Material Comparison
Asphalt shingles cost about half as much as steel to install, while a steel roof can last two to three times as long on an Ottawa house. Which one is better depends mostly on how long you will stay, the shape of your roof and how you want it to handle snow.
Ottawa Roofing Pros installs both, so we have no reason to push one over the other. After more than 17 years and 1,500+ roofing jobs across Ottawa, we have seen how each material ages through heavy snow, ice and close to 80 freeze-thaw cycles a year.
This guide compares them on the points homeowners actually ask about, then gives a straight recommendation for common situations.
Choose architectural asphalt shingles if you want the lowest upfront cost, plan to move within about 10 to 15 years, or have a complex roof with many valleys and dormers. Choose steel if you plan to stay 20 years or more, want a roof that sheds snow, or simply never want to re-roof again.
For a typical Ottawa home with about 20 squares of roof, shingles run roughly $10,000 to $16,000 and ribbed steel roughly $18,000 to $28,000 in 2026. Over 40 years the two often end up close in total cost, because a shingle roof usually needs replacing once in that time and steel does not.
Either material fails early if the attic is too warm or the flashing is poor. The best roof for your house is the one installed over a cold, well-ventilated attic with proper eave protection.
Steel wins on lifespan, snow shedding and weight, while shingles win on upfront cost, simple repairs and suitability for complex roofs. The table uses typical 2026 Ottawa installed prices and realistic, not brochure, lifespans.
| Factor | Architectural asphalt shingles | Steel roofing |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $500 to $800 per square installed | $900 to $1,400 per square (ribbed or steel shingle); $1,200 to $1,800 (standing seam) |
| Realistic lifespan in Ottawa | 20 to 30 years | 40 to 60+ years |
| Snow shedding | Holds snow; drifts sit on the roof | Sheds snow in sheets; needs snow guards over doors, decks and walkways |
| Noise | Quiet | Similar to shingles over a solid deck and insulated attic; louder over open framing |
| Weight | About 2.2 to 3 lb per sq ft | About 1 to 1.5 lb per sq ft |
| Repairs | Easy to patch, though colour matching on older roofs is hard | Panel-specific; damaged panels or trims are replaced, not patched |
| Appearance | Wide choice of colours, including slate and shake looks | Vertical seams, ribbed panels, or steel shingle and shake profiles |
| Minimum slope | 4/12 standard; down to 2/12 with low-slope underlayment | Varies by profile; some standing seam works on lower slopes |
| Warranty | Limited manufacturer warranty, often prorated after an early period | Steel and paint-finish warranties that differ by coating |
| Workmanship warranty (ours) | 1 year, in writing | 1 year, in writing |
On paint finishes, ask which coating you are getting. Silicone-modified polyester (SMP) is the common standard, while PVDF finishes such as Kynar 500 cost more and generally hold colour longer against fading and chalking.
Manufacturer warranties on both materials depend on the product, correct installation and registration. Ask any contractor who registers it and whether it transfers to the next owner.
Over 40 years, a ribbed steel roof usually costs about the same as two shingle roofs, and standing seam costs somewhat more unless you stay long enough to avoid a third shingle job. The example below uses a 20-square (2,000 sq ft) roof and today's prices, so it ignores inflation.
| 40-year example, 20 squares | Architectural shingles | Ribbed steel | Standing seam steel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install now | $10,000 to $16,000 | $18,000 to $28,000 | $24,000 to $36,000 |
| Replacement around year 22 to 28 | $10,000 to $16,000 | None expected | None expected |
| Upkeep | Minor repairs, flashing touch-ups | Periodic fastener and trim checks | Occasional trim and sealant checks |
| 40-year total, today's dollars | About $20,000 to $32,000 | About $18,000 to $28,000 | About $24,000 to $36,000 |
Two things tilt this math. Inflation makes the second shingle roof more expensive in future dollars, which favours steel; spending less today and keeping the difference invested favours shingles.
