Asphalt Shingles vs Metal Roofing for St. Louis Homes: Cost, Lifespan, and What Your Insurance Actually Covers
Updated July 2026. Prepared for Lane House Roofing & Exteriors, 3814 Lemay Ferry Rd, St. Louis, MO 63125. (314) 845-2166.
Direct Answer
Asphalt shingles vs metal roofing in St. Louis comes down to timeline and coverage. Asphalt costs roughly $4.50 to $8.50 per square foot installed and lasts 18 to 25 years here. Metal runs $8 to $19 and lasts 40 to 70. Insurance endorsements and city permit rules often decide the rest.
TL;DR
- Cost: architectural asphalt runs about $4.50 to $8.50 per square foot installed in 2026, metal about $8 to $19, which is roughly $9,000 to $17,000 against $16,000 to $38,000 on a 2,000 square foot roof
- Lifespan: asphalt delivers 18 to 25 years of service in this climate, shorter than the warranty term implies; metal delivers 40 to 70 depending on substrate, coating, and fastener type
- Hail: hail dents metal without stopping it from shedding water, and bruises asphalt in ways that shorten its life without leaking for years
- The insurance catch: many policies carry a cosmetic damage exclusion that removes coverage for hail dents which do not impair function, and it hits metal roofs hardest. Some carriers pair that exclusion with the impact-resistant discount
- The permit catch: inside the City of St. Louis, a like for like reroof replacing a quarter or less of the sheathing usually needs no building permit, but switching to metal is not like material, so it does
- The timeline test: moving within ten years favors asphalt, staying past twenty favors metal, and the middle gets decided by your policy and your jurisdiction
One liner: Metal outlasts asphalt by decades and costs two to three times more, but in St. Louis your declarations page and your address decide whether that premium is worth paying.
Key Numbers
| Figure | What it means | Source and year |
| $4.50 to $8.50 per sq ft | Installed cost, architectural asphalt shingles | National contractor cost surveys, 2026 [7] |
| $8 to $19 per sq ft | Installed cost, metal systems from exposed-fastener to standing seam | National contractor cost surveys, 2026 [7] |
| 18 to 25 years | Realistic asphalt service life in a freeze-thaw, hail-prone climate | Material behavior, 2026 |
| 40 to 70 years | Metal service life, varying by substrate, coating, and fastener type | Material behavior, 2026 |
| December 31, 2025 | Expiration of Section 25C, the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit | IRS, 2026 [4] |
| 25 percent | Sheathing replacement threshold in the City of St. Louis permit rule | City of St. Louis Building Division, 2026 [1] |
| 5 business days | Window to cancel an insurance-funded roofing contract after written notice of non-coverage | Missouri Section 407.725 [2] |
Asphalt Shingles vs Metal Roofing in St. Louis: The Short Version
In short: Architectural asphalt shingles cost less up front and fit a shorter ownership horizon. Metal runs roughly two to three times the installed price and lasts two to three times as long. In St. Louis, the close calls usually get decided by two things most comparisons skip: what your policy covers and what the city considers a permit.
| Architectural asphalt shingles | Metal roofing | |
| Installed cost, 2026 planning range | About $9,000 to $17,000 on a typical 2,000 square foot St. Louis roof | About $20,000 to $38,000 for a comparable roof in standing seam |
| Realistic service life here | 18 to 25 years, shorter than the number on the wrapper | 40 to 70 years depending on substrate, finish, and panel type |
| Hail behavior | Bruises, fractures, and sheds granules, which shortens life even when there is no leak | Usually dents without losing function, which is exactly where coverage gets complicated |
| Maintenance load | Low, with periodic inspection after storms | Low, but fasteners and sealants at penetrations need checking |
| Permit inside city limits | A like for like reroof replacing 25% or less of the sheathing usually does not need a building permit [1] | Switching materials is not “like material,” so a permit applies [1] |
| Best fit | You are moving within ten years, or matching a subdivision | This is the last roof you plan to buy |
Two caveats worth carrying into the rest of this guide.
First, a metal roof that survives hail and a metal roof that gets paid for after hail are not the same thing. Many Missouri policies carry a cosmetic damage endorsement that excludes dents which do not affect how the roof sheds water [6]. The insurance section below covers what to look for on your declarations page.
Second, the permit question changes when the material changes. The City of St. Louis lists like for like roof replacement among work that usually does not require a building permit, but an entire new roof that is not a replacement of like material does require one [1]. If your home sits in a City Historic District, there is a design review layer on top of that.
Everything below unpacks those numbers and tells you which ones apply to your house. When you are ready for real figures on your actual roof, Lane House handles roof replacement in the St. Louis area and prices both materials side by side.
What Each Roof Costs in St. Louis in 2026
In short: Architectural asphalt runs roughly $4.50 to $8.50 per square foot installed, and metal runs roughly $8 to $19 depending on the system. On a typical 2,000 square foot St. Louis roof that is about $9,000 to $17,000 against $16,000 to $38,000. Where you land inside those ranges depends more on your roof than on the material.
| Roofing system | Installed cost per square foot | Typical 2,000 sq ft roof |
| Architectural asphalt shingles | $4.50 to $8.50 | $9,000 to $17,000 |
| Exposed-fastener metal panel | $8 to $12 | $16,000 to $24,000 |
| Standing seam metal | $10 to $19 | $20,000 to $38,000 |
| Stone-coated steel | $12 to $20 | $24,000 to $40,000 |
Those are 2026 planning ranges drawn from national contractor cost surveys, not St. Louis quotes [7]. No public dataset breaks residential roofing pricing out by metro at a level worth publishing, and any page that hands you one precise St. Louis number is guessing with confidence. Use these to set a budget, then get a real measurement.
Metal Roof vs Shingles Cost: What Moves the Number
Roof size is the obvious driver. The less obvious ones matter more.
Pitch and complexity. A steep, cut-up roof with dormers, valleys, and multiple planes costs more in labor than a simple gable of the same square footage. Plenty of older homes in South County and the city’s brick neighborhoods fall into that category.
Existing layers. Missouri municipalities generally cap roofing at two layers, so a home already carrying two is looking at a full tear-off no matter which material you pick [11]. That is disposal cost on top of labor.
Deck condition. Nobody knows what is under the old roof until it comes off. A bid without a deck replacement allowance is not cheaper, it is incomplete, and the difference shows up as a change order mid-project.
What is under the old roof. Homes built before about 1980 often have spaced sheathing, meaning gaps between the deck boards rather than solid plywood or OSB. Shingles can go over that with minimal prep. Most metal panel systems want solid decking underneath, so a conversion on an older home can carry a sheathing cost that a shingle reroof never triggers. On the city’s brick housing stock and older South County ranches, this is one of the largest hidden variables in the whole comparison.
Weight, and a correction worth making. You will read that metal requires structural reinforcement because it weighs differently. For most residential systems that is backwards. Steel and aluminum roofing typically weigh less per square than architectural asphalt, and the framing that carried shingles will carry metal without trouble. Deck condition is the real constraint, not weight.
Going over the old shingles. Installing metal directly over an existing shingle layer is possible and usually a poor idea here. It traps moisture in a humid climate, hides deck damage nobody has inspected, telegraphs the old surface through flat panels, and runs against manufacturer terms that often require solid decking. Add the two-layer limit and the case for a full tear-off gets straightforward.
Which metal. This is where two “metal roof” bids can differ by half. An exposed-fastener panel and a standing seam system are both metal, but they differ in gauge, substrate (G90 galvanized or Galvalume), finish (a PVDF coating like Kynar 500 holds color far longer than a standard polyester), and the labor to install concealed clips instead of face-driven screws. Ask which one you are being quoted before you compare prices.
What a Complete Estimate Should Itemize
- Tear-off and disposal, with the number of existing layers stated
- Deck replacement allowance, with a per-sheet price
- Underlayment type and coverage
- Ice and water barrier at eaves, valleys, and penetrations
- Flashing, drip edge, and any chimney or skylight work
- Ventilation, including intake as well as ridge
- Permit and inspection where the jurisdiction requires one
- Warranty registration, and who registers it
A bid that names all eight is comparable to another bid that names all eight. A bid that names three is not cheaper. It is less specific.
Lifespan: How Long Each Roof Lasts in a Freeze-Thaw, Hail-Prone Climate
In short: Architectural asphalt shingles typically deliver 18 to 25 years of service in the St. Louis climate, well short of the number printed on the warranty. Metal systems run 40 to 70 years, with the spread driven by substrate, coating, and whether the fasteners are exposed.
Start with the distinction that trips up most homeowners. A shingle warranty is a materials warranty. It covers manufacturing defects, it prorates after the early years, and it carries exclusions for storm damage, ventilation problems, and installation error. It is not a forecast of how long the roof will keep water out of your house. Those are two different numbers, and the gap between them is wider here than in a mild climate.
