Roofing Services
Metal Roof vs Shingles: What Makes Sense in North Texas
Cost, lifespan, hail rating, heat and resale compared by a roofer that installs both.
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The Short Answer
Composition shingles cost less up front and are easy to repair in small areas. A metal roof costs more up front and is chosen for service life, wind performance and impact resistance — which matters in a part of Texas that gets hail most springs. Classic Superoof installs both, so the honest answer depends on how long you plan to own the house and how much of your decision is about the next storm.
We have installed roofs across Dallas-Fort Worth since 1992, from Dallas and Fort Worth out to the smaller North Texas towns.
Side by Side
| Metal roofing | Composition shingles | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Higher | Lower |
| Service life | Long — normally measured in decades, and often outlasts more than one shingle roof | Shorter — usually replaced sooner, especially after hail |
| Impact rating available | Yes — UL 2218 Class 4 systems available | Yes — Class 4 impact-resistant shingle lines available |
| Heat and energy | Reflective finishes and, on stone coated tile, a dead air space under the panel | Absorbs more heat; reflective granule options exist |
| Noise | Quiet when installed over decking and existing roofing rather than open framing | Quiet |
| Maintenance | Low — mainly fasteners, sealant joints and flashings | Low, but shingles age, blow off and need patching |
| Small repairs | Specialist work on panels and flashings | Simple and inexpensive to patch |
| Resale appeal | Distinctive look and a roof the next owner is unlikely to replace | Familiar and expected in most neighborhoods |
| Insurance | Impact-resistant systems may qualify for a carrier discount | Impact-resistant shingles may qualify for a carrier discount |
Texas carriers each set their own discount for impact-resistant roofing, so confirm the credit with your agent. See how the paperwork works.
Where Shingles Still Make Sense
Shingles are the right call more often than a metal roofer is supposed to admit. If the budget has to land at the lowest workable number, if you are selling within a few years, if an HOA restricts the roof material, or if the roof is a small simple rental, composition is sensible. Small repairs are cheap and any crew can do them. Class 4 impact-resistant shingle lines close part of the hail gap.
We install shingles as an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor, so this is a real option here rather than a courtesy mention.
Where Metal Wins in North Texas
North Texas weather is hard on roofs: spring hail, straight-line wind, long hot summers and wind-driven rain. That is the case for metal.
- Lightweight 26 gauge alum-zinc galvanized steel with double-sided coatings, so the roof can often go over one layer of most existing roofs.
- UL Class A fire rating — impervious to fire.
- UL 2218 Class 4 hail rating on our stone coated steel system.
- Wind performance rated to 120 mph and leak-proof in wind-driven rain.
- Mildew and corrosion resistant, and effectively maintenance free.
- An insulating dead air space under the tile profile, plus color-matched accessories, vents and flashings as one system.
- Tile, shake and shingle profiles in natural and custom colors, so metal does not have to look industrial.
Read more about stone coated steel and standing seam, or start with what a metal roof costs here.
Metal vs Shingles Questions
It is worth it when you plan to keep the house, want an impact-rated roof and would rather not replace a roof again after the next big hail storm. If you are moving soon, shingles usually make more financial sense.
Not the way people expect. Our panels go over decking and, in many cases, over an existing roof layer, so there is material between you and the metal.
Often yes — our stone coated steel system can be applied over one layer of most existing roofs. We confirm it on site, because the decking underneath has to be sound.
No. A metal roof does not make a strike more likely, and steel does not burn — the system carries a UL Class A fire rating.
It can, but each Texas carrier sets its own impact-resistant discount. Ask your agent what your policy allows.