Which is Better, Shingles or Metal Roof?

LESLIE: Alright. Now I’ve got Rodney in Illinois on the line with a question about a roof. What can we do for you today?

RODNEY: Yes. I was just kind of wondering what would be better. I live in the Midwest, in central Illinois, and my house doesn’t have hardly any shade at all.

TOM: OK.

RODNEY: I’m going with either a metal roof versus a shingle roof.

TOM: How long are you planning on being in that house, Rodney? A long time?

LESLIE: And how much do you want to spend?

RODNEY: We’re going to be in the house quite a while longer because we’re planning on adding on in about another five years and I don’t know.

TOM: OK.

RODNEY: I mean I know the shingle would be a lot cheaper; I was just kind of – which one’s better?

TOM: Right. Well, a metal roof is definitely better than a shingle roof. And the other thing about putting in a metal roof is today, the metal roofs have low-e coatings. That will help you in the summertime because it will reflect a lot of the UV from the sun back out again and it’ll keep the house actually cooler.

LESLIE: Away from the house.

TOM: Now, that said, as Leslie referenced, it’s pretty expensive. It’s called investment-grade roofing for a reason.

LESLIE: But it’s beautiful and it’s going to last a lifetime and you can have it with standing seams or that beautiful, rounded sort of scalloped shingle. You can pick it to look like anything in pretty much any color. It’s a gorgeous roof but it is pricey.

RODNEY: Right. See, there’s a couple of houses in the neighborhood that’s done that and I was just kind of – I was like, “Well, I don’t know which one to do.” I’m just …

TOM: Well, that’s the reason to go with it. If you can afford it, Rodney, I think it’s a great idea.

LESLIE: Mm-hmm. And if you’re going to be in the house 20 years more, it’s worth it.

TOM: Plus.

LESLIE: If you’re not going to be there that long, a shingled roof is more affordable and that’s going to need to be replaced in about 20 years anyway. I would consider those factors. But especially since you’re in full sun, you don’t get any shade, your house is probably quite warm, you’re dealing with expensive cooling bills in the summer season – and these stand up to high winds, so …

TOM: A good website to see what’s available in metal roofing is just MetalRoofing.com. It’s a website that is put together by the Metal Roofing Alliance, which is sort of an alliance of manufacturers and contractors. I’ve got a great photo gallery there, so you can really get a sense as to what the possibilities are.

RODNEY: OK, OK. That’s great.

TOM: Alright. Well, good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.