metal roof on house

mick71b

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Any opinions on these as I have an opportunity to have one installed by an Amish crew for a reasonable cost and I'm no expert on the subject.
Thanks!
 
Any opinions on these as I have an opportunity to have one installed by an Amish crew for a reasonable cost and I'm no expert on the subject.
Thanks!
I'll chime in... there are some significant advantages, IMO. A metal roof has a tremendously long service life, is much less susceptible to wind damage than shingles (not referring to tornado/hurricane force winds here), is unlikely to leak if installed correctly, sheds snow/rain well (a consideration where I live), adds resale value due to all of the foregoing... I had a steel roof on a house that was built in the 1820's. No idea how old the roof was, but it was certainly 40+ years old. Never an issue and its still there, 24 years after I sold that house. That says something...
 
HI Willis A metal roof can be installed directly on top of shingles if you desire. many prefer to start clean and put down 1 x4 nailers to fasten the metal sheets to. We use deck screws as a rule for this stage. the noise factor is pretty much eliminated on a home because of decking, attic insulation and the interior ceiling. however if you put metal on a shed or carport without adding decking first it is very loud. The same for old houses built with spaced decking of planks, then the ceiling helps as does insulation.
 
Any opinions on these as I have an opportunity to have one installed by an Amish crew for a reasonable cost and I'm no expert on the subject.
Thanks!
phone 3 of there last clients and ask them if there happy with the job. if there using roofing screws with the rubber washer and they stuff the washers up by over tightening them you will get leaks.. yes they bloody noisy in a storm but lots of people like that.
 
Are metal roofs loud during storms? I've never been in a home with metal roof during a storm.
The metal roof sure lets you know its raining, but I always found it to be a pleasant sound. I'm talking about a house, where there are lots of layers of stuff between the sheet metal and the living areas.
 
phone 3 of there last clients and ask them if there happy with the job. if there using roofing screws with the rubber washer and they stuff the washers up by over tightening them you will get leaks.. yes they bloody noisy in a storm but lots of people like that.
Fred, true enough, ya gotta be careful not to overtighten the gasketed screws, but on the other hand....
20 + years ago, I built a shed and used ridged (corrugated) sheet-metal roofing that I salvaged from a demolished barn. The nailing on a steel roof goes through the peak of the ridges. Because the spacing of my strapping was different than that of the old barn, I made all new holes for the retaining screws. I left all the existing holes open/uncaulked. Ya know what? Because they are on the tops of the ridges, that roof full of holes does not leak at all! The water just runs off the ridges onto the flats in between.
 
Fred, true enough, ya gotta be careful not to overtighten the gasketed screws, but on the other hand....
20 + years ago, I built a shed and used ridged (corrugated) sheet-metal roofing that I salvaged from a demolished barn. The nailing on a steel roof goes through the peak of the ridges. Because the spacing of my strapping was different than that of the old barn, I made all new holes for the retaining screws. I left all the existing holes open/uncaulked. Ya know what? Because they are on the tops of the ridges, that roof full of holes does not leak at all! The water just runs off the ridges onto the flats in between.
I built my house in 2016 and used standing seam metal roofing, no exposed fasteners. More expensive but..... It's over plywood so it's only a little noisier than shingles, and we actually enjoy the sound. I think they are worth the money if you're under 60, not so much if you're putting a new roof on after. In other words, let your heirs worry about it and take the savings and buy another motorcycle!
 
Just personal observation.
A friend has a second home on the beach in Freeport Grand Bahama island. A few years ago a hurricane hit the island square over his place and traveled over it.
His home fared extremely well and he invited my wife and I to stay with them over the Christmas holiday week, just a couple months after the hurricane.
Spent a lot of time walking the beach, about a mile and half each direction between inlets, and during those walks I closely examined how various structures weathered the storm.
Of the 3 most popular types of roofs Shingles, Tiles and Metal, the metal suffered the least visible damage
 
I built my house in 2016 and used standing seam metal roofing, no exposed fasteners. More expensive but..... It's over plywood so it's only a little noisier than shingles, and we actually enjoy the sound. I think they are worth the money if you're under 60, not so much if you're putting a new roof on after. In other words, let your heirs worry about it and take the savings and buy another motorcycle!
Yes, "over plywood" is the key and warranty. I was surprised on the official recommendations of the manufacturer. I assisted the contractor on the installation and it went something like - 2X4 lateral stringers over the existing rafters once the old roofing and plywood were removed....16" centered. Plywood then applied with tarpaper overall, metal then put on and fastened over where the laterals are.....iirc. The sound is diminished considerably compared to a regular old pole barn roof.
I'd say go for it. Find out the manufacturers recommendation on installing and follow the specs.
 
