roof in

Admittedly, one of the major drawbacks to outfitting your home with a metal roof is the initial sticker shock of metal roof prices. On a true numbers basis, they seem like an out of reach premium that's reserved for those with spare money to burn. But to truly weigh the costs of metal roofing in relation to traditional asphalt prices, we must account for much more than initial cost.

Although almost an unfair estimation, metal roof prices usually run in the range of about three times the cost of an asphalt roof. There are too many variables to account for to determine the true initial cost difference and if it's something that you would absolutely like to know, your best bet is to call some contractors who can give you estimates for each. Again, this is only initial cost instead of cost of ownership which is very important.

The cost effectiveness of a metal roof lies in its durability, longevity, and almost no required upkeep. A metal roof installed on your home may very realistically be the last roofing job your house will ever require. Maintenance costs don't even start coming into the picture until about thirty to forty years after installation. Even so, many manufacturers and contractors offer lifetime warranties on their products and maintenance can usually be as something as simple as a fresh coat of paint.

On the other hand, asphalt shingles need to be replaced regularly, relatively speaking. Assuming standard weather conditions, the actual life expectancy of asphalt shingles will require reroofing every eight to twelve years. Even though thirty year shingles offer a thirty year warranty, replacement is usually only for the first few then it is heavily pro-rated over the rest. Metal roof prices, on the other hand, will cost you a little more upfront but you'll be done with it for good.

To put the cost difference into a fair perspective, the average asphalt shingle costs $5,000. Since it will need to be replaced in, say, ten years we adjust for inflation, factor in tear off costs, and the reroofing project now costs $8,700. So in just ten years, you will have effectively paid $13,700 in asphalt shingle roofs or, assuming metal roof prices are three times as much as asphalt, $15,000 for a metal roof.

In just ten years, metal roof prices can be roped into perspective and we can start to see the break even point. If we expand that over the course of thirty or forty years, when a metal roof would start to need maintenance albeit most likely minor, we can get a feel of the substantial cost effectiveness.