Metal Roof vs Asphalt Shingles in Michigan: Lifetime Cost

A metal roof costs roughly two to three times what an architectural asphalt roof costs on the same Michigan house, and it is expected to last two to three times as long, so over 50 years the two often end up close, with metal pulling ahead if you stay in the home through the second asphalt replacement. Use the calculator above to run your own square footage and horizon. Below is what goes into those inputs: real prices from our job gallery, what the manufacturers actually warrant, how each roof behaves under Michigan snow and ice, and what resale and insurance are worth. Written by Aaron Scott, licensed Michigan residential builder and owner of Roofing Army, which installs both.

What does a metal roof cost compared to asphalt in Michigan?

We publish the real price of every project we complete, so we can answer this with two roofs in the same city rather than a national average. In Berkley, 1957 Edgewood Boulevard got a Tilcor stone-coated steel roof in Charcoal Blend, 2,713 square feet, for $43,262.52. A few streets away, 2251 Columbia Road got Atlas Pinnacle Pristine architectural shingles, 1,567 square feet, for $13,968.47. Per square foot of roof that works out to about $15.95 for the steel roof and $8.91 for the asphalt roof, a multiple of roughly 1.8 on those two particular jobs. Across the quotes we produce, stone-coated steel typically lands at two to three times the asphalt price for the same house, and standing seam metal, our highest tier, runs above that. The roof replacement page shows the three tiers side by side.

Both jobs above were complete tear-offs with 6 feet of ice and water shield at the eaves, synthetic underlayment fastened with cap nails, new flashing, a ventilation analysis and a 50-year workmanship warranty. The asphalt side of that comparison is not a budget roof; it is the same roof system with a different top layer. For more asphalt price points, read what a roof replacement costs in Michigan.

How long does each roof last?

• Architectural asphalt: 25 to 30 years is what we tell homeowners and what we see at tear-off when the attic is ventilated correctly. Atlas, CertainTeed, GAF and Owens Corning all warrant their architectural lines for the lifetime of the original owner, with proration after the early non-prorated period.
• Stone-coated steel shingles (Tilcor): Tilcor backs its tiles with a limited lifetime transferable warranty, described on its US product page as a lifetime, 50-year limited warranty. Our roof replacement page lists steel shingles at 40 to 50 plus years of typical life.
• Standing seam: the Metal Roofing Alliance states that a quality metal roof is built to protect a home for 50 plus years. We list standing seam at 50 plus years, and it is the only system we sell where the fasteners are hidden inside the seams rather than exposed to weather.

The lifetime-cost question is really a question about how many asphalt replacements happen inside the metal roof's life. Over 50 years, one metal roof stands against two asphalt roofs, and the second asphalt roof is bought at future prices. That is the comparison the calculator above runs; we will not repeat its math here.

What do the manufacturers actually warrant for wind, hail and fire?

These are the specs we quote from, taken from each manufacturer's own literature:

Two notes on that table. The Class 4 hail rating on Tilcor matters in a state that gets spring hail every year; Class 4 is the top rating under UL 2218, and Atlas's Pinnacle Pristine is Class 3. And the steel roof is lighter than the asphalt roof it replaces, which surprises people; Tilcor's own comparison puts asphalt at 200 to 300 pounds per square against 150 for its tiles, so no structural reinforcement is needed on a normal house.

How do metal and asphalt handle Michigan snow and ice dams?

Metal sheds snow; asphalt holds it. On a standing seam roof, a sunny January afternoon will send the whole slope off in one slide, which is why we install snow guards above entry doors, walkways and anywhere a slide could land on a person or a gas meter. Stone-coated steel has more texture and holds snow longer than a smooth panel, closer to asphalt behavior, and its interlocking tiles are individually fastened, so wind-driven snow does not lift them.

Ice dams are a different story. They are caused by heat leaking into the attic, melting snow that refreezes at the cold eave. A metal roof does not stop that heat leak, so it does not stop ice dams by itself; a metal roof over an unvented, leaky attic will still grow ice at the eave. What metal does better is resist the water the dam pushes uphill, because there are no shingle joints for it to wick through. Tilcor points to above-sheathing ventilation, the air gap between the deck and the tile, as reducing heat loss in winter, and standing seam's continuous panels give meltwater nowhere to enter. Our ice dam guide explains the fix, which is the same for either roof: air seal, insulate and ventilate the attic. We run a ventilation analysis on every estimate regardless of the material you choose.

Does a metal roof raise resale value or lower insurance?

Resale: the Metal Roofing Alliance reports that homeowners typically recoup 50 to 75 percent of a metal roof's cost, depending on region. Our experience in Oakland County is that a metal roof helps a listing most when the buyer is told the age and the warranty; a 10-year-old steel roof with 40 years of life left is a real selling point, while a 10-year-old asphalt roof is a line item on the inspection report.

Insurance: this is worth a phone call before you decide. State Farm lists Michigan among the states where a discount is available for impact-resistant roofing products such as Class 4 shingles, and Tilcor's tiles carry the UL 2218 Class 4 rating. The Metal Roofing Alliance says a metal roof can lower premiums by as much as 35 percent. We cannot promise any of that for your policy; carriers, deductibles and roof surfacing schedules differ, and some policies pay actual cash value on older roofs regardless of material. Ask your agent specifically about a Class 4 impact-resistant roof credit and what documentation they need from us. Our insurance guide covers how Michigan policies treat roofs generally.

Which one should you choose?

• Choose architectural asphalt if you may sell within 10 to 15 years, if the upfront budget is the deciding factor, or if you want the widest color and style choice. It is a good roof; we install it on most homes, and it carries the same 50-year workmanship warranty from us.
• Choose stone-coated steel if you plan to stay 20 plus years, you want a shingle or shake look rather than panels, hail is a worry, and a Class 4 rating might earn an insurance credit. This is our middle tier and the metal roof we install most, in Rochester Hills, Troy and across Oakland County.
• Choose standing seam if you want the longest service life we sell, a modern profile, and hidden fasteners, and you are prepared for the highest upfront number.

Run your numbers in the calculator above, then ask us for both roofs in your five packages. Every quote is line by line, there is no deposit, and financing is available on either material, which is often what makes the metal number workable when the lifetime math already favors it.

Sources: Tilcor Roofing Systems brochure and US products page; Atlas Roofing Pinnacle Pristine homeowner flyer; Metal Roofing Alliance resale value page; State Farm homeowners discounts page; Roofing Army published job gallery prices. Insurance discounts vary by carrier and policy; confirm with your agent.