Metal roofor shingles
A metal roof isn't cheaper than shingles on the day it goes on: HomeGuide's 2025 ranges are $5 to $16 a square foot installed against $3 to $5.1 Metal lasts longer, and it handles El Paso's heat and wind well.
Metal costs moreup front
Metal costs more to install than asphalt shingles in every source we read. HomeGuide puts metal at $500 to $1,600 a square and shingles at $300 to $500, where a square is 100 square feet of roof.1
Zonda's 2025 Cost vs. Value report, a national survey, shows the same gap. A metal replacement averaged $51,865 and an asphalt shingle replacement $31,871.2
| What you compare | Metal | Asphalt shingles |
|---|---|---|
| Installed, per square foot | $5 to $16 | $3 to $5 |
| Life expectancy | 30 to 80 years | 15 to 30 years |
| Cost recouped at resale | 50% | 68% |
| Average repair | About $1,800 | About $975 |
Install and life figures: HomeGuide, 2025. Resale: Zonda Cost vs. Value, 2025, national. Repairs: NerdWallet, 2025. These are outside figures, not Lifetime's prices.
Short version. Metal wins on years and loses on first cost and on resale. Ask for both materials on the written estimate.
Metal lasts longer,so the gap narrows
HomeGuide gives metal 30 to 80 years and asphalt shingles 15 to 30.1 InterNACHI, the home inspectors' association, lists 20 years for 3-tab shingles, 30 for architectural shingles, and 40 to 80 for metal.4
Spread over those years, the price gap shrinks. That's our arithmetic on the sources, not a claim any of them makes. It only pays off if you stay in the house, because resale returns less of metal's cost.
For the cost side in full, see the metal roof cost guide. For what ends a metal roof, see how long a metal roof lasts.
Metal handlesEl Paso heat well
Reflective metal cuts cooling energy. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Florida Solar Energy Center found that white reflective roofs reduced cooling energy needs by 18 to 26 percent.5 Those tests ran in Tennessee and Florida on white roofs, not in El Paso.
DECRA, the maker of the stone-coated steel we install as DECRA by IKO Metals, says its roofs can reduce cooling costs by up to 25%.6 That's the maker's claim. Stone-coated panels also sit on battens, which leaves an air gap under the panel.
Shingles take the heat harder. InterNACHI says hot climates drastically reduce asphalt shingle life.4 If you choose shingles, we install IKO shingles, and attic ventilation matters as much as the shingle. See our asphalt shingle roofing page.
Both handle El Pasowind, by rating
El Paso's recorded peak gust is 84 mph, set on March 10, 1977 and again on March 26, 2010.7 DECRA's warranty covers winds up to 120 mph, and the panels are lab-tested at twice that.6
Shingles carry a wind rating by line, and it differs from one line to the next. Ask for the rating of the exact shingle on your estimate.
Metal has one wind rule of its own. NRCA calls for a minimum 4:12 slope for exposed-fastener panels, which is 4 inches of rise for every 12 inches of run.8 A flatter roof needs a different material.
Hail dents metal,and insurance may care
Haag Engineering says hail needs to be at least 2.5 inches to rupture metal panels in good to fair condition.9 Smaller dents don't reduce how well the roof sheds water or its expected service life, but some insurance policies may count them as damage.
An IIBEC study of Galvalume-coated steel found that dents won't corrode fast enough to shorten the panel's service life.10
What the Texas Department of Insurance says
A metal roof could lower your premium, but not all insurers offer a discount, and savings vary. A discount can come with an exclusion for cosmetic damage, and terms can change at renewal.11
The same agency notes that a wind and hail deductible is often higher than for other damage.12 Before you choose metal for the discount, ask your insurer in writing whether a cosmetic-damage exclusion applies.
Check this first. Ask your insurer for the discount amount and the cosmetic-damage wording before you decide.
Check HOA and historicrules first
NerdWallet notes that metal may not be permitted by some HOAs.3 Read your HOA rules before you price metal.
In a City of El Paso historic district, the design guidelines say replacement roofing must match the original or existing materials as closely as possible.13 A shingle roof there may have to stay shingle.
As a roofing company in El Paso, Lifetime does the work with its own crews, not subcontractors. We inspect for free and send a written estimate within 48 hours of the inspection. A lifetime transferable warranty covers every installation, and a repair gets quoted when a repair will do.
Questions people askabout metal vs shingles
Is a metal roof cheaper than shingles?
No, not up front. Metal runs $5 to $16 a square foot installed against $3 to $5 for asphalt shingles in HomeGuide's 2025 ranges. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso sends a free written estimate within 48 hours of the inspection, so you see your own figure.
Do insurance companies like metal roofs?
Some do. The Texas Department of Insurance says a metal roof could lower your premium, but not every insurer offers a discount. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso suggests asking yours in writing whether a cosmetic-damage exclusion comes with it.
Will hail ruin a metal roof?
Not usually. Haag Engineering puts the typical hail size that ruptures metal panels in good to fair condition at 2.5 inches or more. Smaller dents are cosmetic, and Lifetime Roofing of El Paso can inspect your roof for free.
Is a metal roof louder in the rain?
Not much. HomeAdvisor says a properly installed, insulated metal roof sounds much like asphalt shingles in rain, a muted thud. Noise comes from gaps between panel and deck. Ask Lifetime Roofing of El Paso about it at the free inspection.
Which is better in El Paso heat?
Reflective metal. Oak Ridge National Laboratory tests found white reflective roofs cut cooling energy by 18 to 26 percent in Tennessee and Florida. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso installs both materials and compares them for your house.
Does a metal roof add resale value?
Some, but less than it costs. Zonda's 2025 Cost vs. Value report has metal recouping 50% of its cost at resale and asphalt shingles 68%. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso writes the estimate for either roof.
Where these factscome from
- HomeGuide, Metal Roof vs. Shingles Cost, November 6, 2025, read November 1, 2026.
- Zonda, Cost vs. Value Report, 2025, national figures, read November 1, 2026.
- NerdWallet, Metal Roof vs. Shingles, October 1, 2025, read November 1, 2026.
- InterNACHI, Life Expectancy, read November 1, 2026.
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Florida Solar Energy Center (Miller, Desjarlais, Parker, and Kriner), metal roof test report, July 2004, read November 1, 2026.
- DECRA, HOA information, read November 1, 2026.
- National Weather Service El Paso, El Paso extreme weather, read November 1, 2026.
- Professional Roofing (citing NRCA), article on exposed-fastener panel slope, October 2022, read November 1, 2026.
- Haag Engineering, August 2018 blog post, read November 1, 2026.
- IIBEC Interface, A deep dive into hail-caused dents, Fall 2025, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Metal roofs and home insurance: 4 key facts for homeowners, August 2026, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, What to know about replacing your roof with insurance, March 2026, read November 1, 2026.
- City of El Paso, Consolidated Design Guidelines, page 28, read November 1, 2026.
More fromthe guides
- Metal Roof Cost: Outside Price Ranges
What a metal roof costs per square foot and per house, from cited outside guides
- How Long Does a Metal Roof Last?
How many years standing seam, stone-coated, and screw-down metal roofs last, and what fails first.
- Class 4 Shingles Worth It in El Paso?
Whether Class 4 impact-resistant shingles pay off in El Paso, and what Texas insurers do.
Call Lifetime Roofing of El Paso
(915) 353-3934
Get a free roof inspection
Based at 8900 Gateway Blvd E, El Paso, TX 79907