Brevard County homeowners ask the same question when a roof needs replacing: is metal worth the premium? Here is the 30-year math.
Asphalt architectural shingle: $7 to $10 per square foot installed. Service life in Brevard is 18 to 22 years if properly installed with peel-and-stick underlayment. That means two roofs over 30 years.
Standing-seam aluminum: $14 to $20 per square foot installed. Service life is 40 to 50 years. One roof over 30 years, with another 15 to 20 years of life remaining at the end.
The math on a 2,000 square foot roof: - Shingle: $16,000 today + $19,000 around year 20 = $35,000 over 30 years - Metal: $32,000 today + $0 = $32,000 over 30 years
Metal wins on raw cost, before factoring in insurance discounts (most carriers reduce wind premiums 10 to 25 percent for metal), energy savings (cooler attic equals 8 to 15 percent less AC load), and resale value.
When shingle still makes sense: - The home is being sold within five years and the owner does not want to over-improve. - The HOA prohibits metal (some Viera and Suntree communities do). - Steep architectural details where metal seams become expensive.
The hidden variable: underlayment and fasteners. A cheap shingle install with felt underlayment and 6-nail patterns lasts 12 years. A premium install with peel-and-stick and 8-nail or ring-shank fasteners lasts 22 years. Always ask which one is being quoted.
Get a written estimate that includes photos of the existing decking condition. Sight-unseen quotes hide problems that always come out during tear-off.