Metal roofing in Horsham, PA: is it worth it for your house?

Metal vs. shingles: the real pros and cons

Most houses around Horsham have asphalt shingles, and for most of them that's the sensible choice. Metal is a good roof, but it is not automatically the better one. Here is how it actually stacks up.

Where metal wins

• It lasts longer. A well-installed metal roof typically outlives two shingle roofs. If you plan to be in the house for decades, you may never re-roof again.
• Snow and ice slide off. That helps with ice dams, the winter problem where ice at the gutter edge pushes water back under shingles.
• It doesn't lose granules, curl or crack the way aging shingles do, and moss has a hard time getting a hold.
• Wind. Standing seam panels lock together along their whole length, with no tabs for wind to catch.
• Light colors reflect sun, which helps keep an attic cooler in summer.

Where shingles win

• Price. A metal roof costs noticeably more up front than an architectural shingle roof on the same house. If you might move in a few years, you probably will not get that back.
• Repairs are harder. A damaged shingle is a quick, cheap fix. A dented or damaged metal panel often has to be replaced the whole length of the slope, and the color may not match exactly.
• Snow sliding off is also a con. It comes off in sheets. Over a front door, a walkway or a deck, you will want snow guards.
• Dents. Big hail or a falling limb can dent metal. It usually still keeps water out, but it shows.
• Looks. On a traditional colonial in a neighborhood of shingle roofs, metal stands out. Some people love that; some HOAs do not.
• Fewer people can fix it. Any roofer can repair shingles. Metal takes specific tools and experience.

Is metal noisy in the rain?: Not much, on a house. Installed over a solid wood deck with underlayment and an insulated attic below, rain on metal sounds a lot like rain on shingles. The loud tin roof you are thinking of is usually metal over open framing on a barn or shed.

Where metal makes the most sense

Metal is not all-or-nothing. Some of the jobs where it works well:

• Porch roofs and bay windows, as an accent on a shingle house. Small area, big visual difference, and the low end of the price range.
• Low-pitch sections that are too flat for shingles to shed water well but steep enough for standing seam. Truly flat sections need a flat roof system instead.
• The whole house, when you plan to stay a long time and want to be done with re-roofing.
• Homes under big trees that keep losing shingles or growing moss, as long as you accept that a heavy limb can dent it.

If none of those fit, architectural shingles are probably the better money, and we'll tell you so.

Questions to answer before you choose metal

1. How long will you live here? The longer you stay, the more the extra cost of metal pays off. A few years is usually too short.
2. Does your HOA allow it? Some do, some limit colors or styles, some do not allow it. Check before you get attached to a color.
3. Where will the snow land? Look at your doors, walkways, deck and driveway. Plan snow guards over anywhere people walk.
4. What is under the old roof? Metal needs a solid, flat deck. We tear off to the wood and replace bad sheets, just like a shingle replacement.
5. Are you comparing the same thing? Standing seam (raised seams with hidden fasteners) and exposed-fastener panels are very different products at very different prices. Exposed screws have rubber washers that need checking and replacing over the years.

How a metal roof goes on

Metal is less forgiving than shingles. Panels are cut to length for your roof, and the details at the edges, valleys and chimney decide whether it leaks.

• We measure carefully, because panels are made to length for each slope
• The old roof comes off down to the deck, and soft or rotted wood is replaced
• Ice and water barrier goes along the eaves and valleys, with underlayment rated for use under metal over the rest
• Panels go on with trim at the eaves, rakes, ridge and valleys, and flashing fitted at the chimney, walls and pipes
• Snow guards go where sliding snow would land on people, doors or decks

You get a free, written, line-item estimate before anything starts. Financing is available through Hearth, our financing partner. If you just need a repair on an existing metal roof, or a leak at a metal-to-shingle joint fixed, call us for that too.

What it usually costs

The low end of the metal range is a porch or small section; a whole house sits toward the top. Roof size, steepness, panel type and the number of chimneys and valleys move the price most. Shingle prices are shown for comparison.

• Metal Roofing: $5,000 – $25,000
• Shingle Roof Installation: $6,500 – $16,000
• Roof Replacement: $6,500 – $18,000

Questions we get asked

How much does a metal roof cost?

Our metal roofing work falls in a typical range of $5,000 to $25,000. A porch or small section sits at the low end and a full house toward the top, depending on size, steepness and panel type. You get a free written, line-item estimate first.

Is a metal roof better than shingles?

Not automatically. Metal lasts longer and sheds snow, but costs more up front, is harder to repair and can dent. If you plan to stay in the house a long time it often pays off; if you might move in a few years, architectural shingles are usually the better money.

Is a metal roof loud when it rains?

Not much, when it is installed over a solid wood deck with underlayment and an insulated attic. The noisy metal roofs most people remember are on barns and sheds, with no deck underneath.

Does snow slide off a metal roof?

Yes, and that cuts both ways. It helps prevent ice dams, but the snow comes off in sheets, so we put snow guards above doors, walkways and decks.

Can metal go over my existing shingles?

Some installers do it, but we prefer to tear off to the deck. That lets us find and replace rotted wood and put down the right underlayment, and metal needs a solid, flat surface to sit on.

Can I put metal on just part of my roof?

Yes. Porch roofs, bay windows and low-pitch sections are common places to use metal on a house that otherwise has shingles. The joint between the two needs careful flashing, which is part of what we price into the estimate.

Related pages

• Roof Replacement: Full tear-off and new roof when repairs stop making sense. Written, line-item estimate before anything starts.
• Shingle Roofing: Architectural asphalt shingle repair and installation, the roof on most homes around here.
• New Roof Installation: Roofs for additions, new builds and full system upgrades, from the deck up.
• Flat Roofing: Low-slope roofs over porches, additions and row homes, where ponding water is the enemy.
• Roof Inspection: A free, top-to-bottom look at your roof with photos, so you know what you actually need before you spend anything.
• Roof Repair: Leaks, missing shingles, flashing and vents. We fix the problem and tell you honestly how much life the roof has left.
• Horsham: Home base. Our shop is here.
• Hatboro: Borough homes and older twins right next door to Horsham.
• Willow Grove: Post-war Capes, ranchers and splits on their second or third roof.
• Ambler: Older borough homes with steep roofs and plenty of flashing.
• Doylestown: Historic borough homes plus the townships around it.
• Chalfont: Borough and surrounding townships in central Bucks.
• Montgomery County: Where we do most of our work, from Horsham out across the county.
• Bucks County: Warminster, Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, Chalfont and everywhere in between.