Asphalt shingle vs metal roof

Asphalt costs roughly a third of metal and every roofer installs it. Metal lasts two to three times as long, but the payback only works if you stay in the house.

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Quick answerAsphalt costs roughly a third of metal and every roofer installs it. Metal lasts two to three times as long, sheds snow and hail better, and can lower insurance in hail-prone states. On a twenty-year horizon, asphalt replaced once is usually cheaper than metal installed once. If you pick metal, standing seam is the version worth paying for.

This is a decision about how long you will own the house, not just about materials. The payback on metal only works if you stay. If you are likely to sell inside the life of one asphalt roof, the extra money for metal mostly goes to the next owner.

1Side by side

Overlapping brown asphalt roof shingles with a rough granular surface — Asphalt shingle: the lower-cost default that every roofer installs. Photo by Martin Leitgeb on Unsplash.

A red metal roof against a blue sky — A metal roof: more expensive up front, and it lasts two to three times as long. Photo by chris robert on Unsplash.

Factor	Asphalt shingle	Metal (standing seam)
Installed cost	Roughly a third of metal	The expensive option up front
Lifespan	The baseline	Two to three times as long
Who can install it	Every roofer	Fewer crews; ask how many metal roofs they have done
Snow and hail	Hail bruises shingles and knocks off granules	Sheds snow and hail better; panels can still dent
Insurance	Standard	Can lower premiums in hail-prone states; ask your insurer
Repairs	Easy to patch and match	Repairs need a metal installer and the right panel
Best fit	You may sell within twenty years	You plan to stay for the long run

2Which one fits your situation

Choose asphalt

You might move within twenty years
You want the widest choice of contractors and the easiest repairs
Your budget is fixed and the deck or ventilation also needs work
You live outside heavy snow and hail country

Choose metal

This is the house you plan to stay in
You get regular hail or heavy snow
Your insurer offers a lower premium for it
You can find an installer with a real metal track record

For most households asphalt is the sensible default, because the twenty-year math favors it. Metal wins when you will be there long enough to collect on its lifespan, or when weather and insurance tilt the numbers.

3How to run the numbers

Pick your horizonBe honest about how long you will own the house. That number decides more than the material does.
Price both on the same scopeAsk for asphalt and metal quotes that include the same tear-off, decking repair, underlayment, flashing and ventilation work, so you compare roofs and not line items.
Compare one metal roof to the asphalt roofs you would buyOver your horizon, count how many asphalt roofs you would actually pay for. On twenty years, that is usually one, and one asphalt roof is usually cheaper than one metal roof.
Ask your insurerIn hail-prone states, a metal roof can lower your premium. Get the figure in writing and add it to the metal side.

4Not all metal roofs are equal

Standing seam is the version worth paying for. The fasteners are hidden under raised seams, so nothing pierces the weather surface.

Exposed-fastener panels

Cheaper metal panels are screwed through the face. Those screws seal with rubber gaskets, and the gaskets fail. They become a maintenance item you will be chasing for the life of the roof.

Whatever you choose, the roof only lasts as long as its weakest detail. Flashing, valleys and ventilation decide that. If the attic has no ridge vent and no soffit intake, fix that with the new roof.

Want both options priced?

Talk to a local roofer and ask for asphalt and standing-seam quotes on the same scope of work.

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5Questions

Does a metal roof pay for itself?

Only if you stay in the house. On a twenty-year horizon, asphalt replaced once is usually cheaper than metal installed once. The longer you stay, the better metal looks.

Will a metal roof lower my insurance?

It can in hail-prone states. Policies differ, so ask your insurer for the number in writing before you count on it.

Can metal go over my existing shingles?

Sometimes, but it depends on local code, the number of layers already there and the deck condition. See two or three layers of shingle already on the roof and check local code.

Are exposed-fastener metal panels a good budget option?

They cost less up front, but the gaskets on the screws fail and become ongoing maintenance. Standing seam is the version worth paying for.

Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Exterior Services earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.

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