The biggest variable is time in the house. If you sell in year 10, you pay the steel premium but the buyer collects most of the benefit, and whether a steel roof raises your sale price varies by street and buyer. Our Ottawa roof replacement cost guide shows how size, pitch and tear-off layers move both numbers.
Steel sheds snow far better than shingles, but that sliding snow has to be managed, and neither material prevents ice dams on its own. In wind, both perform well when fastened and detailed properly; failures almost always start at edges, ridges and trims.
A steel roof can drop a winter's worth of snow in one slide after a sunny thaw. We install snow guards above entrances, decks, walkways, gas meters and lower roofs, and we protect plumbing vents, which sliding snow can shear off. Eavestroughs below a steel roof need to sit low enough to let snow pass over them rather than tear them down.
Ice dams form when attic heat melts snow that refreezes at the cold eave, and that happens under steel as well as shingles. We still install self-adhered ice and water membrane at the eaves under every steel roof, as Ontario's Building Code requires for shingles, and our guide to ice dams explains why insulation and air sealing are the real cure.
For wind, most architectural shingles are tested to ASTM D3161 Class F, a 110 mph rating, and some carry higher wind warranties when installed with enhanced nailing. Concealed-fastener standing seam is very resistant to uplift, while exposed-fastener steel relies on screws with rubber washers that should be checked as the roof ages. In severe wind events like Ottawa's May 2022 derecho, roofs of both types typically fail first at poorly secured edges and ridge caps.
Most worries about steel roofs come from barns and cottages, not from modern residential installations. Three come up in nearly every consultation.
Each one has a grain of truth, which is why it is worth knowing the details before you decide.
Not on a house built the usual way. Over solid plywood or OSB sheathing, underlayment and an insulated attic, rain on steel sounds very close to rain on shingles from inside the living space.
The noise reputation comes from steel fastened over open purlins on garages, barns and cottages with no deck or insulation. Hail will produce sharper pings than on shingles, but rarely enough to notice from a bedroom.
They do not. Lightning strikes depend on height, location and the surrounding terrain, not on the roofing material.
If a building is struck, a steel roof will not ignite, because steel is non-combustible. Lightning protection systems are a separate decision for any home, whatever the roof is made of.
Residential steel in 26 or 24 gauge shrugs off the small hail Ottawa usually sees. Very large hail can dent any metal roof, and aluminum dents more easily than steel.
Some steel products carry a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, and ribbed or textured profiles hide minor dents better than flat standing seam panels. Wide flat panels can also show slight waviness, called oil canning, which is cosmetic and not a leak risk.
Pick the material that matches your plans for the house, the shape of your roof and your budget this year. These are the recommendations we give most often in Ottawa.
If you are still unsure after reading them, we can price both on the same visit so the comparison uses your roof's real numbers.
Steel usually makes sense, especially standing seam on a simple roof. You avoid a second tear-off, gain snow shedding, and get a roof that should outlast the mortgage. Our metal roofing installation service covers profiles, colours and snow guard planning.
Architectural shingles are usually the better value. A new, well-installed shingle roof is a selling point, and you do not pay a premium the next owner collects. See our asphalt shingle roof installation for products and colours.
Roofs with many valleys, dormers and skylights cost much more in steel because every intersection needs custom trim. Shingles handle complexity cheaply, while very low-slope sections may need a membrane or a standing seam profile rated for that pitch.
Ribbed steel is the standard choice on farmhouses, barns and garages around Ottawa's rural edges. It sheds snow on large, simple roofs, needs little maintenance and costs less than standing seam.
Changing from shingles to steel can need City approval if the house is designated or inside a heritage conservation district. Read our roofing permits guide for Ottawa before you choose a material, and browse the rest of our roofing guides for the decisions that follow.
Plain-language answers to the questions Ottawa homeowners and property managers ask us most.
Free roofing estimate
Call (343) 504-9753 or send the form to book a free assessment. We can quote steel and shingles side by side for your house, so you compare real numbers instead of averages.