Metal Roof vs Shingle Lifespan: Why a 30-Year Shingle Is Not a 30-Year Roof Here
Three things in St. Louis shorten asphalt’s working life. Freeze-thaw cycling flexes the shingle mat through winter, loosening granules and stressing sealant strips. Summer heat and UV dry out the asphalt binder, which is what keeps the mat flexible. And hail fractures the mat on impact without necessarily producing a leak, so a roof can lose years of life in one afternoon and look fine from the driveway for another five.
That last point matters more than it sounds. A bruised shingle roof that is not leaking is still a roof with fewer seasons left in it, which is the same fact insurers and homeowners argue about further down this page.
Metal’s range is wide for reasons you can ask about. Substrate comes first: Galvalume holds up better against corrosion than standard galvanized. Coating comes second: a PVDF finish like Kynar 500 keeps its color and film integrity far longer than a polyester finish. Fastener type comes third, and it is the one most homeowners overlook. Exposed-fastener panels rely on rubber gaskets under face-driven screws, and those gaskets are the wear item, typically needing attention decades before the panels themselves do. Standing seam hides its fasteners under concealed clips, which is a meaningful part of why it sits at the top of the price range and the top of the lifespan range at the same time.
Attic ventilation moves both numbers, and it is the cheapest line on either estimate. The maintenance section below covers what that means over a 30-year horizon.
Hail and Wind Performance, and What the Ratings Actually Mean
In short: Hail dents metal and usually leaves the water barrier intact. Hail bruises asphalt and fractures the shingle mat, often without an immediate leak. Both are real damage. Only one of them is easy to see, and that asymmetry drives almost everything that happens next with your insurer.
Metal Roof for Hail in St. Louis: What Dents and What Fails
Functional damage means the roof can no longer do its job. Punctures, split seams, compromised coating, fractured shingle mats, and displaced granules that expose the asphalt underneath all qualify. Cosmetic damage means the surface looks worse but still sheds water the way it was designed to.
On metal, hail usually produces the second kind. A dented panel is a panel that still keeps rain out. On asphalt, hail more often produces the first kind, but invisibly: the mat fractures, granules displace, UV starts working on the exposed binder, and the failure arrives years later.
Gauge decides how much a metal roof dents in the first place. A 29-gauge exposed-fastener panel takes a mark that a 24-gauge standing seam system shrugs off. “Metal roof” by itself tells you nothing about dent resistance, so ask for the gauge on any quote.
UL 2218 Class 4 and Why FM 4473 Is the Stricter Test
Impact resistance gets rated two ways, and they are not equivalent.
UL 2218 drops steel balls of increasing size from a measured height onto a sample and assigns Class 1 through Class 4, with Class 4 the highest. FM 4473 uses ice balls instead, and it adds a Very Severe Hail classification above Class 4 that uses two-inch ice balls at nearly double the kinetic energy, with specimens artificially aged before testing [8]. UL 2218 has no equivalent tier.
The practical takeaway: an FM Class 4 rating is harder to earn than a UL Class 4 rating. When a product sheet says “Class 4,” ask which standard.
That also means asphalt has a serious answer here. Class 4 impact-resistant shingles cost more than standard architectural product and give a homeowner hail performance without a metal budget. For a lot of St. Louis houses, that is the sensible middle.
On wind, both materials carry high ratings on paper, and shingles are tested against ASTM D7158 and D3161 for uplift. In the field, fastening pattern and installation quality decide wind performance more reliably than material choice does. Worth remembering that the EF3 tornado that tracked more than 12 miles through the city on May 16, 2025 produced winds no residential roofing material is rated to survive [5]. Rating a roof for wind is about the storms that happen most years, not the one that made national news.
Both materials carry published wind ratings, and you will see 140 mph quoted for metal and 110 mph for asphalt on plenty of roofing pages. Treat those as product figures rather than material figures. Ratings are earned by specific systems under specific test standards, and the fastening pattern used on your roof is part of what earns them. Ask for the rating on the exact system you are being quoted.
The Insurance Question to Settle Before You Choose Metal
In short: Pull your declarations page before you pick a material. Three things on it decide whether a metal roof is the smart buy for your house: whether you carry a cosmetic damage exclusion, whether roof surfacing is covered at replacement cost or actual cash value, and whether the policy schedules payouts by roof age.
