compared to the cost of having simply bough a quality appliance from the start.
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