If you want to ensure that your building is functional, you need to have the correct type of roofing. Many commercial buildings worldwide don’t have proper roofing because they think it’s not an essential part. Usually, commercial building owners would choose between metal roofing and shingles.

While it may sound unusual to some, metal roofing and shingles were the best choices for many commercial buildings because of the many benefits they give to the building. If you’re still planning your commercial building construction, keep in mind the different pros and cons between the two.

Pros: Metal Roofing

Installing metal roofing on your commercial building can provide you several benefits, including:

1. Lasts for a long time: The main reason building contractors prefer metal roofing is that it lasts long for up to 40 to 70 years. You can make it last even longer if you maintain it frequently by contacting a roofing contractor. It also tops other roofing materials like asphalt roofing that will only last between 12 to 20 years, which you’ll need to spend money on for repairs or replacements.
2. Durable than most roofing materials: Another benefit of metal roofing is its durability. Some roofing materials would get damaged easily, which building owners don’t like because they’ll keep wasting money on unnecessary repairs and maintenance. If you want to rest easy without thinking about your roof getting damaged, consider getting metal roofing.

However, you can only achieve efficient durability with metal roofing when you hire an experienced roofing contractor. Without a professional, it might fly off whenever there’s a storm with wind speeds that reach up to a hundred miles per hour. Properly installed metal roofing can withstand those wind speeds and keep the inside of your building safe. Besides wind speeds, metal roofing doesn’t crack, rust and is impact-resistant.

1. Low maintenance: One benefit you’ll like about metal roofing is that you don’t have to keep maintaining it all the time. Most roofing contractors recommend that you hire a roofing contractor twice a year to inspect the metal roofing on your building. And once they spot issues, they can fix the roofing issue quickly before it becomes worse. 
2. Does not combust with fire: When you see burning buildings with metal roofing, you can see that the fire couldn’t burn it because of its non-combustible material. It’s the best roofing material if you want to limit the oxygen going into your building, ensuring the flames don’t grow exponentially.

Cons: Metal Roofing

|It would also be best if you don’t ignore the several disadvantages of roofing because they help with the deciding factor. Some cons of metal roofing are:

1. Excessive noise when raining: Creating a quiet office when it rains is impossible when you have metal roofing. The thin, metal surface can create loud noise because of the rainwater droplets. The noise can get louder the heavier the rain is, so you might need to install soundproofing materials inside your commercial building.
2. Most expensive roofing material than shingles: If you’re on a budget and you plan on getting metal roofing, you’re better off with shingles. Not only is metal roofing expensive to buy, but roofing contractors also ask for expensive rates for the installation process.
3. Unappealing than other roofing materials: Manufacturers create metal roofing without cosmetic adjustments, which means you cannot buy it in different styles or colors. It’s challenging to create an appealing commercial building with metal roofing.

Since you now know the pros of metal roofing, next is to find out the pros and cons of shingles.

Pros: Shingles

And if you decide on shingles, some benefits include:

1. Most affordable roofing material: You can decrease the amount of budget you’re spending on your roofing when you choose shingles. Most commercial building owners who want the cheapest alternative for metal roofing are shingles since manufacturers can mass-produce them in large quantities and stable petroleum prices.
2. Wide variety of shingles: Another benefit you can get from choosing shingles is you have many options. You won’t have problems making your building’s roof appealing because you can pick out specific colors for the shingles to match the overall appearance of your structure. Besides colors, you can also get them in particular sizes and styles, ensuring you can create the look you want for a commercial building.
3. Easy repairs: If the shingles get damaged, you can contact a roofing contractor, and they can repair them without any issues. Usually, shingles get damaged because of sharp and pointy tree branches that cut them and misaligned roofing staples done by previous contractors, to name a few. If you want to make your roofing contractor’s jobs easier, install a roof hatch with a roof hatch safety railing for safer ingress and egress.

Cons: Shingles

Some disadvantages of using shingles are:

1. Gets damaged easily: As mentioned a while ago, sharp tree branches that reach your commercial building’s roof will most likely damage the shingles. You may need to keep replacing the damaged shingles or have the tree uprooted.
2. Never lasts long on your roof: If you want a roofing material that lasts for a long time, avoid shingles at all costs.
3. Doesn’t suit flat roofs: Another reason to avoid installing shingles is when your commercial building has a flat roof. The shingles cannot seal the roof effectively, which means water can go inside your building more accessible. You can only install shingles if you have a sloped roof.

Hopefully, the pros and cons mentioned can help you weigh out your roofing options and choose the best one that’ll suit your building.