Metal roof cost

A standing seam metal roof on a typical house costs about three times what architectural asphalt costs. The material is roughly $650 a square against $230 for shingle, and the labor is the bigger gap: metal takes around three times the crew hours because panels are cut and formed on site and every seam is mechanically locked.

The trade-off is length of service. Asphalt is a 20 to 25 year roof. Standing seam steel, installed properly, is a 40 to 70 year roof. Whether that is worth paying for depends almost entirely on how long you intend to own the house.

Not all metal roofs cost the same

"Metal roof" covers two very different products, and quotes that look wildly apart are often comparing them.

Exposed-fastener ribbed panels are the corrugated steel sheets you see on agricultural buildings, screwed down through the face of the panel. Installed, they run $400 to $650 a square, which is competitive with architectural asphalt. The rubber washers under the screws are the weak point; they need inspection every few years and eventual replacement.

Standing seam hides the fasteners under raised, interlocking seams. Nothing penetrates the weather surface. It costs $915 to $2,000 a square installed and it is what people usually mean by a metal roof when they are comparing lifetimes.

Copper and zinc are a separate tier again, commonly $2,500 to $4,500 a square, and are specified for architectural reasons rather than economic ones.

What a standing seam roof costs

On a 20 square roof, which is a 1,600 square foot single-story footprint at a standard pitch:

• Material, panels and clips and underlayment: $9,000 to $20,000
• Labor: $7,600 to $16,000
• Tear-off of one existing layer: $1,700 to $4,000
• Permit: $250 to $900

That comes to roughly $18,500 at the low end and $41,000 at the high end, with a typical job near $27,000. The same roof in architectural asphalt is about $11,000.

Where the extra labor goes

Asphalt shingles arrive ready to nail down. Standing seam panels arrive as coil or as pre-cut lengths and are formed to your roof, often by a roll former parked in the driveway. Each panel is set, clipped, and seamed with a mechanical crimper. Flashings at valleys, walls, chimneys and skylights are fabricated rather than bought, and every one is bespoke.

That is why a cut-up roof punishes a metal budget far harder than a shingle budget. A simple gable roof and a roof with six dormers cost about the same per square in asphalt. In standing seam the dormered roof can cost 40% more.

Does it pay for itself

Usually not through energy savings alone. A reflective metal roof cuts summer cooling load and typically saves $100 to $250 a year in a hot climate, which does not recover a $16,000 premium.

The case for metal is made on three other things: it lasts two to three times as long, so you replace it once instead of twice; some insurers discount premiums for Class 4 impact-rated metal in hail-prone states; and it does not need replacing before a sale, which matters if you plan to stay.

If you expect to move within ten years, asphalt is almost always the better financial decision.

Frequently asked questions

Is a metal roof noisy in rain?

Not over a solid deck. The noise people remember is from metal over open purlins on a barn or porch. On a house with plywood sheathing and underlayment beneath it, a standing seam roof is quieter than asphalt under hail.

Can metal go over existing shingles?

Sometimes, and it saves the tear-off line, but it is a false economy on most jobs. Leaving the old roof on hides deck rot, can void the manufacturer warranty, and adds weight. Most reputable metal installers will not do it.

Will it attract lightning?

No. Metal does not attract lightning, and if a roof is struck, metal disperses the charge better than shingle and will not ignite. Insurers do not rate metal roofs as a higher lightning risk.

How long does a standing seam roof actually last?

Steel with a quality coating is a 40 to 60 year roof, aluminum similar, copper and zinc well beyond that. Coating quality is what separates them: a Kynar 500 or Hylar 5000 finish holds color for decades where a cheaper polyester finish chalks and fades in ten to fifteen years. Ask which finish is quoted.