Interesting experiences shared here, but I gotta say my experience has been a bit different. A couple years back, we opted for a premium breathable membrane on our roof replacement—mostly because the contractor strongly recommended it. Initially, I was skeptical about the extra cost too, but honestly, after two winters and some pretty heavy storms, we've had zero issues with moisture or leaks. Maybe we just got lucky...or maybe sometimes the pricier stuff does pay off in the long run? Hard to say for sure.
Glad to hear the pricier membrane worked out for you. I went the budget route on my last roof—standard felt underlayment, basic shingles—and it's held up fine for about 5 years now. But I gotta admit, every time we get a heavy storm, I'm up there in the attic with a flashlight, half expecting to find a leak...so far so good, but maybe peace of mind alone is worth the extra cash? Next time around, I'll probably spring for something higher-end.
I totally get that feeling of attic anxiety during storms...been there myself. About ten years ago, I went the budget route too, and it actually held up surprisingly well. But when we finally upgraded to a higher-quality underlayment and shingles, the peace of mind was priceless. Now when storms roll in, instead of grabbing a flashlight, I just brew some tea and enjoy the sound of rain hitting the roof. Definitely worth it for the stress reduction alone.
Went through something similar a few years back—tried to patch things up cheaply at first, but the leaks always found their way back. Eventually bit the bullet and invested in quality materials. Haven't worried about storms since...sleeping soundly beats attic inspections any day.
"tried to patch things up cheaply at first, but the leaks always found their way back."
Yeah, learned that lesson myself. Quick fixes seem tempting, but roofs just aren't forgiving. I was skeptical about spending more initially—figured it was mostly marketing hype—but quality shingles and proper underlayment really do make a difference. Plus, if you factor in the cost of repeated repairs and water damage... investing upfront actually saves money (and sanity) in the long run.
