The bottom line, up front
Metal roofing costs roughly two to three times more than asphalt shingles up front - and lasts roughly two to three times as long. So the honest question is not which material is "better." It is which is better for your roof, your budget, and how long you plan to own the house. If you are moving in ten years, asphalt almost always wins on cash. If this is your forever home - especially a wet, shaded coastal roof or a wildfire-exposed Interior property - metal starts to make real sense.
2-3×
Metal’s upfront cost vs asphalt
2-3×
Metal’s lifespan vs asphalt
15-25 yr
Real asphalt life on the wet coast
The rest of this guide is the BC-specific detail behind that: real local prices, how long each actually lasts on our coast versus the Interior, what FireSmart genuinely says about fire (it is not what most metal-roofing ads claim), the strata rule that can stop you putting metal on at all, and the marketing promises worth ignoring.
Cost: upfront vs. cost-per-year
In Metro Vancouver, installed asphalt shingle roofing runs roughly $4-9 per square foot - about $8,000 to $18,000 for an average 2,000 ft² roof. Metal runs roughly $10-30 per square foot, or about $16,000 to $60,000 for the same roof. Standing seam, the metal profile most coastal homeowners actually choose, sits at the upper end - figure $14-28 per square foot locally, not the bargain numbers some ads quote.
$8k-$18k
Asphalt, average 2,000 ft² roof
$16k-$60k
Metal, same roof
+5%
GST on top of every quote
But upfront price is the wrong lens if you are staying put. Because one metal roof outlasts two or three asphalt ones, metal usually wins on cost-per-year - you buy the roof once instead of two or three times. The catch is simple: that math only pays off if you own the home long enough to collect the longevity. Sell in ten or fifteen years and you hand the savings to the next owner. Use the estimator below to ballpark both for your own roof size.
Roof replacement cost estimator
Metro Vancouver ballpark · 2025-26
Estimated range
$14,000 – $28,000
plus 5% GST · Asphalt shingle, lasts ~15-25 yrs in BC
Ballpark only, based on 2025-26 Metro Vancouver roofing guides. Real quotes vary with roof pitch, complexity, tear-off, and material grade, and labour here runs higher than most of Canada. Always get 2-3 written quotes before you decide.
How long each lasts in BC
This is where our climate quietly rewrites the brochure. On the wet coast, architectural asphalt shingles realistically last 15-25 years - closer to 25 with good attic ventilation and upkeep, but as little as 15-18 on a shaded, north-facing, or moss-prone roof. Older three-tab shingles run 12-18. Metal lasts far longer: 40-70+ years, with standing seam and metal shingle commonly hitting 50-70.
Realistic BC lifespans
- Asphalt - architectural15-25 years (25 with ventilation + maintenance, 15-18 shaded or neglected)
- Asphalt - 3-tab12-18 years
- Metal - standing seam / shingle40-70+ years, often the last roof the house needs
Why the coast is harder on asphalt: "time-of-wetness"
Roofers here point to a building-science idea called time-of-wetness. Our wind-driven rain and long damp fall-through-spring spells keep the roof surface wet for far more of the year than a drier climate, and that accelerates granular loss, deck decay, and stress at edges and valleys. It is the reason real-world asphalt life in Vancouver lands below the manufacturer number - and why the drier Interior and Okanagan are gentler on shingles, so asphalt tends to go further there.
Moss and water: metal is better, but not magic
Metal sheds water fast and gives moss far less to grip than a textured shingle, so on our coast it genuinely holds up better in the wet. That much is true. But here is the honest correction to what a lot of metal-roofing sites tell you: metal is not moss-proof. On shaded, north-facing, or tree-covered roofs, moss, algae, and lichen can and do still grow on metal - they just take hold more slowly and clean off more easily than they do on asphalt, where moss lifts and curls the shingle edges directly.
No roof here maintains itself
Whatever you put on, a Lower Mainland roof needs the occasional moss treatment and a clear path for water and debris. Anyone selling you metal as "zero maintenance forever" on the wet coast is overselling it. It is lower maintenance than asphalt - not no maintenance.
Fire and wildfire: what FireSmart actually says
This is the most over-claimed part of the whole debate, so here is the authority rather than the ad copy. FireSmart Canada and FireSmart BC both list asphalt-composition shingles AND metal as acceptable, Class A-capable roofing. They do not single metal out as the only fire-safe choice. What actually earns the fire rating is the full tested roof assembly, not the material name alone - and the one material the FireSmart guidance tells you to avoid is untreated wood shakes.
The "only metal is fire-safe" line is marketing, not FireSmart
You will see metal sold as the only non-combustible, Class A option while asphalt is painted as "combustible." That overstates it - FireSmart groups asphalt and metal together. A new, properly rated asphalt roof is not a fire hazard.
That said, there is a real, honest edge for metal in genuine wildfire country. As asphalt ages it curls and cracks, and those gaps become collection points for wind-blown embers - so over the long haul, on a fire-exposed Interior or Okanagan property, metal’s durability and ember performance can pull ahead even though both materials start out Class A. If you are in a high-wildfire-risk area, that longevity argument is worth taking seriously. If you are on the coast, fire is far less likely to be your deciding factor.
Strata and character homes: you may need a vote
If you own a townhouse, condo, or any home in a strata, you may not be free to choose. Under BC’s Strata Property Act, section 71, a "significant change in the use or appearance of common property" needs a 3/4 vote of owners at a general meeting. A strata roof is common property - so switching from the existing material to metal in a way that changes how the building looks crosses that threshold and requires owner approval, not just a council decision.
