Roofing Systems

Winilyme · 06-25-2025, 11:02 PM

We'll need to replace our Meredith roof in the near future and I'm investigating options. We have a post and beam cottage - one floor, 1,500 SF. We have cathedral ceilings in about 80% of the space. Current roofing is asphalt - no leaks at this time and I believe it to be between 15 and 20 years old. Roof pitch is minimal (very easy to walk on). The majority of the cottage has interior pine shiplap mounted to the topside of the ceiling beams. On top of that, I assume, there's plywood, tar paper and the asphalt shingles. I don't believe there's insulation of any sort. Rain is certainly noticeable from a noise perspective, but not bothersome except in the heaviest of downpours. Minimizing noise is important to us.

I've been considering a metal roof...but not the standing seam type which I worry would (1) be noisier than what we currently have, (2) more difficult to traverse, (3) more susceptible to damage and (4) maybe not a good solution for one section of our roof that has a super minimal roof pitch. Instead, I'm researching metal roofing shingles. Why you ask? I like the idea of a super long-lasting roofing system and the associated low maintenance requirements. But, as this product seems to be relatively new, I haven't run into any first hand knowledge within my network.

Do any Forum members have experience with this product? Can you speak to positives and negatives? Are manufacturer claims accurate when they state these roofing systems are no noisier than any other roofing products and can in fact be quieter than them (due to the stone coating affixed to the shingles). Can you recommend lakes-region roofing contractors that are experienced with metal roofing shingles? Finally, are composite roofing tiles another viable option?

Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

smith point boater · Yesterday, 06:29 AM

We have metal roof shingles and they've been great. They are 8-10 yrs old. We used Total Concepts Roof (603-528-6767). The one thing I advise to consider is snow sliding off the roof. There is no stopping it (Part of our roof has a pretty good pitch and part is mild) so be very concerned about any areas over an entry door or where you traverse a lot.

We had one or 2 issues over the years with caulking drying out around a skylight and TCR has always responded quickly to reset it. No complaints.

Biggd · Yesterday, 07:06 AM

The house across the street from me had no roof insulation. They had insulated plywood sheathing installed, looked like it was about 3" thick, and metal roof over that.

John Mercier · Yesterday, 08:25 AM

I don't know if the manufacturers would warranty the composite roof on the minimal pitch.
So always good to check with the manufacturers rep of what composite product you might go with.

If you are adding insulation board, they will help quiet the sound.

pondguy · Yesterday, 08:25 AM

I second Total Concepts they did my roof in metal almost 15 years ago great job no problems ask for Ron.

ishoot308 · Yesterday, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winilyme

We'll need to replace our Meredith roof in the near future and I'm investigating options. We have a post and beam cottage - one floor, 1,500 SF. We have cathedral ceilings in about 80% of the space. Current roofing is asphalt - no leaks at this time and I believe it to be between 15 and 20 years old. Roof pitch is minimal (very easy to walk on). The majority of the cottage has interior pine shiplap mounted to the topside of the ceiling beams. On top of that, I assume, there's plywood, tar paper and the asphalt shingles.

Just curious Winilyme, If you're not experiencing leaks why do you want to replace. Just being proactive or are there obvious signs of roof wear on the current shingles??

Reason I ask is just because your roof is 15 years old you could easily get another 15 years out of it if its currently in good shape. The asphalt roof on my island home is also 15 years old but after inspecting it I found it to be in excellent shape and good for at least another 10 + years...

Dan

codeman671 · Yesterday, 10:28 AM

We went over an existing shingle roof with metal on the island. I did not find it loud at all.

bigdog · Yesterday, 02:23 PM

What is Cost factor of metal shingles versus asphalt ?
TIA !

Winilyme · Yesterday, 11:09 PM

Firstly, thanks to all for your responses. Here are my thoughts and answers to questions:

Smith Point Boater - Wondering if you've thought about installing roof snow guards above those areas where sliding snow is a problem. In any event, we're not here in the winter (so we're not going to be injured) and our roof pitch is quite minimal (guessing a 3/12 or 4/12 pitch). I just checked out TCR's website and will be reaching out to them to learn more.

Biggd - Do you know - did your neighbors install the insulation to moderate heat gain/loss or was it more to minimize noise? Did they have asphalt before and do you know if they've experienced any increase in noise?

John Mercier - Good advice regarding warranty and I'll be asking TCR about noise control - if it's even necessary. In our case, it only would be if the noise expected would be worse than what we experience with our current asphalt roof.

Pond Guy - I will ask for Ron.

ishoot308 - A very good question. We bought our home ten years ago. The home inspector said the roof was in good condition so I thought no more of it at the time. I now regret not asking when the asphalt roof was last replaced. I believe between 15 and 20 years old since the prior owners built an addition that doubled the size of the home in the mid-2000's or thereabouts. The roof on the whole house seems to have aged exactly the same so I'm guessing the whole house was re-shingled at the time the addition was built. As far as leaks, the only leaks we've had have occurred in the last five years. In one case, it was a simple nail pop and fix. The biggest culprit has been the flashing and sealant around our field stone chimney. Leakage here recurs every other year and I go up with a tube of roofing cement, make a mess of the joints (and myself) while managing to temporarily stop any further leaking. Our asphalt shingles are not architectural; just your basic run of the mill. I've always believed that getting 25 years out of them would be a stretch. So, yes, it's really all about me wanting to be proactive AND I'm attracted to a roofing system that is very low maintenance. Peace of mind I guess.

Codeman671 - Did you install metal shingles or standing seam?

bigdog - My research thus far has me thinking that I'd pay quite a premium for the metal shingle over asphalt. I think it's more about the product versus labor costs. I need to get a better feel for this. I also need to understand better what manufacturers are creating the best product.

