What metal costs here, and the arithmetic against shingle
Metal costs roughly twice what shingle does and lasts roughly twice as long, which makes the decision almost entirely about how long you intend to own the house.
The figures
| System | Installed | Life here |
|---|---|---|
| Exposed fastener, single storey | $15,000 – $22,000 | Washers at ~15 years |
| Exposed fastener, two storey | $19,000 – $26,000 | Washers at ~15 years |
| Standing seam, single storey | $24,000 – $34,000 | 40 years or more |
| Standing seam, two storey or complex | $30,000 – $41,000 | 40 years or more |
| Upgrade 26 to 24 gauge | Add $1,800 – $4,200 | Better dent and wind resistance |
| Aluminium panels, beachfront | Add $3,500 – $8,000 | No corrosion at all |
| Comparison: architectural shingle | $12,500 – $18,000 | 20 – 25 years |
| Fastener campaign on exposed fastener | $2,400 – $5,200 | Budget this at ~15 years |
The two systems are not the same purchase
Standing seam has concealed fasteners. The panels clip to the deck and the seams lock or are mechanically crimped over the top, so nothing penetrates the weather surface. There is therefore nothing to back out, nothing to perish, and no washer campaign in year fifteen. It costs more and it is the one that genuinely lasts forty years.
Exposed fastener screws through the panel face with a neoprene washer under each head. It is substantially cheaper and faster, and its service life is the washers' service life — which in Gulf sun and salt is around fifteen years before they start weeping. That is not a failure; it is a maintenance event you should budget for at $2,400 to $5,200. Treated that way it is good value. Treated as a forty-year roof it will disappoint.
Gauge and coating
Gulfport sets a 26 gauge minimum. Lower numbers are thicker, so 24 gauge is heavier than 26 and noticeably better against hail denting and oil-canning. The upgrade cost is modest relative to the job.
On coating, Galvalume — aluminium-zinc coated steel — substantially outperforms plain galvanised in salt air and should be the default anywhere on this coast. Aluminium panels do not corrode at all, which makes them worth the premium on genuinely beachfront exposure in Long Beach, Pass Christian or Waveland. Fasteners and clips must match the panel: stainless panels on ordinary screws fail at every fixing.
The long-run arithmetic
Over forty years, roughly: shingle at $15,000 replaced twice is $30,000 plus the disruption, against standing seam at $29,000 once. That is before any insurance discount for metal, which many carriers on this coast offer and which compounds annually. Over ten years the comparison inverts completely and shingle wins easily.
So the honest question is not which roof is better but how long you are staying. Planning to sell in five years: shingle, and keep the difference. Intending to stay twenty: metal is competitive. Already rebuilt once after a storm and never want to do it again: metal, and most of Pass Christian has reached the same conclusion.
Common questions
Why is standing seam so much more?
More material, far more labour, and a different skill set. Panels are often formed on site to the exact rafter length, clips are set individually, and seams are mechanically crimped. Exposed fastener is screwed straight through and goes on much faster. You are buying the absence of penetrations through the weather surface.
Will metal lower my insurance?
Frequently, on this coast, because carriers rate wind performance heavily and metal performs well. The size of the discount varies by carrier and by how much of your premium is the wind portion — which here is usually most of it. Ring and ask for the figure before deciding, because it can change which option is cheaper.
Is 26 gauge enough?
It is the city minimum and it is adequate. 24 gauge is meaningfully better against hail denting and oil-canning for a modest premium, and on an exposed site or a large flat panel run it is the better buy. Anything thinner than 26 is both non-compliant here and a false economy.
Can metal go over my shingles?
Not in Gulfport — one roof layer only, no overlays. Elsewhere it is sometimes permitted and it remains a poor idea on a high-wind coast, because it conceals decking that nobody has then inspected and adds weight to a structure designed to resist uplift.
How loud is it really?
Over solid decking with underlayment and an insulated roof space, not appreciably louder than shingle. The drumming people remember comes from panels on open purlins, as on a barn or a carport. Most homeowners report they stop noticing within a week.
Related: Metal roofing · Metal or shingle here · Metal roof repair · Replacement cost