Yes, "over plywood" is the key and warranty. I was surprised on the official recommendations of the manufacturer. I assisted the contractor on the installation and it went something like - 2X4 lateral stringers over the existing rafters once the old roofing and plywood were removed....16" centered. Plywood then applied with tarpaper overall, metal then put on and fastened over where the laterals are.....iirc. The sound is diminished considerably compared to a regular old pole barn roof.
I'd say go for it. Find out the manufacturers recommendation on installing and follow the specs.
Also, it's just a matter of taste but when the silver gets a couple of years old, it gets a really cool patina to it. When the powdercoated colors get a couple of years old, they just look tired, not charming like a vintage roof should. Just my $.02 worth.
 
I'm afraid here either the city or my neighbors would get a little pissy about the natural look but for me it would be the best way to go
I see old very old sheds and barn roofs that might have a little bit of rust on them but I'm sure now the new roofing material would wear better than what they had back then
 
I'm afraid here either the city or my neighbors would get a little pissy about the natural look but for me it would be the best way to go
I see old very old sheds and barn roofs that might have a little bit of rust on them but I'm sure now the new roofing material would wear better than what they had back then
The silver doesn't get rusty, at least not for decades, it just turns a nice silvery gray. Red turns pink, hunter green, blue and black turn real chalky, although white looks O.K. even after some time. My 16 year old high pitch silver metal has zero brown spots. A metal roof is a lifetime investment. Make sure that YOU like it.
 
I'm getting a new roof soon do to hail damage and the fact that I turned 66 I'll just go with the 30yr asphalt shingles
20 yrs ago for sure it would have been a metal roof but other than farm buildings and pole sheds nobody would do metal roofs that I knew of
Just a city kid so I can't say for sure
The church nearby just did their roof with metal that looks like a shingle roof and it looks good
At least I think it's metal but for sure not regular shingles
 
phone 3 of there last clients and ask them if there happy with the job. if there using roofing screws with the rubber washer and they stuff the washers up by over tightening them you will get leaks.. yes they bloody noisy in a storm but lots of people like that.
Thanks to all for the responses! :cheers:

They have done two pole buildings on a friend's property, and he recommended them to me, and I trust him very much.

I'm definitely going to pull the trigger and not worry about roof work again. Too friggen old to be climbing ladders if I don't have to.
 
I regret not having installed a metal roof on our cottage. The cost was considerably higher so I ”cheaped out“ many times and installed conventional shingles. The cumulative cost would have been much more than the cost of a steel roof.

At home, in our neighbourhood, smaller homes like ours are being bought for property value, so the actual house would be torn down to make space for a larger home. In this scenario, a metal roof wouldn’t add to the value of our property.
 
I'm getting a new roof soon do to hail damage and the fact that I turned 66 I'll just go with the 30yr asphalt shingles
20 yrs ago for sure it would have been a metal roof but other than farm buildings and pole sheds nobody would do metal roofs that I knew of
Just a city kid so I can't say for sure
The church nearby just did their roof with metal that looks like a shingle roof and it looks good
At least I think it's metal but for sure not regular shingles
Like I said, over 60? let the grandkids worry about it!
 
Grew up with all buildings and sheds had metal roofing and originally fixed with lead head nails. Reroofed houses, barns, factories and sheds from the days using nails up to using screws.


Fred, true enough, ya gotta be careful not to overtighten the gasketed screws, but on the other hand....
20 + years ago, I built a shed and used ridged (corrugated) sheet-metal roofing that I salvaged from a demolished barn. The nailing on a steel roof goes through the peak of the ridges. Because the spacing of my strapping was different than that of the old barn, I made all new holes for the retaining screws. I left all the existing holes open/uncaulked. Ya know what? Because they are on the tops of the ridges, that roof full of holes does not leak at all! The water just runs off the ridges onto the flats in between.

When the old iron had been fixed with lead head nails and we reused the iron it for sheds and such. We used to turn the sheets upside down with a piece of timber under the nail hole and hammer the iron back, when the nail goes through it pushed the existing iron out of the way so it is easy to hammer it back into place. That never leaks even when a drop of rain hits the old fixing position...........yes we turned the sheet back ovver so the old fixing points are on top of the ridge

I'm afraid here either the city or my neighbors would get a little pissy about the natural look but for me it would be the best way to go
I see old very old sheds and barn roofs that might have a little bit of rust on them but I'm sure now the new roofing material would wear better than what they had back then

Sheets are different thickness now days but the quality of the iron for longivity is the same.

Yes, "over plywood" is the key and warranty. I was surprised on the official recommendations of the manufacturer. I assisted the contractor on the installation and it went something like - 2X4 lateral stringers over the existing rafters once the old roofing and plywood were removed....16" centered. Plywood then applied with tarpaper overall, metal then put on and fastened over where the laterals are.....iirc. The sound is diminished considerably compared to a regular old pole barn roof.
I'd say go for it. Find out the manufacturers recommendation on installing and follow the specs.

Interesting using ply under the steel. Have seen that in the past with installation was used between the steel and ply to insulate the timber from condensation. Usually found by the time the steel was rusted out the installation was shot as was the ply, rotted, due to the condensation.
 
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