Purchasing metal roofing in Oklahoma City provides your home with a long-lasting roof that could last up to 50 years. Metal roofs have developed remarkable diversity since the days of tin roofs, which home builders stopped using after the end of World War II. Today’s metal roofs offer varying materials, such as reinforced steel and galvanized steel.
The Wide Range of Metal Roofing’s Costs
Receiving estimates on the cost of metal roofing in Oklahoma City results in a range from $8,500 to $68,000. What creates that massive difference? A multitude of factors, such as roof size, metal material type, and labor costs, go into the estimate from each contractor. Other factors abound, too, and most people wouldn’t guess.
1. National and International Shipping Delays
Shopping for metal roofing in Oklahoma City typically means purchasing a product developed out-of-state or outside the U.S., which means shipping and freight transport affect the cost. If the cost of fuel goes up, so does the cost of a metal roof. The location of the steel can affect the cost, too.
When considering where to find steel, examine where a company obtains the raw materials for making its metal roofing panels. Simply choosing a different manufacturer can result in a lower materials cost since one might purchase raw materials from a different country than another. Consider the increase in costs and transportation delays experienced by manufacturers who obtain raw materials from Ukraine. That type of situation can result in price increases in local products that rely on outside sources for raw materials.
2. The Commodities Market
If you ask commodities lawyers why the cost of metal roofing in Oklahoma City fluctuates, they will explain the commodities market and how it operates. Its rollercoaster dips, spikes, and rolls influence what price a metal roofing manufacturer pays for raw goods. A healthy market for various raw materials spikes commodities prices, which also affects manufacturing costs.
3. The National and Local Demand for Metal
The need for metal affects the cost of every product made from steel or an alloy that contains it. When something occurs that increases the need for the raw materials used in metal fabrication, everything made from it increases in cost, including metal roofing materials. For example, during each major wartime endeavor, the cost of metals increased, including metal roofing in Oklahoma City.
4. Employment Ups and Downs Along the Supply Chain
Companies, such as steel foundries, employ union workers. During ongoing labor negotiations, these workers may strike. That strike can drive up the cost of metal roofing in Oklahoma City.
In cases of a national strike, the availability of materials bottlenecks. Only metal roofing manufacturers that source and process their raw materials would still produce roofing materials during the strike. With a long enough strike, eventually, other products would sell out and the products of the vertically integrated business would glut the market. Scarcity raises prices, so the cost of metal roofing would increase.
5. The Demand for Metal Roofing in Oklahoma City
The cost of metal roofing in Oklahoma City depends on the demand for metal roofs. When few customers want a product, prices plummet. This occurs because plenty of the product exists, and few buyers want it.
Just as a strike could create scarcity of raw materials or manufactured products if a product’s popularity wanes, then prices typically drop. When demand remains stable, prices do, too. In times of product scarcity, prices rise, in times of product overabundance, prices fall.
6. The Growing Popularity of All-Metal Construction
Demand and the popularity of metal roofing in Oklahoma City and elsewhere go hand-in-hand. As metal buildings experience a surge in sales, metal prices go up. That price hike increases the cost of metal roofs.
Metal buildings no longer resemble the Quonset huts of wartime days. Today’s metal construction uses cutting-edge materials that perform well for decades and avoid rust and corrosion. Metal building designs now resemble ranch houses and other single-family homes. Expect these positive changes to continue the popularity of metal buildings.
7. Advertising for a Variety of Roofing Materials
Competition for projects in the construction industry creates the need for a hearty advertising and overall marketing budget in the roofing services industry. This major overhead cost drives up the cost of metal roofing in Oklahoma City. To land projects, each roofing manufacturer and installer spends money on marketing their services to become known as the best roofing option.
8. Demolition Best Practices for Recycling Metals
Many metals undergo recycling. Among the choices for metal roofing materials, some recycled materials exist. The cost of these eco-friendly options incurs influence from the practices and procedures of the industrial demolition contractor used in reclaiming the metals. This factor doesn’t affect the cost of all metal roofing in Oklahoma City, just the metal roofing made from recycled materials.
9. The Availability of Different Metal Types for Roofing Manufacturers
Not all metal roofing in Oklahoma City uses steel. Some options use aluminum or zinc. Copper roofing also falls under the category of metal roofing.
A lack of availability in one type of material can create demand in another. This can cause steel roofing costs to go up, for example, if copper becomes unavailable, or vice versa. Scarcity in all types of metal for roofing skyrockets the prices across the types of metal roofing.
10. The Quality of Scrap Metal Recycling Services
The metal roofing industry depends on scrap metal recycling companies to provide good quality metal for making metal roofing from recycled materials. Manufacturers can’t use just any reclaimed metal. The purity of the material and the reclamation methods matter. The availability of quality scrap metal from reputable scrap metal recycling services directly affects the cost of metal roofing in Oklahoma City.
