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The roof of your house has a much more important role than just adding to the home’s curb appeal. It protects your family and you from the elements, helps insulate your home and if you use the right kind of roofing material, will help you save money on your energy bills as well. Among the different roofing materials available to consumers, metal roofs are gaining popularity, and with good reason. To understand why, here’s an informative read about metal roof cost, types, advantages, and more.
Average costs
The national average cost of metal roofing varies from a low of $9,545 to $43,819.
The average cost of a metal roof varies from $8.50 per square foot to $16 per square foot, depending on the type of metal roofing you choose. This cost is inclusive of installation.
Another common way to measure roofing costs is by a square or a sheet. A square or a sheet of roofing refers to 100 square feet of roof, or a roll of roofing material manufactured to cover that area. A square of roofing averages between $850 to $1600.
Among the factors that affect how much you might end up paying for your new metal roof include the size of your home, the type of metal roof you choose, the design of your roof, and if you have any special design features, such as skylights.
Comparison with asphalt shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most common type of roofing material used across the country. Let’s take a look at how metal roofs fare in comparison to asphalt shingle roofs.
Affordability
At an average cost of between $5,250 to $15,250 including installation, asphalt shingle roofs are more affordable than metal roofs.
Read more: How to estimate a roofing job
Durability
The average lifespan of an asphalt shingle roof is between 7 to 14 years. In comparison, metal roofs outlast them by a large margin, with a lifespan ranging from 40 years to 80 years, depending on the type of metal you choose.
Return on investment
Metal roofs add to the value of a home, with most homeowners seeing a return of investment of 85.9% at the time of selling their home.
Not only do they add to your home’s value, but metal roofs also reduce insurance premiums. This is thanks to their highly durable nature, high fire resistance as well as ability to withstand extreme weather conditions such as heavy snowfall and hale. In fact, metal roofing companies offer extensive warranties ranging from 30 to 50 years.
Energy efficiency
If you’re considering going green and doing your bit to reduce pollution as well as energy consumption, metal roofs are the way to go.
Traditional roofing materials such as asphalt shingles contribute as many as 20 billion pounds of waste to US landfills each year. In comparison, all metal roofs are completely recyclable and are manufactured using 30% to 60% recycled materials.
Metal roofs are also known to be very energy efficient, thanks to the fact that most of them use a simple coating called reflective pigment technology. This makes them reflect heat in the summer while keeping your home better insulated in the winter. Homeowners can expect to save up to 40% on their energy bills using metal roofing.
In addition, metal roofs can be installed on top of your existing roof. This means you get an environmentally friendly roof without contributing excess waste by ripping off and disposing of your old one.
Types of metal roofs
Let’s now take a look at the different types of metal roof prices and features.
1. Corrugated steel roofs
Corrugated steel roofing panels are the most affordable type of metal roofing. The material costs between $1.20 to $5 per square foot, putting it in almost the same price bracket as asphalt roofing. The average cost of a corrugated steel roof is between $10,500 to $19,500.
Roofs made of corrugated steel panels can last between 15 to 30 years and have an ROI of 85.9%. They are energy-efficient, eco-friendly, and resistant to fire, rain, snow, and heat.
These thin, lightweight panels are easily installable over existing roofing. On the downside, this material rusts easily and is susceptible to leaks.
2. Steel and aluminum roofs
These roofs cost between $3 to $9 per square foot. A steel roof would cost you between $15,000 to $25,000 dollars installed, while an aluminum roof, which comes in tiles, would put you down an average of between $15,500 to $28,000 dollars.
While steel roofs have a shelf life of between 15-30 years, aluminum roofs can last up to 40 years or years. These roofs are much more resistant to rust and leaks, although they have the same ROI.
3. Standing seam roofs
At a cost of between $4 and $6.50 per square foot, a standing seam roof will cost between $23,000 to $30,000 for the average American family home. These roofs get their name from the design, which features vertical panels that have interlocking seams.
Thanks to the easy accessibility to roofers across the country, standing seam metal roofs are the most common metal roof design in the USA. These roofs are resistant to hail, wind, fire, and rain. They’re also durable, with a lifespan that can stretch to around 60 years.
The ROI on standing seam roofs is a solid 85.9%, making them a worthy long-term investment.
4. Copper roofs
Copper is considered one of the highest quality metal roofing materials money can buy. With the right maintenance, a copper roof can last you as many as 80 years.
The cost of a copper roof varies from $4 to $15 per square foot, which translates to an average of between $23,000 to $48,000 including installation.
5. Stone-coated steel roofs
If you’re looking for the visual appeal of a stone tiled roof while enjoying the energy efficiency, convenience, and affordability of a metal roof, stone coated steel roofs are the perfect solution for your roofing project. Expect to pay between $5 and $12 per square foot.
Metal roof colors
One of the advantages of metal roofs is that you can color them.
For example, you could choose to go with the overall existing theme of your home and paint your roof either the same color as your siding or a shade that complements it.
You could also choose to get vibrant and dramatic by painting your roof a bright color.
It would, however, help to remember that brightly colored roofs tend to fade and lose their visual appeal, thanks to the constant exposure to the elements. More neutral colors tend to age more naturally.
It works best to choose a color that complements the look and feel of the rest of your home as well as your neighborhood.
Once you’ve decided on a color, you’ll need to choose a finish. There are two popular finishes used on metal roofs.
One of the finishes is polyvinylidene or PVDF. PVDF is commercially known as Kynar or Hylar and is the more popular of the two finishes. This is due to the fact that they are resistant to UV rays and to fading.
Polyester is the less popular of the two finishes, mainly because it is less resistant to the effects of the sun and to fading.
Read more: Can you paint a metal roof?
Metal roof maintenance
- All metal roofs are coated with either galvanized zinc or a mixture of aluminum and zinc, known as galvalume. Galvalume is more durable among the two, so choose right while buying your roof.
- Also keep in mind that the thicker the coating, the longer it will last.
- Wear and tear, however, is inevitable. Long-term exposure to the elements will cause the coating to deteriorate. However, all you need to do is paint on a coat of Kynar to make your roof look and feel new again.
- Metal roofs can be washed using a simple soap solution and a hose to wash them off. However, using steel wool, wire brushes, and other abrasive materials to scrub them clean must be avoided.
Read more: Zinc roof pros and cons
Pro tips
- One of the components that will add to your installation costs is the cost of roof underlayment and other accessories necessary to install your new metal roof. Most roofing contractors integrate this into their estimates, but it helps to stay informed.
- If your existing roof is dilapidated and needs to be pulled down, expect labor to increase your total costs by $2.30 and $5.80 per square foot to remove the roof and transport it to the dump.
- Most contractors make a profit of around 25% of their labor alone. That being said, installation of a metal roof is a highly-skilled job that requires significant experience. Do not make the mistake of choosing the cheapest option available to you just to save on labor costs.
Read more: Modified bitumen roofing
Written by Narayan Shrouthy. May 16, 2021
Narayan is a content writer for Kukun. With experience in both content writing and editing, Narayan mixes his writing and love for reading with his passion for music. As an active musician, He aims to be a key player in Kukun's content experience.
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Normal metal roofs are so noisy, when rain falls down, it is impossible to have peace in your house. You have to add special sound deadening underlay for that