Metal Roof vs Shingles: Cost in NJ Compared
Compare metal and shingle roofs for NJ homes: materials, installation, lifespan, snow and upkeep. Get a written estimate at a free inspection.
Comparing a metal roof with architectural shingles starts with the same measured roof and removal scope. Panel type, shingle system, pitch, valleys, penetrations and deck condition all affect the work. Your project consultant reviews those details at the free inspection and gives an exact written estimate for the options you are considering.
Below is how the materials compare on installation needs, lifespan, winter performance, noise and resale considerations, with sources for the technical details.
The Short Answer on Cost
Consider the installation scope alongside expected service life and maintenance. How long you plan to own the house, the roof layout and the appearance you want all matter when choosing between the systems.
Most homes in Bergen and Passaic County are covered in architectural asphalt, and that is a sound choice for a lot of them. Metal has moved from barns and porch roofs onto whole houses in towns like Franklin Lakes, Wayne and Montclair because owners want to stop thinking about the roof.
Cost per Square: Metal vs Asphalt in New Jersey
For a useful comparison, both proposals should cover , deck inspection, , roof-edge protection and . Then identify the material-specific work: shingle courses and accessories for asphalt, or panel layout, seams and penetration details for metal.
| Factor | Architectural asphalt | Standing seam metal |
|---|---|---|
| Material specification | Shingle product line and roof-system accessories | Panel profile, finish and seam details |
| Installation details | Starter, field shingles, ridge caps and flashing | Panel layout, attachment and penetration flashing |
| Shared cost drivers | Pitch, access, tear-off layers and deck condition | Pitch, access, tear-off layers and deck condition |
| Typical lifespan (InterNACHI) | About 30 years | 40 to 80 years |
Pitch, valleys, dormers, chimneys and skylights change the installation effort for either material. Existing layers affect removal, and hidden deck damage can add repair work after tear-off. These details need to be addressed in the written proposal.
Metal shingles sit between the two. GAF’s TimberSteel™ premium metal roofing system is a nail-gunnable steel shingle, 42 pieces to the square, that installs more like an asphalt roof than a panel system. That keeps labor closer to shingle work while giving you a metal surface.
To see every roofing material side by side, with sources, open our roofing materials comparison.
Lifespan and Cost per Year
The InterNACHI life expectancy chart puts architectural asphalt shingles at about 30 years and metal roofing at 40 to 80 years, with the caveat that maintenance and weather affect service life. Consider each material against how long you expect to keep the house:
- Asphalt: plan for its service life, maintenance and eventual replacement.
- Metal: consider whether you expect to use its longer potential service life.
A longer-lived roof matters most when you expect to keep the house long enough to use that service life. Maintenance and exposure still affect the outcome, so compare the installation details and warranty documents as well as the material.
Snow, Ice and Nor’easters
New Jersey averages 47.6 inches of precipitation a year, and damaging nor’easters are most common from October to April, according to NOAA’s state climate summary. That is the season that separates roofs.
How shingles handle winter
Asphalt shingles are fine in snow as long as the attic is ventilated and the eaves have ice barrier underneath. Trouble starts when heat escapes into the attic, melts snow from below and refreezes at the cold overhang. The resulting pushes water back up under the shingle courses. Wind is the other risk: Timberline HDZ® shingles carry ASTM D3161 Class F and ASTM D7158 Class H wind ratings, the top classes in both tests, which matters when a nor’easter comes in sideways.
How metal handles winter
Metal is slick and impermeable, so snow can slide off in sheets once it softens. That is hard on anything underneath, which is why metal over entry doors, walkways and driveways gets snow guards: brackets that hold the snow on the roof so it melts or releases gradually. Where snow is held, it behaves much as it would on any roof. Ice dams on metal still depend on attic heat loss, slope and the weather, so the eaves get ice barrier underneath and the attic needs the same air sealing and as it would under shingles.
Weight, Noise and Other Myths
Noise. The belief that metal roofs are loud in the rain comes from barns and carports with nothing between the panel and the space below. The Metal Roofing Alliance points out that on a house, the decking, underlayment, attic and insulation absorb most of the sound, and measured differences against shingles are within a few decibels. Over a finished attic in Teaneck the difference is small.
Weight. Neither is heavy. The Cost vs Value asphalt specification calls for shingles of at least 235 pounds per square. Steel panels and steel shingles are also light coverings, so on a standard New Jersey roof frame weight rarely decides this choice the way it does with slate or clay tile.
Hail and impact. TimberSteel™ shingles are classified UL 2218 Class 4 for impact resistance, and Timberline HDZ® shingles are Class 3. A Class 4 rating can matter to your insurer, so ask your agent whether it changes your premium.
Resale Value in the Middle Atlantic
Resale is one consideration, but it does not determine what your roof should cost or what a buyer will pay for your home. Balance appearance and neighborhood fit with the roof condition, maintenance needs and how long you plan to stay.
When Each One Wins
Choose architectural shingles when
- You may sell within roughly ten years.
- The roof is complex, with many valleys, dormers and penetrations.
- The written shingle proposal fits your project budget and installation priorities.
- The neighborhood or HOA expects a shingle look.
Choose metal when
- You plan to stay twenty years or more and want one last roof.
- The roof is a porch, addition or dormer where shingles struggle.
- You want a slick surface that can shed snow, with guards where people walk.
- You like the look, whether standing seam panels or a metal shingle.
Plenty of houses use both: architectural shingles on the main roof and standing seam on the porch or a low addition, like the one in the photo above. For the shingle side, our asphalt shingle pros and cons guide goes deeper, and the NJ roof cost guide covers every material.
How Future Remodeling Handles This
Future Remodeling (FHRG LLC, 37A Woodbine St, Bergenfield, NJ 07621, (201) 371-5515, #13VH13329600) installs both. On the shingle side that is GAF Timberline HDZ® and UHDZ on our asphalt roofing jobs. On the metal roofing side it is GAF TimberSteel™ metal shingles and Drexel standing seam. The company is GAF and GAF Metal Certified, and GAF sells TimberSteel through GAF Metal Certified contractors; see TimberSteel™ now available in NJ.
The estimate is free and in person. Whoever you hire, ask for both materials priced on the same roof, in writing, so the comparison is like for like. The work covers New Jersey plus Westchester County, NY; see the service areas. The warranty page sets out what each manufacturer’s document actually says, and payment options are on the financing page. More on all roof types is on the roofing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a metal roof worth the extra cost in New Jersey?
It is when you plan to stay long enough to use the extra decades of life. A metal roof that outlasts two shingle roofs avoids a second tear-off. If you expect to sell within ten years, the resale data favors shingles, because buyers in the region pay back a larger share of a shingle roof’s cost.
Can metal roofing go over existing shingles in NJ?
Some metal systems can be installed over one layer of shingles where the building code and the manufacturer allow it, but a tear-off is usually the better job. It lets the crew inspect and replace rotted decking and install ice barrier at the eaves, so ask both proposals to state whether they include a tear-off to bare .
Which lasts longer in NJ winters, metal or shingles?
Metal. InterNACHI puts architectural asphalt at about 30 years and metal at 40 to 80 years. Freeze-thaw cycles and ice dams wear shingles faster, while a properly installed metal roof sheds snow and does not absorb water.
Recap
- Compare written estimates for the same roof area, removal and preparation work.
- Lifespan: about 30 years for architectural shingles, 40 to 80 for metal.
- Consider lifespan and maintenance alongside your plans for the house.
- Resale depends on the house, local buyers and the timing of a sale.
- Noise and weight are not real reasons to rule out metal on a house.
To see both priced on your own roof, get a free estimate.