Cosmetic Damage Exclusions and Why They Hit Metal Roofs Hardest
In 2013, both ISO and AAIS filed cosmetic damage endorsements for property policies. They exclude wind and hail damage that alters the appearance of a surface without impairing its ability to keep weather out [6]. Carriers adopted them fastest in hail-prone states, and they apply most often to metal roofs, because denting is exactly what hail does to metal.
Read the hail section again with that in mind. Metal’s advantage in hail is that it dents instead of failing. Under a cosmetic exclusion, that advantage is also the reason the claim may not pay.
Here is the part worth flagging hardest: some carriers pair an impact-resistant roof discount with a cosmetic damage exclusion [10]. The homeowner accepts a modest premium credit and gives up coverage on the specific damage their new roof is most likely to take. If you are offered a Class 4 discount, ask in writing whether it comes attached to a cosmetic endorsement.
ACV, RCV, and What Your Roof’s Age Does to the Check
Replacement cost value pays what it costs to put a new roof on, usually in two payments: an initial check, then the withheld depreciation released once the work is completed and documented. Actual cash value pays depreciated value only. There is no second check.
The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance tells consumers directly that a policy may cover only depreciated cost rather than replacement cost on a roof, and recommends checking the declarations page to confirm which one you have [3]. The department also publishes a free tool comparing roof coverage across the top twenty homeowners insurers in the state, along with a comparison shopping form and a consumer helpline at (800) 726-7390 [3].
Some policies go further and apply a payment schedule that reduces the covered percentage as the roof ages. A roof past fifteen years can be covered at a fraction of replacement cost under that structure.
Metal Roof Insurance Discount in St. Louis: What Carriers Actually Do
Missouri does not require carriers to offer an impact-resistant roof discount. Texas runs a formal state credit program for UL 2218 Class 4 roofing; Missouri leaves it to each carrier. Discounts are common and can be meaningful, but they vary by company and ZIP code, they are never automatic, and you have to request the credit and supply documentation of the rating.
Any page that promises you a specific percentage is guessing. Call your carrier and ask two questions: what the credit is for a Class 4 roof, and whether accepting it changes any endorsement on the policy.
Three lines to find on your declarations page:
- A cosmetic damage exclusion or cosmetic endorsement
- Roof surfacing listed as actual cash value or replacement cost value
- Any roof payment schedule tied to the roof’s age
What Missouri Law Says Your Contractor Can and Cannot Do
Missouri Section 407.725 sets clear limits. A contractor cannot advertise or promise to pay or rebate any portion of your insurance deductible, in cash or as a discount, credit, or allowance of any kind. A contractor also cannot represent or negotiate on your behalf on an insurance claim. Violations count as unfair practices under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act [2].
The same statute gives you a right worth knowing: if you have signed a contract to be paid under a property insurance policy, you may cancel it before midnight on the fifth business day after you receive written notice from your insurer that any part of the claim is not a covered loss [2].
What that means in practice is that a legitimate St. Louis contractor documents. Lane House provides the assessments and documentation your insurer asks for, and your carrier and its adjuster handle the claim itself. Anyone offering to cover your deductible or negotiate the claim for you is offering something Missouri law does not allow.
Permits, Historic Districts, and the “Like Material” Rule
In short: Inside the City of St. Louis, replacing shingles with shingles on sound decking often needs no building permit. Switching to metal does, because it is not a replacement of like material. In the county and the surrounding municipalities the answer varies by address, so confirm before you sign.
Metal Roof vs Asphalt for Older Homes in St. Louis: Inside the City Limits
The City of St. Louis Building Division lists among the work that requires a building permit “an entire new roof, when roof work is not replacement of like material”, or work that removes and replaces more than a quarter of the roof sheathing [1]. Separately, it lists roof replacement done with like material, replacing a quarter or less of the sheathing, among the work that usually does not require one [1].
Translated: a shingle-to-shingle reroof on decking that is in decent shape often clears without a building permit inside the city. A shingle-to-metal conversion is a change of material, so it does not. Same house, same roof, different regulatory path, decided entirely by what you are putting back on.
That is not a reason to avoid metal. It is a reason to know the timeline and the fee before you commit, and to hire someone who will pull it.
The historic layer. If your home sits in a City Historic District or is a designated City Landmark, exterior work needs Cultural Resources Office approval, and a permit is usually required there even where the Building Code alone would not call for one [1]. The city carries 14 historic districts and 112 landmarks, which covers a lot of the brick housing stock in Soulard, Lafayette Square, Compton Heights, and The Hill.
Design review is where material choice gets interesting. A standing seam panel may read as wrong for a period roofline, while stone-coated steel that mimics shake or tile can satisfy the same review. If you are in a district, ask what has been approved on your block before you fall in love with a profile.
