1. Lifespan
Metal roofs last 40 to 70 years. Asphalt gets 15 to 20 in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan, less if the roof faces south and the attic runs hot. Over the life of a house that is one metal roof against three shingle roofs.
2. Cost per year, not cost today
Steel costs more once. Our pricing starts at $4.50 per square foot installed for the Masterrib panel and runs up from there depending on the profile and the roof. Divide either roof by the years it lasts and the comparison stops being close.
3. Weather
Steel does not rot, does not grow mildew, does not curl at the edges after a hot August, and does not lose granules into your gutters every spring. It handles Midwest hail and wind well, and it sheds snow instead of holding it.
4. Energy
Our steel roofing is Energy Star rated. Reflective finishes push summer heat back off the roof instead of into the attic, which is the difference between an upstairs you use in August and one you avoid.
5. Resale
Homes with metal roofs tend to appraise higher and attract buyers who will pay for durability and low maintenance. A buyer who knows the roof has forty years left is not negotiating you down over it.
Where shingles still win
Two places, and we will say so on your driveway. If you are selling inside a couple of years you will not recover the difference. And if the budget genuinely is not there right now, a good shingle roof beats a metal roof you cannot afford. We would rather tell you that than sell you something that does not fit.
The noise question
Everybody asks. A metal roof over solid decking and underlayment is not measurably louder than asphalt. What people remember is a bare panel over open purlins on an old barn, which is a completely different assembly.