The exception: like-for-like
Re-roofing in the same material and look - asphalt for asphalt - generally does not change the building’s appearance, so it usually does not trigger the s.71 vote. It is specifically the change in appearance (and material) that does. If you are set on metal in a strata, budget time to win that vote before you budget for the roof.
The same caution applies to designated heritage and character homes, where municipal rules can restrict what you are allowed to put on a visible roof. If your home falls in either bucket, confirm what is permitted before you fall in love with a material.
Claims to take with a grain of salt
In researching this we fact-checked a pile of confident-sounding claims and several did not survive. So that you are not sold on them, here is what we are deliberately not promising you:
What the evidence does not back up
- "Metal slashes your summer cooling bill"The reflectivity-saves-energy claim did not hold up under checking. Treat any cooling-cost promise as marketing, not a reason to buy.
- "Metal adds big resale value in BC"We could not verify a solid resale bump in the local market. A new roof helps a sale; metal specifically paying for itself at resale is not proven here.
- "Metal gets you an insurance discount"No verifiable BC premium-discount data. Do not assume a lower premium - ask your own insurer in writing.
- "Metal is moss-proof"Covered above - better than asphalt, but not immune on shaded coastal roofs.
On the noise question
The "metal roofs are loud in the rain" worry mostly comes from barns and sheds, where metal sits on open battens with nothing underneath. On a house, metal goes over a solid plywood deck and underlayment, which dampens the sound to something much closer to a normal roof. Honest caveat: we did not find solid BC-specific measurements on this, so if quiet matters a lot to you, ask your roofer exactly how they will deck and underlay it.
So which should you choose?
There is no universal winner - it genuinely depends on you. Here is the honest split:
Lean asphalt if
- Budget is the priorityThe upfront gap is large and real - asphalt is the affordable, proven choice.
- You may sell within ~10-15 yearsYou will not own it long enough to collect metal’s longevity payoff.
- You are in the milder, drier InteriorThe climate is gentler on shingles, so asphalt goes further there.
- You are in a strata that won’t approve a look changeLike-for-like asphalt avoids the s.71 vote entirely.
Lean metal if
- This is your long-term or forever homeHold it 20+ years and the buy-once math works in your favour.
- You are in a wildfire-exposed Interior or Okanagan areaThe long-term durability and ember performance are a genuine edge.
- You have a wet, shaded, moss-prone coastal roofMetal sheds water and resists moss better where asphalt struggles most.
- You can carry the upfront costAnd you would rather not think about the roof again for decades.
Still deciding? Get real numbers first
The ranges here get you oriented, but the only number that matters is a written quote for your actual roof - ideally two or three, on both materials, so you can see the real local gap for your home. Just make sure each quote covers the same scope and that the roofer is properly insured before any work starts.
See what a new roof costs for your home
Our Metro Vancouver cost guide breaks the price down by size and material, with an interactive estimator.
Read the cost guideSkip the ten calls
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Get my free matchFrequently asked questions
Is metal roofing worth it in BC?
It depends on how long you will own the home. Metal costs 2-3x more than asphalt up front but lasts 2-3x longer, so it wins on cost-per-year only if you stay long enough to collect that longevity - roughly 20+ years. For budget-focused or shorter-hold owners, asphalt is usually the smarter spend. Metal makes the most sense on forever homes, wet/moss-prone coastal roofs, and wildfire-exposed Interior properties.
How much more does a metal roof cost than asphalt in BC?
Roughly two to three times more up front. In Metro Vancouver, asphalt runs about $4-9 per square foot (around $8,000-18,000 for an average 2,000 ft² roof) and metal about $10-30 per square foot (around $16,000-60,000). Standing seam, the common coastal choice, sits at the higher end.
Does metal really last longer than asphalt in Vancouver’s rain?
Yes. On the wet coast, architectural asphalt realistically lasts 15-25 years (as little as 15-18 on shaded or moss-prone roofs), while metal lasts 40-70+ years. Our wind-driven rain and long damp spells keep roofs wet for much of the year, which shortens asphalt life below the manufacturer rating. The drier Interior is easier on asphalt.
Is a metal roof more fire-safe than asphalt?
Not in the way it is usually sold. FireSmart Canada and FireSmart BC both list asphalt-composition shingles and metal as Class A-capable - the rating comes from the full tested roof assembly, not the material alone, and the material to avoid is untreated wood shakes. A new asphalt roof is not a fire hazard. That said, aged asphalt curls and can collect embers, so for long-term wildfire exposure in the Interior or Okanagan, metal’s durability gives it a genuine edge.
Are metal roofs noisy in the rain?
Far less than the myth suggests. The "loud metal roof" comes from barns where metal sits on open battens. On a house it goes over a solid plywood deck and underlayment, which muffles the sound to close to a normal roof. There is not much BC-specific measurement on this, so if quiet is a priority, ask your roofer how they will deck and underlay it.
Do I need strata approval to put a metal roof on my BC townhouse or condo?
Likely yes. Under BC’s Strata Property Act section 71, a significant change to the appearance of common property - which a strata roof is - needs a 3/4 vote of owners. Switching to metal that changes the building’s look crosses that line. A like-for-like asphalt re-roof that does not change appearance generally does not.