In St. Louis County and the Municipalities
Outside the city line, the answer depends on who enforces code at your address. St. Louis County Public Works handles residential code enforcement for unincorporated areas and for municipalities that contract with the county for those services. Other municipalities run their own permitting, with their own IRC edition and local amendments.
So the requirement in Mehlville or Oakville is not automatically the requirement in Kirkwood or Webster Groves. The layer rules follow the same pattern: municipalities across Missouri generally cap roofing at two layers, which means a home already carrying two is getting a full tear-off regardless of what goes back on [11].
Historic districts are not the only design constraint. Plenty of subdivisions across West County and newer South County carry HOA rules on roofing color and profile, and metal draws more scrutiny than shingles under those covenants. Check your covenants before you check prices.
Style matters too, and not only to a review board. Dimensional asphalt tends to suit Colonial and Victorian lines, while standing seam reads naturally on Craftsman and contemporary homes, which is part of why stone-coated profiles exist.
There is a simple test for any contractor you are considering. Ask which jurisdiction your address falls under, whether the job needs a permit, and who is pulling it. A clear answer takes ten seconds. A vague one tells you what you need to know.
Energy, Noise, and Three Myths Worth Retiring
In short: There is no federal tax credit for a roof in 2026. Metal roofs over solid decking are not loud. A reflective roof trims cooling load without replacing insulation or ventilation. Each of these gets stated wrong on roofing pages often enough to distort real budgets.
The Federal Tax Credit for Roofing Is Gone
Section 25C, the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, expired on December 31, 2025. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act moved that termination up from the original 2032 date, and only property placed in service by the end of 2025 qualifies [4]. Roofing products had already been dropped from 25C eligibility years before that, beginning in 2023.
So there is no federal tax credit for a metal roof, a cool roof, or an asphalt roof in 2026. If you find a roofing page advertising one, it has not been updated.
Local incentives are a separate question. Some utilities and state or municipal programs offer cool-roof rebates, and those are not affected by what happened to the federal credit. Check with your electric utility rather than assuming either way, and talk to a tax professional about anything you plan to claim.
Metal Roofs and Rain Noise
The loud metal roof most people are picturing is a bare panel screwed to open purlins on a barn or a shed. Nothing under it, nothing above the ceiling, so the panel rings like a drum.
A residential metal roof is a different assembly. Panels go over solid decking with underlayment beneath them, and on most homes there is an attic and a layer of insulation under that. The decking and the air space are what stop the drumming, not any acoustic feature of the product. Homeowners who move from shingles to metal usually report the difference is smaller than they expected.
That is not a promise of silence. Heavy hail is audible through any roof assembly. But rain on a properly built metal roof does not sound like rain on a pole barn, and turning down a metal roof on that basis means turning it down for the wrong reason.
Energy Efficiency: What a Reflective Roof Does and Does Not Do
A reflective metal roof cuts radiant heat gain into the attic, which lowers cooling load through a St. Louis July. That is real, and it is the strongest energy argument metal has.
What it does not do is warm your house in winter, and it does not substitute for the two things that move a utility bill more: insulation depth and balanced attic ventilation with intake as well as exhaust. On most homes here, fixing ventilation is a cheaper path to comfort than changing roof color. If a contractor pitches a metal roof primarily on energy savings without looking in your attic, be skeptical.
One last myth while we are here. A metal roof does not attract lightning. Metal conducts electricity, which is a different property from attracting it, and metal roofing is non-combustible, which counts in its favor rather than against it.
Resale Value and the Question of How Long You Are Staying
In short: Metal roof resale value in St. Louis is real but partial. Asphalt recoups a higher percentage of its cost at sale, though it is a percentage of a much smaller number. The more useful question is not which one adds more value. It is how long you intend to own the house.
The Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report is the industry benchmark for what renovation projects return at resale, and exterior replacement projects sit near the top of it year after year [9]. Roofing does well in that ranking for both materials. Directionally, asphalt recoups the larger share of what you spent, and metal recoups less of a bigger outlay. Neither gap is wide enough to decide this on its own.
Here is the test that actually settles it.
- Moving within ten years. Asphalt wins the math almost every time. You would be buying four decades of durability and collecting one, and no buyer pays you back for the other three.
- Staying ten to twenty years. This is the genuinely close call, and the earlier sections decide it. Your hail exposure, what your declarations page says about cosmetic damage and depreciation, and whether your address adds a permit and a design review to the material switch.
