Hey all, wondering if anyone has any experience with standing seam metal roofing. We own a 160 year old house north of Boston that I’m fairly certain had a metal roof at one time. Consistent with the age, style and location. My initial research says that aside from lasting practically forever, they’re actually less expensive to install than asphalt. Have heard that rain can be a bit noisey, but can probably live with it. Was just up in Quebec Canada and it seems like practically every roof you see up there is metal. Would look forward to hearing what you think.
Brian
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We have an 80+ year old standing seam roof. I LOVE it when it rains. It is music to my ears. We need to decide if we want to replace it with metal or go with shingles. Our standing seam is 26 inches between seams. Lars is getting ready to do a historical house that needs 26 inch (apart) standing seam. Can't find it. Our local supplier found it, but the price is UNREAL! Lars knows more about the cost etc. I will have him hop on here tonight to answer some of those questions for you. Of course there are many here that know A LOT about this stuff also. Good luck!
Tamara
The 26" on center seams was probably terne metal fabricated from 28" wide stock. Check the Follansbee site http://www.follansbeeroofing.com/home.html
I have standing seam on my house and we like it, but I can't imagine it being equal to or less expensive than asphalt (and I assume by "asphalt" you're referring to composition shingles). If your roof has any hips or valleys or pitch changes, etc., the labor will increase. It's still relatively affordable and durable (check the track record of the supplier for their coating quality, though), but IMO is not, economically, ####-for-tat with a comp roof.
Jules Quaver for President 2004
I've seen standing seam roofs on houses over 100 yrs old that have been maintained ( painted) and still don't leak. Other than tile, don't think they can be beat for longevity. As far as the noise, I've got 5 vee on my house ( I did it mysef, carpenter not a roofer) if your house is well insulated and the windows are closed, you won't hear anything. Jeez, there goes another romantic myth. And as far as looks, well go to the vinyl thread...if you care about looks, apperently, you're some kind of elitist poopchute...the times they are a changing;-(
Heavy metal lover, BB It's okay, I can fix it!
Edited 12/3/2002 8:22:44 PM ET by bucksnort billy
Edited 12/3/2002 8:23:06 PM ET by bucksnort billy
Good to know re: cost comps. I do have some changes in my roof, so that's good to know. Seems like everyone here has had pretty good experience with them. (From prior threads on the subject I couldn't find any real downsides and that rain myth seems to be just that). Don't know where I got the idea it was less expensive than comp (thanks Notchman) shingles. (PS, I'm stricty a clueless interior guy :). Much obliged. Any of you find a mfr you really liked during your research?
Best,
Brian_____________________________HomeBase________ Kitchen & Bath Builders, LLC
Brian Roberts, Manager
Acorns will make you jump.
Joe H
I've heard a couple people say that it is cheaper than comps but not anyone who has done it. This myth might come from old Foxfire types from the depression years. A crafty person CAN fabricate their own from roll stock and make it look good. but that makes labor even higher. If your labor is free, you have nothing else to do, and you have a ready supply of rolled metal, it can indeed be done for little cash out of pocket.
Nowadays, you are likely looking at a roof that is three times the price of asphalt - but then it will last three times as long.
.
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Driving through the country side I see many old, some more than 100, farm buildings. Most of the service buildings are roofed with corrugated or five V roofing. The farmers say not to worry about the roofing until it starts to rust, about 10 years for the cheaper metal roofing and more than 20 years for the stuff with heavy coatings, but as soon as it does it needs painting. From what I hear the only other maintenance is looking for loose fasteners and leaks.
I hear areas with acid rain can loose the zinc off the roofing faster so you may need to paint it, the initial coat, sooner than would be otherwise expected. Some people think corrugated or five V roofing looks industrial or is unattractive. I like the look.
I talker to a local roofer and he claims that while standing seam roofing is in deed expensive that the cheaper galvanized stuff is not all that much more expensive than a good three tab asphalt shingle jobs.
I haven't installed much, I helped on a small job recently, of this stuff so this is hearsay. But I have started looking into the techniques needed for a future job and lots of these old farmers, and a few local roofers, are willing to spend time gabbing about their trades. Let us know how all this turns out. I always like to see pictures.
I just did a couple of smaller standing seam jobs about a year ago. I charged 500 bucks a square because that was the going rate in my area. Architectural asphalt shingles were going for about 225-250 a square. I didn't lose money on it, but I didn't get paid much for my time. But then again, I'm not a roofer, rather a restoration guy. I took the job because the guy was a repeat client of mine and I wanted to do a standing seam roof just to have done it.
I guess what I'm getting at is that standing seam will be at least double the going rate for asphalt and probably more that that in the boston area. But it will be the last roof you will put on the house in your lifetime, and maybe even in your kids lifetime if you keep it painted once the galvanizing starts to fail.
I've got a metal interlocking shingle roof on my house that's been there since the about 1915 and it's never been painted. It's solid rust, and after 80+ years, it's ready to be replaced, but that's a roof that has never been maintained at all.
Steve
I did one on my garage. Old picture attached. Modern style with hold down clips and snap on seam covers; not the fold over seam style.
Order the panels to length, draw pictures of all the other parts for them to make (ridge cap, gable end caps, gutters, etc) Those will come in 10' sections. Valleys ad expense and time.
Only drawback I can think of: the 6-12 pitch on the roof show in the picture is impossible to work on now-too slippery. The 4-12 pitch on the other side is OK. The firmest footing is in the summer, on a cloudy day, barefoot.
ANybody work on these know of a shoe type that will grip and not mark? (Boat shoes didn't work)
I haven't worn them myself, but have seen roofers wearing something called "cougar paws". They have a replaceable sole of very spongy rubber that is velcroed onto the bottom.
http://www.cougarpaws.com/
Steve
Those are pretty slick. (or not so slick as the case may be).
I had never heard of them. The price seems fair, but since I am an HO and not in the biz, I am not sure if I can justify the cost to the wife (or myself). On the other hand, it is less than my insurance deductible.Steelkilt Lives!
my favorite is ATAS.. but here's a site that lists a couple more..
http://www.traditional-building.com/article/mroof.htm
Piffen has done a lot of standing seamMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Actually, I've done some standing seam. A couple hundred squares of one brand and some repair to another. It is the propanel type metal roofing with exposed Tex fasteners that I've put thousands of squares on..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius