Metal roof or architectural shingles?

We install both, so we have no horse in this race

Schaub and Sons does metal roofs and shingle roofs, and both kinds showed up on our 2026 schedule. In June we covered a dark shingle roof in gray metal. In September we stripped a one-story brick ranch and put on new gray architectural shingles.

Same color family, two very different roofs. Comparing those two jobs side by side is the easiest way to explain the choice.

How each one goes on

On the gray metal job the old shingles stayed. We strapped the roof with wood battens, ran gray panels from the eaves to the ridge across every section, fitted them around the chimney and screwed down the ridge cap. There was no pile of torn-off roofing to haul away.

On the brick ranch the old roof came off down to the deck and went into a roll-off in the front yard. Titanium underlayment covered the deck, the shingles started at the eaves and worked up both slopes, and a ridge vent was capped along the full peak. More steps, more debris, but a fresh start from the deck up.

How they look on the house

Metal reads as long, clean vertical lines from eave to ridge. Architectural shingles have a layered, textured look that matches most neighborhoods around here and blends in on a ranch or a two-story.

Color choice works differently too. Metal panels come in solid colors like the blue, red, black and gray we installed this year. Shingles carry some variation in tone across the roof, as you can see on our Duration shingle note.

Where each one tends to fit

These are general patterns, not rules. Every house gets its own answer at the site visit.

Roof shape matters too. Lots of hips, valleys and dormers mean more cutting and more trim either way, so a complicated roof narrows the gap in effort between the two.

• Metal fits well when the existing roof is one flat layer on a solid deck and you would rather not tear off.
• Metal suits outbuildings, farmhouses and barns where panels already match the property.
• Shingles fit well when the roof needs a tear-off regardless, because the deck is getting exposed anyway.
• Shingles suit homes where the owner wants the roof to match the rest of the street.
• Metal generally costs more up front than architectural shingles, though the gap depends on the roof.

You do not have to pick one for the whole property

In October 2026 we re-roofed the lower sections of a white farmhouse in Onyx Black shingles while the main section kept its red metal roof. Mixing the two is common on older properties where additions went on at different times. That Onyx Black job is a good example of both materials living on one house.

Outbuildings work the same way. Plenty of people put architectural shingles on the house and metal on the garage or barn.

How to decide

Start with the condition of what is up there now. If the deck is sound, metal over the top is on the table. If it is soft or rotted, it is coming off either way, and then the question is just which finish you like. Our metal-over-shingles explainer covers what makes a roof a good fit.

Request a quote for either one through the quote form or the Design Studio. We come out, look at the roof, and price whichever direction makes sense.