Sheet-Metal Roofing

Sheet-metal roofing grown very popular for residential style roofing material. This is because of the many benefits that it has to offer, including durability, energy efficiency, and it also very attractive.

Manufacturers of sheet-metal roofing begin with what is known as flat stock, which are flat metal panels. The manufacturers form into roofing panels and other components such as starting strips, clips, edge pieces, and caps. Many manufacturers offer a wide variety of finishes, designs, and colors. Many of these finishes offer greater energy savings when compared to most non-metal roofing materials that are currently on the market today. There are sheet-metal roofing installers, who offer metal roofs at extremely cheep prices, and fabricate roofing materials on site. Although, the homeowner is saving a great deal of money, there are some problems with this form of sheet-metal roofing. The first major problem is that there is a wide variation in the quality of the work that is produced. This is because there is no quality control or quality assurance. The second problem is the very limited amount of finishes that the homeowner is offer, and lastly is the warranty, which is offered. Most warranties provided by leading manufacturers can be for as long as 50 years, where as the warranty provided by the on site roofing installer is usually for one year or less. Another disadvantage with site-formed roofing products is that there is no guarantee that the individual will still be in business if you do have problems with in the time frame of your warrant. In other words, you don't have the backing and strength of a large manufacturer who will stand behind their product.

Sheet-metal roofing is sold in large panels that weigh approximately 1 pound per square foot and are 26-gauge coated steel. However, this is not the only material used. Other metals include painted aluminum, copper, zinc alloys, and terne-coated stainless steel. Due to the size of the panels, sheet-metal roofing works best on large, unbroken expanses so that there are minimum amounts of cuts.

The two main systems are named for how they join the panels together, they are the standing seam roofing, which has a self-sealing, raised seam and the second that o system is called batten roofing, which uses a wider cover cap.

Materials for sheet-metal roofing are priced by the square foot, and these prices will vary greatly depending on the type of metal used and also the type of finish. The prices for sheet-metal roofing can be as low as $1.50 per square foot, to over $8 per square foot for a solid copper roof. These prices usually include the panels, fastening clips, caps, and all trims and flashings. When receiving estimate, it is important to understand what the roofing contractor includes in their square-foot prices, as some very dishonest contractors will only quote you the price for the sheet-metal panels then once they have finished the roofing job, the homeowners discovers the added-in price for all the necessary parts. Therefore, if the price sounds too good to be truemake sure that the price includes panels, starting strips, clips, edge pieces, and caps and all other necessary parts.

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