- Staying past twenty years, or this is your last roof. Metal starts earning its premium here, because avoiding a second replacement is worth more than any recoup percentage.
One thing holds true for both materials. A documented new roof shortens time on market, because roof age comes up in every St. Louis home sale and an old one is a negotiating lever pointed at your asking price. A twelve-year-old shingle roof becomes a line item in the counteroffer. A twelve-year-old metal roof does not. Buyers rarely get excited about shingles, but they do not worry about them either, which is its own kind of value.
If curb appeal is part of why you are doing this, roof and siding work together. Color, profile, and texture read as one exterior to a buyer standing at the curb, and coordinating them does more for perceived value than either does alone. Lane House handles siding installation alongside roofing, and the completed projects gallery is the fastest way to see how the two decisions look together on real St. Louis homes.
Maintenance and Warranties Over a 30-Year Horizon
In short: Both roofs are low maintenance, and neither is maintenance free. Metal asks you to watch fasteners and sealants. Asphalt asks you to inspect after storms. And the warranty that saves you money is usually the workmanship warranty, not the one printed on the shingle wrapper.
Metal Roof vs Shingle Maintenance in St. Louis: What Each One Asks of You
Metal earns its low-maintenance reputation, with two specifics worth knowing. On exposed-fastener panels, the rubber gaskets under the screws age faster than the panels do, and they want periodic inspection. On any metal system, the sealant at chimneys, skylights, and pipe penetrations is the other wear point. Standing seam asks less of you on the first count because the fasteners sit under concealed clips.
Asphalt’s main ask is a look after storms. As the hail section covered, hail can fracture a shingle mat without producing a leak for years, so a post-storm inspection is how you find out what a roof actually took. Beyond that: keep debris off, expect some algae streaking on north-facing slopes, and pay attention to ice dams through the winter.
Ice damming is worth naming as a drainage problem more than a roofing one. Clogged or undersized gutters and unbalanced attic ventilation cause more winter leaks in this climate than roof material ever does. Balanced ventilation, with intake at the soffits as well as exhaust at the ridge, extends the life of either roof and is the cheapest line on your estimate.
One thing metal does that shingles do not: it sheds snow in sheets instead of letting it melt off gradually. Over an entryway, a walkway, or a gutter run, that is worth planning for. Snow guards are the standard fix, they are inexpensive relative to the roof, and they are easy to leave off a quote nobody asked about.
Reading a Roofing Warranty Properly
There are two warranties on a roof, and homeowners tend to hear about one.
A materials warranty comes from the manufacturer and covers the product against defects. It typically prorates over time and carries exclusions for storm damage, ventilation problems, and improper installation. A workmanship warranty comes from the contractor and covers how the roof was put on.
The second one matters more than most people expect, because the majority of roof failures trace to installation rather than defective product. A long materials warranty on a badly installed roof is a document, not a remedy.
The two connect through manufacturer certification. Companies like Owens Corning extend stronger warranty terms through contractors who meet their standards, which is what a Preferred Contractor designation means and why Lane House holds one. Ask any bidder which certifications they carry, what the workmanship term is, and who registers the warranty after installation, since coverage often depends on registration inside a set window.
How to Choose: A Decision Framework for Your St. Louis Home
In short: Is a metal roof worth it in St. Louis? For a homeowner staying twenty years with a policy that pays replacement cost and carries no cosmetic exclusion, yes. For most other situations, an asphalt product is the better buy, and sometimes it is a Class 4 shingle rather than a standard one.
Four things decide this, and none of them is a preference: how long you are staying, what your declarations page says, what your jurisdiction requires, and what your roof itself looks like once someone measures it.
Four St. Louis Homeowner Profiles
You are selling within five to ten years and the roof is at end of life. Architectural asphalt shingles. You would be buying four decades of service life and collecting one, and no buyer pays you back for the rest. The timeline settles this before any other factor gets a vote.
You are staying long term, you have taken hail more than once, and your policy pays replacement cost with no cosmetic exclusion. This is the strongest case for metal on the page. You will collect on the durability, and the coverage question that undermines metal elsewhere does not apply to you.
You are staying long term, but your policy carries a cosmetic damage exclusion or schedules roof payouts by age. Class 4 impact-resistant shingles. You get serious hail performance without owning a roof whose most likely damage your policy has carved out.
Your home sits in a City Historic District or is a City Landmark. Start with the Cultural Resources question before the material question. Find out what has been approved nearby, then choose from what is available to you.