Saving Money on Metal Roofing
A metal roof can cost anywhere from $120 to $900 per square. The materials cost more than other roofing types except clay tiles. The advantage of using metal comes from the many ways it saves you money in the long run.
Installing a metal roof typically saves the homeowner money on each month’s utility bills. According to Ferkey Builders, metal roofs result in a 7% to 5% savings on monthly energy bills. Insurance companies adore the durability of metal roofs and typically provide homeowners with metal roofs a discount on their premiums. Finally, metal roofs last more than twice as long as the typical American home roofing choice, asphalt roofing, which requires replacement after 15 years.
It’s the expensive start-up costs that typically preclude a homeowner from having a metal roof installed on their home. You can save money on the materials themselves by shopping around and comparing prices. Many roofers want a homeowner to purchase the materials through them, however. That’s why obtaining accurate and detailed quotes in the project matters so much.
Also, price the roofing materials if you purchase them. You’ll need to price everything the roof requires, including flashing, liners, etc. These pieces of a metal roof can cost more than most people anticipate. Shop roofing materials if purchased directly from the manufacturer, a chain home improvement store, and independent building supply stores.
Use coupons and gift certificates to lower the price, if purchasing from a chain store. Besides materials, also use some savvy in choosing when to roof or re-roof your home. Schedule your project and lock in your labor costs by hiring your roofing during their busy season.
Like products, services go through price fluctuations. During the busiest season, roofers may advertise specials or list a coupon to keep the busy time going. Some construction trades in cold weather climate areas don’t do this because they can’t conduct the work during certain months of the year. In states like Oklahoma, which only typically experiences a few weeks to two months of true winter temperatures, roofers and other construction trades may work almost year-round.
These installer coupons can result in savings of up to $1,000. Some state agencies offer homeowner incentives for installing these eco-friendly roofs. These programs may include grants or low-interest loans.
If you don’t qualify for these home improvement programs, consider taking out a home equity line of credit (HELOC). You still have to pay back the HELOC, but these lines of credit often provide zero-interest for the first six months and reasonable payments. Like a credit card, a homeowner can use only part of the available credit.
A HELOC provides up to 80% of the homeowner’s equity in the home as a line of credit. Taking one out temporarily eradicates the equity owned in the home. Once the homeowner repays the HELOC, they once again retain their equity. Using this method offers all the money for the roof all at once, but the homeowner needs to have guaranteed means to repay it.
Choosing the Right Roofer
The right roofer doesn’t refer to the one with the snazziest TV ads or the slickest magazine ads. Choose a roofer using the same methods as finding an attorney or doctor. Start by checking with the licensing board for the industry. After making a list of professionals licensed to install metal roofs in Oklahoma (or your state of residence), examine the website of each business as the first process of elimination.
Eliminate metal roof installers that don’t install the type of metal roof you want on your home. Standing seam metal roof installers remain ubiquitous. Finding a local installer of zinc or copper roofs can prove more challenging.
From this shortened list, contact each contractor to obtain a quote. Some roofers offer a standardized form that requires extensive information on your home, including roof type, pitch, square footage, etc. This information lets them create a quote on an installation without seeing your home firsthand. Other roofers require an appointment for a visit to the home to consider the demolition required and observe conditions before issuing a quote.
In some cases, it costs less to roof a new home under construction than to re-roof a home with metal. Why? Re-roofing includes a demolition component because the roofer must remove the existing roofing before installing the new one. Since this requires more work and more labor, it also costs more.
Pick a less expensive metal and save money. Copper typically costs the most. Its gleaming salmon pink metallic color works wonderfully with many custom home designs. Unless you’re building a mansion though, skip copper, especially in Oklahoma City.
Since you want a metal roof in Oklahoma City or a nearby city in the greater metropolitan area, such as Norman, Edmond, Nichols Hills, or The Village, consider the storm readiness of the material. Consider the tornadoes that struck in the same place twice in Moore, OK, and make your home as stormproof as possible by using class three or class four roofing materials. These tough roofing materials undergo testing with steel balls dropped on them to determine how well they hold up against hail.
Other tests consider the wind ratings. Typically used by builders in hurricane-prone areas, wind ratings also come in handy in states like Oklahoma, which regularly experiences tornadoes and derechos. Choose a product that stands up to winds of up to 150 to 160 mph.
Although choosing these top-quality materials can potentially cost you more initially, it can also save you money in the long term. Think of a metal roof as a buy-and-hold investment. Once you purchase it, it protects your home for about 50 years, with fewer repair needs than other roofing types. It will hold up better against the Oklahoma climate, withstanding its arid summers and periodic droughts.
Despite Metal Roofing Cost Fluctuations, It’s Worth the Installation
In an area like Oklahoma, the investment in a metal roof makes sense despite the many factors that cause metal prices to fluctuate. Use coupons, offers, and gift certificates to lower the price of materials. Take advantage of special offers from local roofers to nab great deals on labor. The added safety makes it worthwhile