06-25-2025, 11:02 PM	#1
Winilyme Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Ice in = CT / Ice out = Winnipesaukee Posts: 497 Thanks: 135 Thanked 296 Times in 160 Posts	Roofing Systems We'll need to replace our Meredith roof in the near future and I'm investigating options. We have a post and beam cottage - one floor, 1,500 SF. We have cathedral ceilings in about 80% of the space. Current roofing is asphalt - no leaks at this time and I believe it to be between 15 and 20 years old. Roof pitch is minimal (very easy to walk on). The majority of the cottage has interior pine shiplap mounted to the topside of the ceiling beams. On top of that, I assume, there's plywood, tar paper and the asphalt shingles. I don't believe there's insulation of any sort. Rain is certainly noticeable from a noise perspective, but not bothersome except in the heaviest of downpours. Minimizing noise is important to us. I've been considering a metal roof...but not the standing seam type which I worry would (1) be noisier than what we currently have, (2) more difficult to traverse, (3) more susceptible to damage and (4) maybe not a good solution for one section of our roof that has a super minimal roof pitch. Instead, I'm researching metal roofing shingles. Why you ask? I like the idea of a super long-lasting roofing system and the associated low maintenance requirements. But, as this product seems to be relatively new, I haven't run into any first hand knowledge within my network. Do any Forum members have experience with this product? Can you speak to positives and negatives? Are manufacturer claims accurate when they state these roofing systems are no noisier than any other roofing products and can in fact be quieter than them (due to the stone coating affixed to the shingles). Can you recommend lakes-region roofing contractors that are experienced with metal roofing shingles? Finally, are composite roofing tiles another viable option? Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

Yesterday, 06:29 AM	#2
smith point boater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: West Alton,NH Posts: 213 Thanks: 336 Thanked 97 Times in 56 Posts	Roof We have metal roof shingles and they've been great. They are 8-10 yrs old. We used Total Concepts Roof (603-528-6767). The one thing I advise to consider is snow sliding off the roof. There is no stopping it (Part of our roof has a pretty good pitch and part is mild) so be very concerned about any areas over an entry door or where you traverse a lot. We had one or 2 issues over the years with caulking drying out around a skylight and TCR has always responded quickly to reset it. No complaints.

Yesterday, 02:23 PM	#8
bigdog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central MA-Gilford Posts: 1,451 Thanks: 345 Thanked 123 Times in 97 Posts	Cost factor of metal shingles versus asphalt ? What is Cost factor of metal shingles versus asphalt ? TIA !

Yesterday, 07:06 AM	#3
Biggd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Waltham Ma./Meredith NH Posts: 4,160 Thanks: 2,245 Thanked 1,197 Times in 763 Posts	The house across the street from me had no roof insulation. They had insulated plywood sheathing installed, looked like it was about 3" thick, and metal roof over that.

Yesterday, 08:25 AM	#4
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,424 Thanks: 3 Thanked 600 Times in 496 Posts	I don't know if the manufacturers would warranty the composite roof on the minimal pitch. So always good to check with the manufacturers rep of what composite product you might go with. If you are adding insulation board, they will help quiet the sound.

Yesterday, 08:25 AM	#5
pondguy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 269 Thanks: 580 Thanked 201 Times in 128 Posts	I second Total Concepts they did my roof in metal almost 15 years ago great job no problems ask for Ron.

Yesterday, 10:28 AM	#7
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,502 Thanks: 221 Thanked 816 Times in 489 Posts	We went over an existing shingle roof with metal on the island. I did not find it loud at all.

Yesterday, 11:09 PM	#9
Winilyme Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Ice in = CT / Ice out = Winnipesaukee Posts: 497 Thanks: 135 Thanked 296 Times in 160 Posts	Firstly, thanks to all for your responses. Here are my thoughts and answers to questions: Smith Point Boater - Wondering if you've thought about installing roof snow guards above those areas where sliding snow is a problem. In any event, we're not here in the winter (so we're not going to be injured) and our roof pitch is quite minimal (guessing a 3/12 or 4/12 pitch). I just checked out TCR's website and will be reaching out to them to learn more. Biggd - Do you know - did your neighbors install the insulation to moderate heat gain/loss or was it more to minimize noise? Did they have asphalt before and do you know if they've experienced any increase in noise? John Mercier - Good advice regarding warranty and I'll be asking TCR about noise control - if it's even necessary. In our case, it only would be if the noise expected would be worse than what we experience with our current asphalt roof. Pond Guy - I will ask for Ron. ishoot308 - A very good question. We bought our home ten years ago. The home inspector said the roof was in good condition so I thought no more of it at the time. I now regret not asking when the asphalt roof was last replaced. I believe between 15 and 20 years old since the prior owners built an addition that doubled the size of the home in the mid-2000's or thereabouts. The roof on the whole house seems to have aged exactly the same so I'm guessing the whole house was re-shingled at the time the addition was built. As far as leaks, the only leaks we've had have occurred in the last five years. In one case, it was a simple nail pop and fix. The biggest culprit has been the flashing and sealant around our field stone chimney. Leakage here recurs every other year and I go up with a tube of roofing cement, make a mess of the joints (and myself) while managing to temporarily stop any further leaking. Our asphalt shingles are not architectural; just your basic run of the mill. I've always believed that getting 25 years out of them would be a stretch. So, yes, it's really all about me wanting to be proactive AND I'm attracted to a roofing system that is very low maintenance. Peace of mind I guess. Codeman671 - Did you install metal shingles or standing seam? bigdog - My research thus far has me thinking that I'd pay quite a premium for the metal shingle over asphalt. I think it's more about the product versus labor costs. I need to get a better feel for this. I also need to understand better what manufacturers are creating the best product.