A metal roof costs two to three times what asphalt does and lasts two to three times as long — 50 years and more if the details are right. The details are the whole job: the gauge of the steel, the paint, the underlayment, how the panels are fastened, and where the snow goes when it slides. We install standing seam and metal shingle roofs with hidden fasteners, and we'll tell you honestly when asphalt is the smarter buy for your house.
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A metal roof costs two to three times what asphalt does and lasts two to three times as long — 50 years and more if the details are right. Typical price: $18K – $60K+. Licensed & insured, written itemized price before work starts, no deposit, one dedicated crew. Serving all 21 New Jersey counties from Paramus. Call (201) 676-3099 or book a free estimate.
Standing seam is the one you picture: long vertical panels with raised ribs, and every fastener hidden under the seam so there's no screw to leak. It's the longest-lasting roof you can put on a house, it sheds snow and water fast. It looks modern or farmhouse, and on a traditional colonial it can look wrong.
Metal shingles are stamped steel or aluminum panels that interlock and mimic shake, slate or tile. They cost less than standing seam, look right on almost any house, and hide hail and foot traffic better. Both use hidden fasteners. What we won't put on a house is exposed-fastener 'barn' panel — the rubber washers on the screws fail in 10 to 15 years and then you have a thousand small leaks.
Architectural asphalt on a typical 2,000-square-foot New Jersey roof runs about $10,000 to $22,000 and gives you 20 to 25 years here — our freeze-thaw winters and humid summers are hard on shingles. Metal shingles on the same house run $18,000 to $35,000. Standing seam runs $28,000 to $60,000 and up, depending on the panel, the roof shape and how many penetrations we have to flash.
The honest math: over 50 years you'll buy asphalt two or three times, with two or three tear-offs, and one metal roof once. If you're selling in five years, buy asphalt. If this is the house you're staying in, metal usually wins. We price both on the same visit.
Rain noise: on a house with an attic and insulation, a metal roof is no louder than asphalt. On a porch roof with nothing under it, you'll hear it — some people like it. Lightning: metal doesn't attract it, and it's non-combustible, which is a plus. Dents: hail big enough to dent 24-gauge steel would have wrecked asphalt anyway; aluminum dents easier, which is the tradeoff at the shore. Walking on it: fine on standing seam, careful on shingles — and we show you where to step. Insurance: some carriers give a discount for a non-combustible roof; ask yours, and we'll give you the product specs to send them.
We measure every plane, count the penetrations, check the decking from the attic, and look at your ventilation. Your itemized price names the panel profile, gauge, finish and color, underlayment, clips and trim, snow guards, a decking allowance by the sheet, disposal and permit.
Down to the deck, soft plywood replaced, high-temp membrane over the whole roof. Watertight before we leave the first night.
Standing seam is cut to length on site so there are no end laps on most runs. Metal shingles go up course by course from the eave. Flashing, trim, ridge and snow guards go on as we go, not at the end.
Magnet sweep, gutters cleaned, and a photo walk of every seam, boot and edge with you before final payment.
Paramus-based, installing metal roofs across all 21 New Jersey counties. Already have a metal roof with a loose panel or leaking screws? We repair those too.
typical fixed-price range — your exact number goes in writing after a free visit
How we beat the big chains: Metal is where chain markups get biggest — a 'lifetime' pitch at the kitchen table can double the price of the same panel. No franchise fees, no commissioned salesmen, no rented subcontractors — that's typically 15–30% under national-brand quotes for the same or better spec. Bring us any written quote and we'll match the scope line by line.
“The 'metal roof' they sold me was thin barn panel with exposed screws. Five years later, every screw is a drip.”
“First winter, a sheet of ice slid off the roof and took the gutter and the porch light with it.”
“The panels look wavy in the afternoon sun. The installer said 'that's just metal'.”
You found a crew that is actually near you. First Call Contracting is based in Paramus, in Bergen County, and our own licensed techs handle metal roofing in all 21 New Jersey counties — no call center, no subcontractor sent from two states away. Most of Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex is 15 to 30 minutes from our shop, and emergencies go to the nearest crew, 24/7.
Closest to us: Bergen CountyPassaic CountyHudson CountyEssex CountyMorris CountyUnion CountyAll 21 counties & 219+ towns →
Call (201) 676-3099, text us a photo, or book a free in-home estimate — you get a written price before any work starts.
On a typical 2,000-square-foot roof: metal shingles about $18,000 to $35,000; standing seam $28,000 to $60,000 and up. Small ranches come in lower; steep colonials with dormers and chimneys come in higher. Compare that to $10,000 to $22,000 for architectural asphalt on the same house. Fixed, itemized, before we start.
A 24-gauge standing seam roof with a PVDF finish, installed on clips over high-temp underlayment, should be the last roof you buy: 50 years is a reasonable expectation and many go longer. Metal shingles are in the 40- to 50-year range. Asphalt in New Jersey gives you 20 to 25.
Not over a normal attic with insulation — the deck, the underlayment and the insulation soak up the sound, and most owners say it's no different from shingles. Over an uninsulated porch you'll hear it.
Some installers do. We don't. A layover hides rotten decking, traps moisture, and leaves an uneven base that shows through the panels. We tear off, fix the deck, and start from clean plywood.
A re-roof on a one- or two-family home is usually ordinary maintenance in New Jersey, but some towns treat a change from shingle to metal differently and want a permit. We check your town and pull whatever's required.
If you're anywhere in New Jersey, yes. First Call Contracting is based in Paramus and handles metal roofing across all 21 counties with our own licensed crew. Most of Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex is 15 to 30 minutes from our shop, and emergencies are dispatched to the nearest crew 24/7. Call (201) 676-3099 or book a free in-home estimate.
24-gauge · hidden clips · high-temp underlayment · snow guards where they belong
Or call Alex direct: (201) 676-3099
A real person picks up every hour of every day. We tell you what to shut off first, then send the nearest crew.