What is the average cost of metal roofing tiles?

The cost of metal roofing can vary greatly depending on the grade or profile you choose, says metal roofing expert Tina Montone. Montone is the marketing coordinator for ATAS Roofing Company, a family business started by her grandfather, and she offers a comparison of the pricing within her own company and others. Metal roofing materials can range in price from $2 to $6 a square foot, and the wide range is attributed to the fact that metal encompasses a number of profiles from aluminum to stainless steel and can be manufactured in differing grades. While metal roofing is more expensive than asphalt shingling, it is lower in cost than clay and slate tiles with which is comparable in durability and life time.

"Metal roofing is a little more expensive, but depending on which profile you choose, it can be an economical product. It can be less expensive than the highest grade asphalt shingle, but it typically will cost you three times more than your regular shingle. However, the life expectancy is 2 to 4 times as long as your asphalt shingle. Usually asphalt shingles last 15 years. Our metal roofs last 20 to 40 years and we provide a 30 year warranty on the installation and on the paint finish," says Montone.

Another consideration in the price of metal roofing is the reduced cost of labor. Metal is lighter than most other roofing materials and is easier to handle and install therefore reducing the price of installation. Metal is also a nearly maintenance free roofing product and saves the homeowner money throughout years, whereas asphalt shingles and some other materials can require yearly maintenance.

Montone puts the average price of her company's metal roofing at $300 per hundred foot square, refereed to as simple "square" in the roofing industry.

"The more expensive pricing is attributed to the way we manufacture it. There is a bit more labor involved to manufacture metal roofing products. Also, our pricing has to do with the fact that we are the only ones in the industry who sell this patented shingle. And since this design requires the installation of each individual shingle the installation takes a little longer. Believe it or not we sell the most of our most expensive shingle," Montone says.

Metal roofs have a lifetime of 30 to 50 plus years. You can expect to find 50-year warranties on most metal roofing products and these are usually transferable from one homeowner to another if the home is sold.

Montone explains her company's warranty policy on the manufacturing end. "We offer a 30 year finished warranty on the color of the tile. It reads that the paint wouldn't fade, chip, or peal. We will also issue an installation warranty once we have inspected the roof, and that covers 50 years."

With metal roofing's many benefits the cost is certainly comparable to other products that share its durability and resistance to the elements. Over the lifetime of a home, metal roofing can be a very economical choice when you factor in the cost of replacing and maintaining a cheaper alternative.