Metal Roofing in Charlotte, NC: Is It Worth It Over Shingles?

Three different products get called metal roofing, and they aren't built or priced alike.

• Standing-seam panels. Long panels joined at raised seams, with the fasteners hidden under the seams. This is the metal option in the home page calculator.
• Exposed-fastener panels. Ribbed panels screwed through the face, familiar from barns and sheds. They cost less, and each screw relies on a rubber washer to stay sealed.
• Metal shingles or tiles. Stamped pieces shaped to look like shingle, shake or tile.

Make sure every quote names the same type, gauge and finish.

• The budget is tight. A well-installed architectural shingle roof is a sound choice.
• You may move before long. You pay metal's higher price now, and nobody can tell you how much of it a buyer will pay back.
• The roof is cut up with valleys, dormers and skylights, where metal's labor climbs fastest.
• Your HOA restricts metal or the colors it comes in.
• Your current roof is still sound. Tearing off a working roof just to get metal is hard to justify. If you're not sure whether yours is due, the roof repair guide covers the signs.

• You plan to stay a long time. Ask the roofer, in writing, how long the exact product is expected to last.
• The roof is a simple shape with long, uninterrupted slopes.
• You like the look of standing seam, and your HOA allows it.
• You've compared written metal and shingle quotes for the same house, and the difference is worth it to you.

Standing-seam metal is the priciest of the three materials in the calculator. The gap comes from several places:

• Panels cost more than shingle bundles.
• Every edge, valley, wall and chimney needs metal trim or flashing bent and fitted to it.
• Fewer roofers install metal, and those who do need metal-specific tools and experience.
• A roof with many valleys, hips and dormers costs more in metal than a simple gable, because each cut and joint takes time.

Height and steepness hit metal just as they hit shingles: the home page price list adds +15% from 8/12, +25% from 10/12, +8% for two stories and +18% for three. The calculator doesn't ask for pitch, so allow for it on a steep roof. In the calculator, enter your roof size, pick Standing-seam metal, then switch to Architectural asphalt to see the gap for your own house.

Ask each roofer for the rated reflectance of the exact panel finish, and compare it with a cool shingle, not a dark one.

Hail. Metal takes hail differently from shingles: instead of bruising or cracking, panels can dent. Whether a dent lets water in depends on the damage. How your homeowners policy treats dents on a metal roof is a question for your agent before you choose metal, not after a storm. The storm damage and insurance claim guide covers what to do after hail on any roof.

Wind. What keeps a metal roof in place is its clips, fasteners and edge trim. Ask the roofer how the panels will be attached and what wind rating the system carries, in writing.

Noise. Metal over open rafters, as on a barn, is loud in the rain. On a house, the sound depends on what goes under the panels (decking, underlayment) and on the attic and insulation below. Ask the roofer what they plan to install under the panels.

Going from shingles to metal changes how the house looks from the street. If you're in a homeowners association, read its architectural rules for anything about metal, roof color or reflective finishes before you sign. Get the panel profile and color name from the roofer, submit them if approval is needed, and keep the approval with your contract.

Whether your job needs a permit depends on its cost and scope. Our roof replacement guide quotes the state and County permit rules and covers licensing, deposits and your right to cancel, so we won't repeat them here.

Metal is a specialty. Ask any roofer how many standing-seam roofs they've installed and whether you can see one, whether panels are formed on site or in a shop, how the seams are locked, and how they'll flash the chimney and walls. If your quote is at or above $40,000, read the licensing section of the roof replacement guide before you sign.

If a metal roof is pitched to you at your kitchen table, slow down and get a second price.

The fairest way to decide is two written prices for your own house, one in metal and one in shingles. Try both in the calculator, then ask for a quote and say you'd like both priced. The local roofer we connect you with can tell you whether metal is work they take on. Asking costs nothing, and you're under no obligation.

Get my quote Call (980) 890-4509

Roofers in Charlotte NC is a referral service, not a roofing company. We may be paid by the roofer we connect you with. Prices and the calculator live on the Roofers in Charlotte NC home page.