A metal roof is one of the bigger checks most Colleyville homeowners will ever write for their house, and the bids can look nothing alike. One says “standing seam” and a number. Another runs three pages. Before you sign anything, here are the questions I’d ask any metal roofer, us included, and what a good answer sounds like.
I’m Blake Snow. I’ve been roofing for 30 years, I’m the third generation in a family roofing business that goes back 75 years, and our crews have completed over $80 million in roofing projects, from homes to casino jobs like the Imperial Palace, Boomtown and Casino Magic. Our Rhome office is about 27 road miles from Colleyville.
1. “What gauge is the steel, and will you put it in writing?”
Gauge is the thickness of the steel, and a lower number means thicker metal. A lot of bids don’t list it at all. Every standing seam and R-panel roof we install is 26-gauge, which is thicker than 29-gauge and shows less waviness in the flat of the panel. Whatever you choose, the gauge should be on the estimate. Our 26 vs. 29 gauge page and the post on what the gauge number means go deeper.
2. “Who makes the panels, and how long are they?”
Some roofers order panels from an outside shop in set lengths and lap them on the roof. We run our own roll formers and a standing seam machine, so we form our panels in-house to the length of each slope, and our own crew installs them. On most runs that means one panel from ridge to eave, with no end laps where water can sit. Here’s more on why we form our own panels.
3. “Is it standing seam or exposed-fastener panel?”
Both are metal roofs, and both have their place, but they’re different products. Standing seam is held down by clips hidden under raised seams, so there are no screws through the face of the panel. R-panel and PBR are fastened with exposed screws, which is a solid choice for shops, barns and many homes but means screws to check over the years. On most Colleyville homes, standing seam is the look people are after. Make sure the bid names the one you’re getting.
4. “How do the seams lock together?”
Standing seam panels either snap together or get folded together on the roof with a seaming tool. Each has a job: snap-lock suits most steeper home roofs, and mechanically seamed panels suit low slopes and long runs. Ask which one the roofer plans to use on your roof and why. Our snap-lock vs. mechanical-lock page lays out the difference.
5. “What happens at the walls, chimneys and valleys?”
Most metal roof leaks I see aren’t in the panels. They’re at the edges: where the roof meets a brick wall, around a chimney, in a valley, or at a vent pipe. Ask how the flashing will be done and whether the trim is formed to match the panels. On a good job, the wall flashing tucks behind the siding or into the brick so water runs over it, not behind it, and the pipe flashings and vents are painted to match. If your house has a lot of hips, dormers and valleys, which is common in Colleyville, this matters even more.
6. “Are you tearing off the old roof?”
Going over shingles is sometimes allowed by code and the panel maker, but we usually recommend tear-off. It’s the only way to see the decking. If we find soft or rotted wood, we photograph it and tell you before we replace it. The photo at the top of this post shows a tear-off in progress, with old shingles on one side and new standing seam on the other. Our metal over shingles page covers when an overlay works and when it doesn’t.
7. “Who pulls the Colleyville permit?”
The City of Colleyville requires a permit on every re-roof, and contractors have to be registered with the city. The city’s permit includes a final inspection, and the homeowner can choose to waive it by certifying that the roofer did the inspection. Ask your roofer whether they’re registered with the city, who pulls the permit, and how the final inspection is handled. If you’re in an HOA, get the architectural committee’s approval on the panel and color before work starts. Our Southlake HOA review post has tips that apply here too.
8. “What’s on the estimate, line by line?”
A one-line bid makes it hard to compare roofers. A good estimate lists tear-off, a decking allowance, underlayment, the panels (gauge, profile and color), trim and flashings. We don’t quote a flat price per square, because roofs vary too much, but we’ll give you a free, itemized written estimate after we inspect yours. Our standing seam cost factors page explains what moves the price.
9. “What’s the impact rating, and what will my insurance do?”
North Texas gets real hail, and northeast Tarrant County is no exception. Every metal roof we install is Class 4 impact rated under UL 2218, the highest impact rating. Some insurance companies give a credit for impact-rated roofs, and the amount varies by company, so call your agent before you decide. Our Class 4 metal and insurance page explains how it works.
10. “What’s the warranty, and who stands behind it?”
There are usually two warranties: the manufacturer’s warranty on the metal and paint, and the roofer’s warranty on the installation. Ask for both in writing. Our residential roofs carry a 10-year transferable workmanship warranty, so it moves with the house if you sell.
Also worth asking: color and finish
Metal colors look different in Texas sun than on a sample chip. Look at the color against your brick or stone in daylight, and ask what paint finish the panels have. Our metal roof colors and finishes page goes through the options.
About the photo
The photo isn’t from Colleyville. It’s from our shingle-to-standing-seam conversion near Rhome in Wise County, where we put charcoal standing seam on a brick ranch home. It shows old shingles and new panels side by side during the job.
Nearby towns
We put the same care into metal roofs across northeast Tarrant County, including Southlake, Keller, Grapevine, Westlake and Bedford. Each city has its own permit rules, so ask about them wherever you live. You can see all our metal options on the metal roofing page.
Let’s take a look
Whether it’s a full standing seam roof, a metal accent over the porch, or a small repair, we’d be glad to come out. Every inspection comes with a free digital photo report, and I’ll answer every question on this list for your roof.
We’re A+ rated on the BBB, and our Google ratings are 5.0 at all three offices: 86 reviews in Bridgeport, 13 in Decatur and 3 in Rhome. We serve the entire DFW Metroplex and towns within about 65 miles of Bridgeport.
Call (817) 733-9228 or request an estimate, and we’ll set up a time to come out.