Twice the price, three times the life. Whether that trade works depends on one question about you, not about the roof.
On a typical roof the two options run $11,300 – $29,000 installed, with metal at the top of that spread and asphalt shingles at the bottom. Metal costs roughly twice as much up front and lasts two to three times as long, which means it is usually the cheaper roof per year and the more expensive one to buy.
That makes the decision less about roofing than about tenure. If you expect to own the house for another twenty years or more, metal wins on arithmetic and you collect the difference slowly. If you might sell inside ten, you pay the whole premium and hand most of the benefit to the next owner, because buyers rarely price a roof at its remaining service life.
There are cases where the arithmetic stops mattering. In wildfire country a non-combustible roof can decide whether you can insure the house at all. Under heavy snow load, shedding matters more than cost per year. And on a complex roofline with many valleys and penetrations, metal detailing gets expensive fast, which narrows the gap from the wrong direction.
Everything below prices both options from the same national dataset, at the same quality tier, on the same roof.
Standing seam or exposed fastener panels, usually steel or aluminum.
Installed on a 2,000 sq. ft. roof at mid-range quality $23,000 – $29,000
Cost per year of service $329 – $725 a year
Architectural or three-tab shingles, the default on most American houses.
Installed on a 2,000 sq. ft. roof at mid-range quality $11,300 – $15,800
Cost per year of service $377 – $1,053 a year
Metal is the cheaper roof to own and the more expensive one to buy. Asphalt is the opposite. Anyone staying put long enough to reach the second asphalt roof should price metal seriously; anyone who might move first is buying a benefit they will not keep.
Installed cost covering material and labor on a straightforward roof, with the project total priced on the same 2,000 sq. ft. roof so the spread reads in dollars rather than percentages.
| Option | Installed cost per square foot, installed | Lifespan | On the worked example a 2,000 sq. ft. roof at mid-range quality | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal | $10 – $16 | 40 – 70 years | $20,000 – $32,000 | Priced here as standing seam, the concealed-fastener roof worth buying on a house you intend to keep. Exposed-fastener panel costs roughly a third less and is a different product with a shorter life. |
| Asphalt shingles | $4.50 – $9 | 15 – 30 years | $9,000 – $18,000 | The default, and for a reason: lowest entry cost, and every crew in the country installs it. The band runs from basic 3-tab at the bottom to architectural at the top, and so does the lifespan. |
Roof area is not house footprint. A 2,000 sq. ft. house usually carries 2,200 to 2,600 sq. ft. of roof once pitch is counted. Both options are shown before tear-off, pitch and complexity surcharges, which apply to either and are covered in the roofing cost guide.
Installed cost divided by expected service life. This is the only fair way to weigh a roof that costs twice as much and lasts three times as long, and it is where the argument for metal is made.
| Option | On the worked example | Lifespan | Cost per year of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal | $23,000 – $29,000 | 40 – 70 years | $329 – $725 |
| Asphalt shingles | $11,300 – $15,800 | 15 – 30 years | $377 – $1,053 |
The bands are deliberately wide: the low figure assumes a cheap install reaching the top of its expected life, the high figure a dear install failing early. Replacement labor on the second asphalt roof is not included, which understates the metal case for anyone staying long enough to face it.
Both are good roofs. The question is which set of conditions describes your situation, and these two lists are the honest version of that question.
Metal
Asphalt
Roughly, on a straightforward roof. The gap widens on complex rooflines, because every valley, dormer and penetration needs cutting and flashing by hand in metal, and narrows on simple long runs where panels go down fast.
No, the opposite. Coated metal reflects a large share of solar radiation rather than absorbing it the way dark asphalt does, which usually trims summer cooling load. The attic ventilation matters more than the roofing material either way.
Not on a house. The noise people remember comes from metal over an open frame, like a barn or a porch. Over solid decking, underlayment and an insulated attic, a metal roof is close to indistinguishable from shingles.
Many codes allow it and some installers prefer it, since it avoids tear-off cost and disposal. It also hides deck problems you would otherwise find and fix. Our guides treat overlay as a last resort rather than a saving.
Sometimes, particularly for wind and fire resistance in exposed regions, where the discount can be meaningful. It is worth asking your carrier for a quote on both materials before you decide, because the answer varies more by carrier than by state.
Neither reliably returns its full cost. A sound roof of either material protects the sale, and a failing roof of either kills it. Buyers rarely pay a premium for remaining service life, which is precisely why tenure decides this choice.
Figures on this page are indicative national brackets, not quotes. Your number depends on the size, complexity and condition of the job itself, and on what local crews are charging when you buy. Use them to judge a bid, not to replace one.
Cost data
Price either option on your own roof size, at the quality tier you are actually considering. No phone number, no lead form.
Run both numbers On your own roof