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General => General Forum => Topic started by: peteh2833 on September 02, 2008, 04:12:49 PM

Title: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: peteh2833 on September 02, 2008, 04:12:49 PM
Anyone know the cost difference between shingles and metal roofing? Which is cheaper??? I would think that with the cost of metal and steel going through the roof it would be cheaper to put on shingles. Thanks Pete
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Redoverfarm on September 02, 2008, 04:24:30 PM
I am sure that shingles would be the cheaper way to go.  At least for the short run.  But the metal would provide twice the life. 100% better protection against fire and wind damage.  And it would probably be less likely to leak.  To me there really wasn't a choice when I factored some of these into the idea. 
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: peteh2833 on September 02, 2008, 05:02:46 PM
I'd love to get the metal becuase the snow would slide off very easily. I just don't think it would be affordable. Pete
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: rwanders on September 02, 2008, 05:50:20 PM
I live in snow country and would not hesitate to choose metal over shingles----if you are contracting for the work, I think you would find that the labor costs for metal would be lower and, as others have said, the durability factors favor metal by a very large margin. Metal roof material costs vary quite a bit and lighter gauge metal may be sufficient for your design needs. If you choose exposed fasteners over hidden that will also lower your costs without affecting durability.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: MountainDon on September 02, 2008, 07:04:12 PM
Don't forget shingles are a product that uses petroleum in its manufacture.

The only way you'll know what your local price on metal vs asphalt/fiberglass shingles is to check locally.

Metal will cost more I'm certain, but you'll also probably never be replacing it, depending on your longevity.

I just paid for the metal for the roof on our cabin today, 22 x36" wide panels, 11 feet 3 inches long, plus the rake, ridge and ridge seals; $1300 round numbers. I didn't even bother pricing out shingles; I knew we wanted metal. You can't beat it for snow sliding off or longevity.

Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: peteh2833 on September 02, 2008, 07:30:23 PM
Thanks. I'll look into it. Pete
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: MountainDon on September 02, 2008, 07:32:13 PM
I should add that is 26 ga. steel, not lighter ga. 29 that the big box stores around here offer.

I'm paying $250 plus a bonus of maybe $25 - 50 for the installation.

Add to that $100 for two Dektite flashings; one for the wood stove chimney and one for the toilet vent stack. These are rubber boots with dead soft aluminum molded into the base flange. They conform to any roofing material. Usually they need no caulk.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Redoverfarm on September 02, 2008, 08:52:45 PM
peteh2833 there should be someplace near Pittsburg or the steel industry near you that makes metal roofing.  There is a place near me that did have it for about $2.00 a ln ft. That would be the 29 ga. The 26 ga. is slightly higher.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: glenn kangiser on September 02, 2008, 10:09:58 PM
The 29 gauge is sometimes a higher tensile strength so it is still pretty strong -- the steel company will have specification sheets on it.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: peteh2833 on September 03, 2008, 05:13:25 AM
Thanks for the info. Pete
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Squirl on September 05, 2008, 11:22:01 AM
There are a few factors we don't know.  Are you doing the roof or hiring someone?  How big is the roof?  Dimensions?

$2.00 ln foot is a good price.  I once found $1.50 ln foot at a local tractor supply place.  You can even find it as low as 2.65 ln foot on line at www.polebarnsonline.com . I'm a numbers guy so lets break down the numbers.  I will use the figures from the pole barn site as an example.  I will use Lowes for the asphalt shingle example, because the prices are usually pretty standard across all big box stores and areas, and they are online.  The last I checked they were 18.75 a pack that covered 33 square feet.  The metal roof cost $44.64 per sheet and covered 48 square feet. 

So if you have a hypothetical roof of 800 square ft. The shingle roof would cost approximately $455 and the metal roof $744.  This is just the material and not the felt paper, fasteners, shipping, etc. Yes the metal roof would cost 65% more, but it is only $270 for the 30 year warranty and far superior product.  You can also extend the life of a metal roof by maintaining it and painting it.  Also once it goes, you can recycle it instead of paying for the dump.  Almost 20% of the yearly landfill in this country is from construction waste, most of that being asphalt shingles. 

