Metal is the roof you buy once
A metal roof costs more than shingle on the day it goes on and less than shingle over the life of the house. A properly installed standing-seam roof will outlast two, sometimes three asphalt roofs, and it does so in exactly the conditions that wear shingle out fastest: Mid-South hail bounces off it, spring wind cannot lift a panel the way it lifts a tab, and the summer sun that cooks asphalt reflects off a light-colored metal finish instead of soaking into it. Homeowners who go metal in Memphis usually do it for one of three reasons: they are tired of hail claims, they plan to stay in the house for a long time, or they want the cooling bill down.
We install two families of metal roofing. Standing-seam is the premium option: long vertical panels with raised seams that lock together and hide the fasteners entirely, so there are no exposed screws to back out and leak. Metal shingle and exposed-fastener panel systems cost less and suit some architecture better, and we install those to the same standard, with the right fastener, the right sealant and the right underlayment beneath them.
What separates a metal roof that lasts fifty years from one that leaks at ten is the detailing: how the panels are allowed to expand and contract through a Memphis summer and winter, how the seams and penetrations are flashed, and how the roof is ventilated underneath. We treat every one of those as a design decision, not an afterthought.
- Standing-seam panels with concealed fasteners: no exposed screws to back out and leak.
- Metal shingle and exposed-fastener systems for budgets and architecture where standing-seam is not the right fit.
- Kynar-finish panels in the full color range, including light reflective finishes that cut attic temperature.
- High-temperature underlayment designed for the heat a metal roof reaches, not standard felt.
- Expansion and contraction engineered in, with clip systems that let the panels move without fatiguing.
- Class 4 impact resistance as standard on most metal systems, with the insurance discount that can come with it.
How we approach a metal roof
Assessment and design
Roof geometry decides how well metal works. Simple gable and hip roofs are ideal; roofs with many valleys, dormers and penetrations need more detailing and more cost. We measure, look at the structure and the ventilation, and tell you honestly whether metal suits your roof.
System and finish selection
Standing-seam or metal shingle, panel profile, gauge, and color. We bring samples, and we talk through reflectivity and how the color will look against the brick and trim.
Installation
Tear-off where there is an existing roof, deck inspection, high-temperature underlayment, then the panels set with the clip and fastening pattern the manufacturer specifies. Flashing at every penetration and transition is fabricated to fit, not forced.
Walkthrough and warranty
Metal finishes carry long manufacturer warranties against fading and chalking. We register them for you and walk the finished roof with you.
Why homeowners choose LASIM for metal
Installed for the Mid-South climate
Thermal movement, hail and wind uplift are designed for, not discovered later.
Concealed fasteners where it counts
Standing-seam as the default recommendation, because exposed screws are the most common metal-roof leak.
Honest about roof geometry
If your roof is too cut-up for metal to make economic sense, we say so and suggest the better option.
One point of contact
Design, materials, crew and cleanup run through one project manager.
Metal Roofing Questions
A properly installed standing-seam roof realistically lasts forty to sixty years, and the finish warranty on the panels is typically thirty-plus years against fading and chalking. That is two to three asphalt roofs' worth of life, which is why the higher up-front cost usually works out cheaper over the time you own the house.
Not on a house. The image of rain drumming on metal comes from barns and sheds with no decking or insulation beneath the panels. A residential metal roof is installed over solid decking, underlayment and an insulated attic, and from inside the house it sounds the same as a shingle roof.
Yes, particularly with a light or reflective finish. A dark asphalt roof absorbs the summer sun and pushes that heat into the attic; a reflective metal roof sends much of it back. In a Memphis summer that translates to a cooler attic and less work for the air conditioning. The exact saving depends on the color, the insulation and the ventilation.
Very large hail can leave cosmetic dents in some panels, but it almost never causes a leak or a functional failure, which is the difference from shingle. Most metal systems carry a Class 4 impact rating, and many insurers offer a discount for them. Heavier gauge panels and textured finishes hide cosmetic dents better.
Standing-seam panels lock together at raised seams and are fixed with concealed clips, so no screw penetrates the panel surface. Exposed-fastener panels are screwed straight through the metal with gasketed screws; the gaskets age and the screws can back out, which is the most common metal-roof leak. Exposed-fastener costs less and is fine on the right building, but for a home we generally recommend standing-seam.
Some codes allow it and some contractors do it, but we recommend a tear-off first. Going over the old roof hides the decking so rot cannot be found, traps moisture between the layers, and can telegraph the old shingle texture through the panels. Starting from a clean, inspected deck is what lets the metal roof deliver the life it is capable of.