Metal Roof or Asphalt Shingles on Whidbey Island?

Short answer: both hold up on Whidbey Island. The trade is price now against lifespan later. National cost guides put installed asphalt shingles at about $4.50 to $8 per square foot. The same guides put metal at about $9 to $22 per square foot.

Washington-published installer figures for standing seam sit closer to $10 to $16 per square foot. So metal runs roughly two to three times the price of shingles, and it lasts roughly twice as long. These are market numbers from published cost guides, not our price list.

For island conditions, standing seam metal roofing is the stronger pick on shaded roofs under big firs. It also wins on steep planes and on shops, barns, carports and patio covers. Metal is the choice when you would rather buy a roof once.

Asphalt shingles are the stronger pick when the budget is fixed. They suit roofs cut up with dormers and valleys. They also give you a wood-shake look. If you plan to sell in the next few years, shingles usually make better financial sense.

What do metal roofs and shingles cost per square foot?

Published 2026 cost guides agree on the shape of the gap, even when the exact numbers move.

Two things throw people off. Roof area is bigger than floor area, because of pitch and overhangs. A 2,000 square foot house often has 2,400 or more square feet of roof.

Metal prices have also moved more than shingle prices lately, so an older guide can read low. For the wider picture on tear-off pricing, see what a full roof replacement runs in Washington.

Which roof lasts longer in island rain and moss?

Metal wins this one by a wide margin. Cost guides put standing seam at 40 to 70 years and asphalt shingles at 15 to 30 years. On the wet south end of Whidbey, shingles often land at the low end of that range.

Moss is the reason. Shingles have a rough granular face and an open edge at every course. Moss grabs that texture, holds water against the shingle, and lifts the edges as it grows.

Standing seam is a smooth plane with no exposed edges to catch. Fir needles and cones slide off metal instead of composting in place.

Shingles still work here. They want the shaded planes kept clear and the big firs trimmed back. That is upkeep a metal roof mostly skips.

Will a metal roof handle Whidbey Island wind?

Island County lists a basic wind speed of 97 mph, with topographic effects. That is the design bar both roofs have to clear on this island.

Standing seam clears it by design. Snap-lock panels are tested for uplift under UL 580 and ASTM E1592, and Class 90 assemblies are common. Panels lock to hidden clips instead of face nails, so wind has no exposed fastener to work on.

Shingles clear it too, when the details are right. CertainTeed rates Landmark at 110 mph, and at 130 mph with the matching starter and hip and ridge accessories. Starter course, nailing pattern and edge metal decide whether a shingle roof holds on an open bluff.

What is the biggest problem with metal roofs?

Price is the first one. A metal roof can cost two to three times what a shingle roof costs on the same house.

The rest are real but smaller. Panels can dent under a heavy falling limb, and big fir branches do come down here. Wide flat pans can show oil canning, a slight waviness in the metal. Some people notice it and some never see it.

Repairs are harder, because a damaged panel often has to come off full length rather than get patched. Metal also punishes sloppy flashing, so skylights, vents and chimney penetrations are where a bad metal job leaks.

Are metal roofs loud when it rains?

Mostly a myth, and it comes from barns. A widely cited acoustics comparison measured rain on asphalt shingles near 46 decibels and rain on metal near 52 decibels. Six decibels is a small gap, close to the difference between a refrigerator hum and a quiet conversation.

The barn is loud because of how it is built. Metal over open purlins, with no deck and no insulation, rings like a drum. A house roof has solid decking, underlayment and attic insulation under the panels. Under that stack, rain on metal sounds a lot like rain on shingles.

Do insurance companies prefer metal roofs?

Some carriers do give credit for a metal roof, and some do not. Published insurance guides describe discounts of 5 to 35 percent for impact-resistant and fire-resistant roofs. The range depends on the carrier and the state, and the credit is never automatic. You have to ask and send the product documentation.

Your own agent is the one who can confirm it for your policy. Washington sees little hail compared with the states that drive those discounts. The credit here may land at the low end.

How do metal and shingles compare on resale value?

Shingles look better on paper if you are selling soon. A recent national cost-versus-value remodeling report put asphalt shingle roofing near 68 percent of cost recouped at resale. It put metal roofing near 50 percent.

That gap is about timing. Buyers rarely pay the full metal premium at closing. Plan to stay 15 years or more? Metal pays you back with the second roof you never have to buy.

Which one looks right on your house?

Standing seam reads modern and clean, with vertical lines and a flat plane. It suits shops, barns, carports, cabins and simple gable roofs. Real island jobs include a dark green standing seam roof on a cedar barn. Another is a grey metal roof on a stone-faced house.

Shingles read traditional. CertainTeed Landmark and Landmark Pro are dimensional shingles with a layered shadow line.

Presidential Shake TL is a triple-laminate shingle built to look like hand-split wood shakes. That look sits well on older island homes and cedar-sided houses. You can compare every Landmark and Presidential Shake TL color before you pick.

How do you decide on your own roof?

We do both. Nu-Ray Metals standing seam panels come from Puyallup, Washington. CertainTeed shingles go on with a full tear-off and re-roof. One couple who bought a house on Whidbey had their new metal roof nearly done by move-in day.

The choice gets simple once someone is up on the roof looking at pitch, shade, decking and flashing. We price both ways so you can compare. Call or text (360) 544-9655 for a free estimate on a metal roof for your house, shop or barn.