My dream would be to put a copper roof on.  With a good patina for protection it can last a hundred years, but knowing my luck I would go away for a weekend and come back to no roof on my house.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Redoverfarm on September 05, 2008, 11:27:39 AM
Not to mention the price of copper roof.  Say you put your land up against the loan for the copper.  It would probably not be a clear title for 100 years. Nice but toooo pricey for me. 
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Squirl on September 05, 2008, 12:25:14 PM
Yeah, I priced it out about a year ago.  Copper was going for $800 a square.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Alasdair on September 05, 2008, 02:33:47 PM
Is slate too expensive in the U.S. ?
Here you can build anything you want so long as it is white and has a slate roof!
(https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh196/alianita/countryplans/image146.jpg)
Slate roofs will last 100+ years. (It's usually the nails tha give up not the slates!) they're relatively easy to lay, maintain seem to do well in all weathers and they look great.

(https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh196/alianita/countryplans/slateroof1.jpg)  (https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh196/alianita/countryplans/slateroof.jpg)

Here metal roofs are rarely allowed on domestic buildings (local vernacular and all that) and I've never heard of asphalt shingles on anything other than garden sheds - I don't know that it would meet regs here.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Redoverfarm on September 05, 2008, 03:01:50 PM
Slate you would have to mortgage 150 years.   ;D  I do love the slate roofs. Even Terra Cotta are nice but only the elite use them.  I once worked for a Developer who was going to slate a 10X20 bus stop and mail box area for a housing development.  His estimate was $25,000 for that little building. Used Arch shingles instead.

I guess they could use copper nails instead of galvanized.  Utility companies use copper nails to affix tags.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: ScottA on September 05, 2008, 05:22:05 PM
Around here metal is about 1/3 more than shingles. I used shingles on mine mostly for looks and the fact my roof has alot of angles.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Squirl on September 05, 2008, 05:39:21 PM
Slate is not an option for most roofs for a few reasons.
1. Takes a fair amount of skill and experiance.  It is not nearly as easy as asphalt or metal.  I had to repair the roof of my house with my father once. I think everyone should try it once.  Have fun punching holes in them and nailing them in without cracking it. It was a terrific pain. We eventually redid the roof in asphalt. Slate roofs are also much harder to nail down the spot of a leak.
2. Load.  The load of slate or ceramic tile is much heavier than metal or asphalt.  Most roofs designs need to be reinforced to handle the extra load.  Many designs and code I have seen range anywhere from 15# per square foot to 30# per square foot.  Add the weight of snow and stone on your roof and you will need many rafters close together.  This actually is the reason that many people I know don't go with slate rather than the next one.
3. Cost.  It is expensive, labor and materials.  If you want to get an idea look at the cost on ebay of used slate shingles.  On the flip side, if you change your mind you can always resell them and get some money back if you meticulously unistall them and don't crack them.  The only ones I saw in quantity where 300 aged and worn for $300.  That is about for $1.00 / square ft for old cracked worn shingles.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: glenn kangiser on September 06, 2008, 01:19:46 AM
Cool roofs, Al.

We have tons of slate quarries here-- I need to do a small building with a slate roof making my own of course - I'm too cheap to buy it.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: soomb on September 07, 2008, 11:28:14 AM
And to throw a green wrench in the works.  With a metal roof you can have an easier time for rainwater collection (potable or non).

that was your eco-geek moment... go on about your day. ;D
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: Erin on September 07, 2008, 04:36:44 PM
Metal will also be more likely to get you some discounts from your home insurer.

Ours (State Farm) does anyway.
Title: Re: Shingles or Metal Roofing ?
Post by: MountainDon on September 07, 2008, 05:30:05 PM
Yes State farm does discount the premium for most metal roofing. They do have some rules for re-roofing... like the old shingles must be removed. I'm not sure but they may have been a requirement for certain gauge metal. Or maybe my memory is faulty. Again.