Metal vs Asphalt Roof with Solar?

xagijon said:

Anyway, all the roofers are booked through Oct/Nov but my younger son and his buddy are currently available. Was wondering whether metal roofing would be a good option.

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If you plan to stay in your home for a while, or pass it down to your kids, I think using a metal roof is a great decision. If your son and his buddy are up to it, have the ability, and if they use one of the residential 'snap together' standing seam roofs that are available, they could do it themselves. I did it, and I am not a roofer. The company I used had an installation booklet available that illustrated the different trims that are available. I found that installing the actual panels was fairly easy, but all of the associated trim necessary to complete the roof, took as long or longer than installing the actual roof panels.

Here is a link to the metal I used, which is made near our location in Louisisana, but this type is available nationwide, I believe:


The smaller building in the first picture I added this year. The larger building is my home, showing a couple hot water panels on the roof in addition to one of the two solar arrays on the house roof. I have 2 - 2.8kw arrays on the house, and one 4.8kw array on the backside of the smaller building.

I prefer a shingled roof but its a looks thing not a which is better thing.

Being old and from the south has allot to do with it. For me shingles are what nice homes have and metal is what the barn gets or cheap houses had.

Today they are pretty common and don't look bad but that old fashion view of them is why I prefer the look of a shingled roof.

I will have to have the shingles on my house replaced in a few years and I have been looking at the metal roofing that looks like shingles

Wife prefers metal roofs since she loves the sound of the rain on a metal roof and that is actually the only reason I have been looking into the shingle look type metal roofs.

One suggestion I would also add, is to not go with a dark metal roof. The darker the colors (red especially), the quicker they will fade, and to a greater extent. I do think the green panels shown above, match my wooded surroundings, but if I could do it over again, I would go with simply the raw galvanized finish. Would make for a cooler roof (temp wise), and still match my rustic stone & wood construction.