Are you in the market for a new roof and are considering putting a metal roof on your home or building? In this post, I’m gonna give you 11 reasons why maybe you should reconsider. You might be asking yourself, why would a blog called Standseamroofing tell me to not get metal?
Well, the answer is metal roofs are not one size fits all for every project, or one size fits all for every home or building owner, and we wanna make sure you get the right material for your application.
1. You Don’t Have the Budget for Metal Roofing
This is an easy one. If you can’t afford it, then you shouldn’t buy it. This includes standing seam metal roofing, exposed fastener metal roofing. You know, standing seam is on the upper end of that metal roofing price point. Exposed fastener is a little lower, closer to where shingles sit.
2. Your Roof Design Is Not Conducive to Metal Roofing
This could mean you have a flat roof or an ultra-low slope roof, which we do not recommend you put metal over. It could also mean you have a very complicated roof design, so it’s very cut up. Lots of different roof planes going in different directions, lots of flashing transitions, things like that.
This is going to add material waste. We know that metal is an expensive material, so the more you waste, the more you’re gonna pay. It’s gonna take longer to install, and your installer is gonna have to have the knowledge and experience to be able to protect all those different flashing zones and all those different cut-up areas of a complex roof. Something to think about.
3. You Don’t Like the Way Metal Looks
This is kind of another easy one. If you don’t like the look of exposed fastener metal roofing, if you don’t like the ribbed look of standing seam, then those roofing systems might not be for you.
There are some metal roof systems like Isaiah Industries metal shingle line that look like other types of roofing and they kind of mimic that appearance. So you can check those out if you’re still interested in metal. Otherwise, might be considering a different roofing system.
4. Your HOA Doesn’t Allow Metal Roofs
This problem is becoming less and less prevalent as people start to realize the, and understand the benefits of metal roofing more and more. But some HOAs just won’t allow metal roofs because it doesn’t match the aesthetic look or style of the rest of the homes in the association.
But somebody like a Sheffield Metals or another manufacturer should be able to help you talk to your HOA and walk them through step by step why metal roofs are a benefit for their community and why they look great alongside of other different material types in your area.
5. There’s a Lack of Qualified Metal Roofing Installers in Your Area
Some regions don’t have many metal roofing installers to choose from, or at least ones that maybe aren’t experienced, qualified, or can show you some references of some real work.
This is a huge one because if your installer doesn’t have the experience to install a complex system like standing seam metal roofing especially, then it’s gonna open the door for potential problems later down the line.
And the reality is not every region has a bunch of installers to choose from. There might not be a lot of metal roofs, there might be a lack of metal roofing suppliers, so the demand just isn’t there to have installers in the area. And if that’s the case, you know, maybe you should consider going with a different roofing system from someone qualified in your area.
6. Your Region Receives Excessive Hail
Metal roofing can be damaged by hail, especially lighter gauge material like 26 or 29 gauge. A lot of metal roofing systems include a class four impact rating. All of Sheffield Metals metal roofing systems do, and that means that the roof won’t be damaged structurally by hail of a certain size and type.
So that means that there could still be aesthetic damage, but the roof won’t leak due to those hailstones. If you live in a hail prone area, a lot of insurance companies in recent years have started issuing hail damage waivers. This is basically giving you some reduced premiums if you sign saying that I won’t submit a claim for aesthetic reasons when it comes to hail.
So make sure you understand what you’re signing and understand your entire insurance policy when it comes to hail damage for your metal roof.
7. You’re Not Staying in Your Home Long-Term
Metal roofing is a long-term roofing solution, especially standing seam. We see those roofs last for 50, 60 or more years. If you’re not gonna be in your home that long, then it might not be the right decision for you to purchase an expensive metal roof.
Metal roofing can raise your home value slightly, depending on your location, your area, the home you put it on and things like that. But is it gonna be enough to warrant that expensive new roof on a house that you’re not gonna stay in? Something to consider.
8. You Want a Quick Installation
Depending on the complexity of your roof, a metal roof will most likely take more time to install than, say, a shingle roof, especially standing seam. It takes time to go around chimneys, valleys, flashing zones, things like that that shingles just are quicker at being installed on.
So, if you’re looking for an installation to go as quickly as possible, a metal roof might not be for you. But just remember, that metal roof is gonna be on there a lot longer than something like those shingles will be on.
9. You Want to Avoid Oil Canning
Oil canning is the perceived waviness in the flat part of a metal roofing panel, and this is an inherent property in all light-gauge cold-rolled metal, like what you see go up on roofs.
You can mitigate the appearance of oil canning by making sure the decking is flat, by adding striation ribs in the field of a standing seam metal roofing panel and different things like that to make sure it’s installed properly, but you’re never gonna get rid of it completely.
So, if you want an absolutely guaranteed way to not have oil canning, then going with a metal roof is probably not for you. Just remember, oil canning does not indicate a structural issue with your roof. It is aesthetic only. It doesn’t affect the performance of your roof at all.
10. Your Building Contains Contaminants That Can Corrode Metal or Paint
If you’ve got a building that houses chemicals, exhaust fumes, animal confinement, things like that, that have the potential to corrode paint systems and corrode metal roofing, then metal might not be the right choice for your building, depending on the assembly and how it’s set up.
So double-check what that looks like with your local metal roofing manufacturer, and they should be able to guide you for your specific application.
11. You Have Specific Color Matching Needs
If you put a metal roof on a home or building and you need to repair something 10, 15 years down the line, or you want to add an addition, things like that, that paint is gonna fade at a consistent rate and the new panels that you’re adding to your addition or to the repair are not gonna match perfectly with the original paint system.
Quick Comparison Table – Is Metal Roofing Right for You?
| Reason Not to Choose Metal Roofing | Key Concern |
|---|---|
| You don’t have the budget | High upfront cost compared to shingles |
| Roof design not suitable | Flat or complex roofs add cost and installation difficulty |
| Don’t like the look | Aesthetic preferences may not match ribbed or exposed designs |
| HOA restrictions | Some communities ban metal for uniform aesthetics |
| Lack of qualified installers | Fewer experienced metal roofers in certain areas |
| Excessive hail in your region | Aesthetic damage risk and insurance complications |
| Not staying long-term | High cost vs short stay doesn’t make financial sense |
| Want quick installation | Metal roofs take longer to install than shingles |
| Want to avoid oil canning | Inherent visual waviness possible with light-gauge metal |
| Building emits contaminants | Chemical or animal fumes can corrode metal or paint |
| Need perfect color matching | Future repairs/additions won’t match aged panels exactly |
Final Thoughts
It’s so important that no matter what roofing material you choose, you find an installer that is experienced in that material and can do a great job for your roof.
So make sure you check references, check out reviews, drive around, check out some of their previous work, make sure you get an installer that can walk you through every step of the way to give you the confidence that you’re making the right decision.
If you have any questions about what type of roof you should put on your home or building, comment down below, we’d love to answer them. Subscribe here to The Metal Roofing Channel. I’m Thad Barnette, and we’ll catch you next time.