What to Ask Before You Sign
- Which jurisdiction is my address in, does this job need a permit, and are you pulling it?
- On metal, what gauge, substrate, and finish? On asphalt, which shingle line and what impact class?
- What does your workmanship warranty cover, how long does it run, and who registers the manufacturer warranty?
- Does this bid include a deck replacement allowance, and at what price per sheet?
Four clear answers tell you a great deal about who you are hiring. Four vague ones tell you more.
We have said twice that no article can price your particular roof, and that holds. Pitch, layers, deck condition, and complexity move the number more than the material does, and none of them can be assessed from a keyboard. Lane House Roofing & Exteriors prices both paths side by side on a free estimate, across metal roofing, forged iron, RoofGuard, and traditional shingles, plus siding, windows, and gutters if the exterior is coming together as one project. Call (314) 845-2166 or request an estimate, and someone will get on your roof and measure it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to get a metal roof or shingles in St. Louis?
Asphalt shingles cost less up front. Architectural asphalt runs roughly $4.50 to $8.50 per square foot installed in 2026, while metal systems run roughly $8 to $19. Metal lasts two to three times longer, so the lifetime comparison narrows, but the first check is always smaller with shingles.
What is the downside to a metal roof?
Higher up-front cost is the main one. Hail dents metal, and if your policy carries a cosmetic damage exclusion those dents may not be covered. Inside the City of St. Louis, switching materials also triggers a building permit that a like for like shingle reroof often does not.
Do insurance companies give discounts for metal roofs in Missouri?
Sometimes. Missouri does not require carriers to offer an impact-resistant roof discount, unlike Texas, which runs a formal state credit program. Credits vary by carrier and ZIP code, they are never automatic, and you have to request one and document the rating. Ask whether accepting a credit changes any endorsement on your policy.
Can you put a metal roof over existing shingles?
It is possible and usually a poor idea in this climate. Layering traps moisture, hides deck damage nobody has inspected, and telegraphs the old surface through flat panels. Manufacturer terms often require solid decking, and Missouri municipalities generally cap roofing at two layers.
Do metal roofs leak more than shingles?
No. Leaks trace to installation rather than material. Standing seam systems have fewer penetrations because the fasteners sit under concealed clips. On exposed-fastener panels, the gaskets under the screws are the wear point and want periodic inspection.
Do metal roofs attract lightning?
No. Metal conducts electricity, which is a different property from attracting it. A metal roof is also non-combustible, which counts in its favor.
Are metal roofs loud in the rain?
Far less than most people expect. The loud metal roof people picture is a bare panel over open framing on a barn. A residential metal roof sits on solid decking with underlayment, usually above an insulated attic, and that assembly stops the drumming. Heavy hail is audible through any roof.
Do you need a permit to switch from shingles to metal in St. Louis?
Inside the city, yes. The City of St. Louis Building Division requires a building permit for an entire new roof when the work is not a replacement of like material. A shingle to shingle reroof replacing a quarter or less of the sheathing usually does not require one. In the county and surrounding municipalities, the requirement depends on which jurisdiction enforces code at your address.
What is oil canning on a metal roof?
Visible waviness across flat areas of metal panels. It is a cosmetic characteristic rather than a defect, and it shows up more in thinner gauges and on long panel runs. Heavier gauge and striated or ribbed profiles reduce it.
Is there a tax credit for a metal roof in 2026?
No. Section 25C, the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, expired on December 31, 2025, and roofing products had already been removed from eligibility beginning in 2023. Some utility or local cool-roof rebates may still exist, so check with your electric utility.
Which roof lasts longer in St. Louis?
Metal, by a wide margin. Architectural asphalt delivers about 18 to 25 years of service in this freeze-thaw, hail-prone climate, shorter than the warranty term implies. Metal systems run 40 to 70 years depending on substrate, coating, and whether the fasteners are exposed.
Do metal roofs require structural reinforcement?
Rarely. Steel and aluminum roofing typically weigh less per square than architectural asphalt shingles, so framing that carried shingles will usually carry metal. Deck condition is the real constraint. Homes built before about 1980 often have spaced sheathing that needs solid decking added before metal panels go on.
