Replace traditional shingled roof with metal roof? Experiences?

[lhfarm]

Lost a shingle this winter and looking at replacing nearly 20 year old roof on both house and detached garage. My wife thinks she would like a metal roof. I've not started the research, so don't know much about cost or performance differences. I'd appreciate hearing about your experience of living with a metal roof and any suggestions for how to go about finding a product.

Thanks,

 

[AaronS]

I've seen a few homes that have went that direction. If you get the right color, it looks very good. If you get the right metal, you should never have to replace it, unless you have a whopper of a hail storm. I've been told that standing seam is best but more expensive. We have metal on our 106 year old farm house and we love listening to rain on the metal roof.

 

[nikdfish]

We recently redid the roof on our rental house in metal. The last two shingle roofs (installed through the rental management co.) didn't make it 10 years before having issues, so we changed up this time. We handled the project directly and went with a middle tier product (in my opinion) with exposed fasteners. The cost was between 2x & 3x the quotes for shingles. If it had been for our primary residence, I would have held out for concealed fasteners, but that probably would double the price.

If memory serves, the installed system came with a 40 year replacement warranty. We were on-site for the whole tear off, decking repair, and install process. The crew boss was very good about explaining what and why things were done and the crew were clearly well versed in their craft. If you do go metal, get installers that see that as their primary job and are experienced as the small details can make a big difference in how the product looks and performs.

One difference between buying stock metal from a building supply & getting it special ordered from a metal supplier other than getting more color and profile options is that you can get custom lengths to match your roof dimensions rather than having to piece together stock lengths. Our installer was affiliated with a supplier and was knowledgeable about their products and their installation requirements. Such an affiliation may be needed to get the best warranty coverage.

Nick

 

[wsc9tt]

When we built my current house I had the Amish crew use a metal roof. They used standard pole barn metal that was pretty much the same as what they sell at Menards.
http://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/siding/steel-siding/12-l-pro-rib-panel/p-2027900.htm

(only this came from some Amish relative that has a metal fabricating plant in his barn ;-) )

It took them a while to figure out how to do all the flashing and they couldn't find parts to create a ridge vent so we had to use traditional gable end vents. So one vaulted ceiling had to be flat at the top to have room for the vents. Also you need to use formed mesh at the eves to keep bugs from enters up the ridges in the roof.
We also put a rolled bubble wrap type insulation under the roof. That helps moderate the attic temps and reduces the noise during heavy rain storms.

The 3 levels of roof are because this is a passive solar house. The overhangs will completely shade the big south windows during the summer when the sun is high in the sky, but don't block the sun in the winter.

Anyway the roof looks really good and I think it is going to last a long time. And by avoiding the "official" metal for houses it was at least 1/2 the cost probably more like a 1/3.

 

[lilburr]

Lost a shingle this winter and looking at replacing nearly 20 year old roof on both house and detached garage. My wife thinks she would like a metal roof. I've not started the research, so don't know much about cost or performance differences. I'd appreciate hearing about your experience of living with a metal roof and any suggestions for how to go about finding a product.

Thanks,

if existing is in decent shape, can a metal roof be installed directly on top of shingled roof ? It would seem (to me) to quiet the metal and also insulate.

 

[aczlan]

if existing is in decent shape, can a metal roof be installed directly on top of shingled roof ? It would seem (to me) to quiet the metal and also insulate.

Yes, you just have to install purlins (ie: 2x4s" going across the roof) to help it "stand off" of the old shingles.
IIRC it is considered better to tear them off and put down new tarpaper, then install purlins, but if the old roof is in decent shape (ie: not curling).

Aaron Z

 

[wsc9tt]

Mine has purlins directly on the rafters with no sheathing at all.

 

[aczlan]

Mine has purlins directly on the rafters with no sheathing at all.

That works for new construction, but to go over a existing roof, tearing off the sheathing is a lot of work that isn't necessarily needed.

Aaron Z

 

[forgeblast]

I replaced my shingles last year, we had a storm and it ripped off sections. (The owner/builder over drove the nails). I looked at metal, stone coated metal, and shingle.
Metal--I only wanted hidden fastener since I was told in about 10 years I would have to replace the screws with the washer when they started to fail. I have a 10-12 pitch a frame, not something I wanted to take care of myself. The hidden fastener style were out of our $$ range.
Stone coated metal shingles--bad warranty coverage in Canada, did not trust the current company's to honor their warranty.
Shingle we went with a 30 year architectural with ice and water dam (roof did not have any) and we removed three sky lights also. We could not be happier, the roof looks great. we were able to replace for the exact money that the insurance company gave us.

 

[paulharvey]

With the price of shingles anymore metal is looking better and better. The trim and screws drive the price for metal up. Metal is ideal for a simple gable roof without a lot of vents, stacks, valleys, dormers, ect. When you lay the purlions on top of the shingles, make sure you ask the metal supplier/manufacturer if and which preasure treated wood to use; some types will break down the galvilum.