Option A
Standing Seam Metal
One roof for the life of the house. Formed on site, no exposed fasteners.
- 50+
- year lifespan
- 140+
- mph wind rating
- 25
- yr workmanship warranty
Standing Seam Metal vs. Asphalt Shingles: An Honest Comparison
We install both. We are not going to tell you metal is right for every house, because it is not. Here is the real comparison, including where asphalt is the better decision.
Side by side
Fourteen Things That Actually Differ
Option B
Architectural Asphalt Shingles
The familiar choice. Lower cost up front, replaced two or three times over the same fifty years.
- 20–30
- year lifespan
- 110–130
- mph wind rating
- 5
- yr workmanship warranty
Cost & lifespan
Lifespan
Asphalt shingles: 20 to 30 years in New England
Upfront cost
Asphalt shingles: Lower
Cost over 50 years
Asphalt shingles: Two roofs, sometimes three
New England weather
Snow & ice
Asphalt shingles: Holds snow, more prone to ice dams and backed-up water
Wind
Asphalt shingles: Typically 110 to 130 mph
Fire
Asphalt shingles: Class A with proper assembly, but the material burns
Energy
Asphalt shingles: Dark asphalt absorbs and holds heat, radiating into the attic into the evening
Living with it
Maintenance
Asphalt shingles: Periodic repairs, granule loss, cracked or lifted shingles, moss on shaded slopes
Weight
Asphalt shingles: Heavier per square than metal
Appearance
Asphalt shingles: Familiar, traditional, blends into most neighborhoods
Solar
Asphalt shingles: Every mount is a hole
Environmental
Asphalt shingles: Petroleum-based, landfilled
Warranty
Manufacturer warranty
Asphalt shingles: 20 to 30 years, usually prorated
Our workmanship warranty
Asphalt shingles: 5 years
Twelve of fourteen go to metal. Asphalt wins on upfront cost, and on appearance it comes down to the house. Both are true, and we say so at the estimate.
Resale
The Honest Answer on Home Value
You will find websites claiming a metal roof returns 85% or more of its cost at resale. That is not what the data shows, and we are not going to tell you it does.
The industry benchmark is the annual Cost vs. Value Report. In its most recent national figures, a metal roof replacement recouped roughly 50% of its cost at resale. Asphalt shingle replacement recouped roughly 68%.
On percentage alone, asphalt wins at the closing table. Here is what that number does not capture:
You only pay once. That comparison is a snapshot at the moment of sale. It does not account for the asphalt roof being replaced again in twenty years while the metal roof is not.
Homes with documented new roofs sell faster. A transferable fifty-year roof removes the biggest inspection objection a buyer can raise.
A failed roof costs far more than a roof. Interior water damage runs thousands in drywall, insulation, and remediation that never enters an ROI calculation.
Lower operating cost every year you own it. Fewer repairs, reduced cooling load, and in some cases a lower insurance premium.
- 50%of cost recoupedMetal roof replacement
- 68%of cost recoupedAsphalt shingle replacement
- National figures, Cost vs. Value Report. A snapshot at the moment of sale.
When to choose shingles
Where Asphalt Is the Right Call
We install both. When one of these is true, shingles are the honest recommendation and we make it.
GAF and CertainTeed architectural systems, installed by the same crew, to the same standard. No bait and switch.
- 01
Selling soon
You just need a sound, marketable roof that passes inspection. Asphalt gets you there for less.
- 02
Fixed budget
Metal does not fit the number. A well-installed shingle roof beats a compromised metal roof every time.
- 03
Cut-up roofline
Extremely complex geometry, where metal’s advantages shrink and its cost climbs.
- 04
HOA or historic district
Where the rules take metal off the table, we install the best shingle system allowed.
And a third option
Put metal where it matters and shingle everywhere else.
Standing seam on the parts that leak, shed snow or show from the street. Architectural shingle on the main field. A fraction of the cost of a full metal roof.
- Dormers
- Porch roofs
- Bays
- Valleys
Get Your Free Estimate
Tell us about your roof.
We respond within one business day, usually the same day.
- Phone
- (978) 751-2053
- Hours
- Monday-Saturday 7am-6pm
- Service Area
- MassachusettsNew HampshireMaine