Definition Bank
| Term | What it means |
| Cosmetic damage exclusion | A policy endorsement that removes coverage for wind or hail damage which changes how a surface looks without stopping it from keeping weather out. Applied most often to metal roofs. |
| Actual cash value (ACV) | A payout based on the depreciated value of the roof rather than what it costs to replace. There is no second check. |
| Replacement cost value (RCV) | A payout based on what it costs to install a new roof, usually paid in two parts, with the withheld amount released after the work is documented. |
| Recoverable depreciation | The portion of an RCV claim held back initially and released once the completed work is documented to the insurer. |
| Roof payment schedule | A policy structure that reduces the covered percentage of a roof claim as the roof ages, independent of whether the policy is ACV or RCV. |
| UL 2218 Class 4 | The highest impact-resistance class under the UL steel-ball test, applied to shingles, metal panels, and other steep-slope coverings. |
| FM 4473 Very Severe Hail | An impact classification above Class 4, using two-inch ice balls at nearly double the kinetic energy, with specimens aged before testing. UL 2218 has no equivalent tier. |
| Functional damage | Damage that stops a roof from doing its job, including punctures, split seams, fractured shingle mats, and granule loss that exposes the asphalt beneath. |
| Standing seam | A metal roofing system whose panels lock together over concealed clips, so no fasteners penetrate the panel face. |
| Exposed-fastener panel | A metal roofing system fastened with screws driven through the panel face, sealed by rubber gaskets that age faster than the panels do. |
| Like material | The City of St. Louis permit term for replacing a roof covering with the same type of covering. A change of material falls outside it. |
| Workmanship warranty | Coverage from the contractor for how the roof was installed, separate from the manufacturer’s warranty on the product itself. |
Entity Cards
Architectural Asphalt Shingles
| Property | Value |
| Installed cost, 2026 | $4.50 to $8.50 per sq ft |
| Service life in St. Louis | 18 to 25 years |
| Hail behavior | Bruises and fractures the mat, sheds granules, often without an immediate leak |
| Impact rating available | UL 2218 Class 1 through 3 on standard product |
| Maintenance ask | Post-storm inspection, debris removal, algae on north slopes |
| City permit implication | Like for like replacement, so usually no building permit if sheathing replacement stays at or below 25 percent |
| Best fit | Owners moving inside ten years, or matching a subdivision |
Standing Seam Metal
| Property | Value |
| Installed cost, 2026 | $10 to $19 per sq ft |
| Service life in St. Louis | 40 to 70 years |
| Hail behavior | Dents without losing the water barrier, which is where cosmetic exclusions bite |
| Impact rating available | UL 2218 Class 4 on many systems |
| Maintenance ask | Sealant at penetrations, gutters kept clear, snow guards where snow sheds onto walkways |
| City permit implication | Not like material, so a building permit applies; historic district review may also apply |
| Best fit | Owners staying past twenty years with RCV coverage and no cosmetic exclusion |
Class 4 Impact-Resistant Shingles
| Property | Value |
| Installed cost, 2026 | Above standard architectural, below metal |
| Service life in St. Louis | 20 to 30 years |
| Hail behavior | Resists cracking and splitting at the impact energies that damage standard shingles |
| Impact rating available | UL 2218 Class 4, and FM 4473 on some products |
| Maintenance ask | Same as architectural asphalt |
| City permit implication | Like for like replacement, so usually no building permit under the 25 percent threshold |
| Best fit | Owners staying long term whose policy carries a cosmetic exclusion or an age-based roof schedule |
Sources
- City of St. Louis Building Division, “When a Residential Building Permit is Needed,” stlouis-mo.gov, page updated March 2026.
- Missouri Revisor of Statutes, Section 407.725, “Work and services for insured persons, contractors not to induce sales, cancellation of contracts, requirements, contractor duties, violations, penalty,” revisor.mo.gov.
- Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, consumer guidance on homeowners roof coverage and the roof coverage comparison tool, dci.mo.gov. Consumer helpline (800) 726-7390.
- Internal Revenue Service, “Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit,” irs.gov, and IRS Fact Sheet 2025-05 on the accelerated termination date.
- National Weather Service St. Louis, Significant Weather Event Reviews, weather.gov/lsx, covering the May 16, 2025 tornado.
- Insurance Journal, reporting on ISO and AAIS cosmetic damage exclusion endorsement filings, 2013.
- National contractor roof cost surveys for 2026, aggregated planning ranges.
- UL Solutions, UL 2218 Impact Resistance standard, and FM Approvals, FM 4473 including the Very Severe Hail classification.
- Zonda and JLC, Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, most recent annual edition.
- Insurance.com, “What is a wind and hail cosmetic damage exclusion?”, June 2026.
- Missouri municipal roofing layer limits, general pattern across IRC-adopting jurisdictions.
