Metal Roof Replacement Types by the Roof Coming Off
What comes off the house shapes the job as much as what goes on. Three cases cover most requests.
Shingle Roof to Standing Seam
Asphalt to standing seam changes the look of a house more than any other re-roof here. Under the 2021 IRC a replacement takes every layer off down to the deck, so the decking, the rafter tails at the eaves and any old leak damage are visible before anything new goes on.
On a house, standing seam clips usually fasten to a solid deck, so soft or delaminated sheathing gets replaced first. Ask for the price per sheet of replacement decking on the estimate, so a few bad sheets don't turn into an open-ended extra. The seam, gauge and finish choices are on Standing Seam Metal Roofs.
Old Tin or 5V Roof to New Metal
Plenty of older Charleston houses already have metal: 5V crimp, corrugated, or terne sheets that have been painted for generations. When the panels have rusted through, a new metal roof replaces them, often in the same profile.
The code doesn't let a contractor reuse flashings, edge metal, vents or similar parts that are rusted, damaged or deteriorated. On an old metal roof that usually means every piece of trim is new, not only the panels. Inside the historic districts the order is different: repair comes first and replacement has to match the original, which is covered on Historic Metal Roof Restoration.
Shingle Roof to Exposed-Fastener Panels
Exposed-fastener panels such as 5V crimp and corrugated are the lower-priced way to replace a shingle roof with metal. The panels screw straight through the face into the deck or purlins. They install more easily than standing seam and cost less, but the lapped seams need a steeper roof, and the exposed screws mean more upkeep over the years.
Near salt water, the screw metal decides how long this kind of roof stays tight. What to ask for is on Metal Roof Repair, and the profile itself is covered on 5V Crimp Metal Roofing.
A manufactured home is a different job, because its HUD data plate sets the wind zone and roof load the home was built for. See Mobile Home Metal Roofs in Charleston, SC.
Why Charleston homeowners call Charleston Metal Roofing Co.
- Estimate at no cost to you
- Metal, seam and fasteners named on paper
- Your request goes to a single local roofer
- Referral is free; you pay only the roofer you hire
Metal Roof Replacement Permits and Contractor Rules in Charleston
South Carolina adopted the 2021 International Residential Code and International Building Code, with state modifications, on October 6, 2021, and local enforcement began on January 1, 2023. State law requires every South Carolina city and county to enforce them. These are the steps that apply to a residential metal replacement inside the city.
The Re-Roofing Permit
The permit is a "Roofing - Single Family/Duplex Dwelling" alteration/repair permit. The application names the roof covering, and for metal it must include the manufacturer's specifications. Homeowners may apply for it themselves.
Register of Deeds Filing
When the work is worth more than $5,000, the job has to be filed with the Charleston County Register of Deeds.
State Registration and Bond
A roofer working on a house must register with the LLR Residential Builders Commission as a residential specialty contractor for any job over $500, with a year of residential experience in the past five. Jobs over $5,000 also need a $5,000 surety bond. Ask for the registration number before you sign.
Board of Architectural Review
BAR review applies only to buildings inside its districts. Outside them, the permit and inspection above cover the job.
Final Inspection
A residential building final inspection is required. Keep the permit and the inspection result with the roof paperwork. An insurer or a buyer may ask for them.
Metal Roof Replacement Cost
Nobody publishes Charleston price lists for metal re-roofs that we could find, so here are a national cost guide's installed figures:
All metal roofing
$5 to $16 per square foot, about $23,800 on average, with most jobs between $7,500 and $40,000 and a minimum around $5,000.Standing seam
$9 to $16 per square foot.Corrugated and 5V crimp
$5 to $12 per square foot.
Those are national averages, and a Charleston quote can land anywhere in the range or outside it. With labor alone at $4 to $8 a square foot, two quotes for the same panel can still be far apart, so ask for labor and materials shown separately. Two estimates are only comparable when they name the same panel, gauge, finish, underlayment and trim, and price tear-off and decking the same way. If the house qualifies, an SC Safe Home grant can cover part of a wind-rated re-roof; the program's caps and paperwork are on SC Safe Home Roof Upgrades.
Metal Roof Replacement From Tear-Off to Final Inspection
STEP 01
Permit Filed Before Tear-Off
The re-roofing permit goes in with the panel maker's specifications. If the house is in a BAR district or getting a Safe Home grant, that approval comes first.
STEP 02
Tear-Off to the Deck
The old roof comes off. Ask how the crew protects plantings, piazzas and the gutters, and how the yard is cleared of nails.
STEP 03
Decking Repairs
Soft, rotted or delaminated sheets come out. Ask for them to be billed at the per-sheet price on your estimate, with photos of what was replaced.
STEP 04
Dry-In and Underlayment
Ask for the deck to be dried in the same day it's opened. During hurricane season, ask what the crew does if a storm is forecast while the roof is open; the season's dates are on Storm Damage Roof Repair.
STEP 05
Panels, Flashing and Trim
Panels, clips and trim go on to the maker's installation instructions, with new flashing at walls, chimneys and pipes.
STEP 06
Final Inspection
The city's inspector signs off the permit. Ask for the panel data sheet, the color and finish name, and any warranty papers from the manufacturer in one packet.
See Standing Seam Metal Roof in Charleston. See Metal Roof Over Shingles in Charleston.