Metal Roofing in San Jose, CA

Metal roofing is a panel system, not a bundle of asphalt shingle. We start with a roof inspection, then tear off the old layers down to the deck.

On most mid-century ranch homes here, that means prying up two or three dead overlays to find the rot underneath.

Standing-seam steel is formed to length and locked with concealed clips, so no fastener head sits exposed to weather. Exposed-fastener panels and corrugated panel roofs cost less, with a washer under every screw.

Stone-coated steel mimics cedar shake or clay tile at a fraction of the weight, and aluminum panels hold up where salt air corrodes steel. We set panels from McElroy Metal, ATAS, or Decra when the profile matches your pitch.

Prep decides the lifespan. Self-adhered ice-and-water shield runs along the eave and up the valley, and synthetic underlayment covers the field. Every pipe boot, chimney flashing, step flashing, ridge cap, and drip edge gets replaced rather than reused.

On some homes we add purlins or battens over the deck so panels can move with temperature, plus a counterbatten layer where drainage needs a clear plane.

Metal roofing only performs as well as the wood under it. If a rafter, truss, or ridge beam has sagged, panels telegraph every dip, so we sister the framing and replace any soft plywood or OSB sheathing.

Energy efficiency comes up more than it used to. A light, reflective PVDF finish cuts attic heat, and metal is one of the few roofing materials that gets recycled instead of landfilled.

Roofing technology has moved too. Some standing-seam clip systems are solar-ready, and a factory-applied coating over the panel holds color better than field painting. If green roofing matters to you, metal is the easiest case to make.

Attic ventilation matters as much as the roof surface. A ridge vent paired with soffit vent keeps insulation dry; in an unvented assembly we add a vapor barrier, and an attic fan is often the wrong answer.

Roofline shape drives labor. A simple gable is the straight run; a hip roof means mitered panels at every corner, and a dormer adds small cuts.

Parapets, coping, and a scupper over a flat section get TPO, EPDM, or a PVC membrane instead of panels. Older flat sections still carrying a built-up roof or torch-applied modified bitumen get repaired before anything else changes.

Up in the mountains, ice dam season keeps crews running steam ice rigs for dam removal. Here the enemy is wind-driven rain, which is why we treat flashing as the important part of the job.

Small details finish the work. A metal canopy over a doorway reuses the same trim, gutter and downspout get rehung, and painted fascia or soffit that has peeled gets touched up.

Tools are specific: a pry bar and roofing shovel for tear-off, a nail gun and air compressor for sheathing, and a roofing square to keep courses true. Debris goes in a dumpster, not your shrubs.