Is it cheaper to replace asphalt with asphalt?

Up front, yes, usually by a wide margin. The argument for metal is not the sticker price, it is how many times you do this. If your roof is being replaced on storm timing rather than at the end of its service life, count the cycles you expect to own the house through and compare the totals rather than the quotes.

Can metal go over my existing shingles?

Sometimes. It depends on the deck condition, how many layers are already up there, and what the local building official allows. Have any professional state clearly in the quote whether they are tearing off or going over, because it changes both the price and what happens if the deck turns out to be soft.

What happens if the deck is rotten underneath?

This is the most common cost blowup on any roof replacement, and it is entirely manageable if you handle it before signing rather than after. Ask for the per-sheet price of deck replacement in writing, and ask that you approve any deck work in writing before it proceeds. A contractor who will not put that in the contract is asking you to sign a blank cheque.

How long does a replacement take?

That depends on the size of the roof, the system, the weather and whether there is a tear-off. What matters more for planning is when it starts, and in Missouri after a widespread storm that can be considerably later than you expect. Get the start window in writing.

Metal roof replacement in Missouri

Most metal roofs in Missouri go on houses that already had asphalt. The decision is rarely about looks; it is about how often the roof is being replaced and whether you want to keep doing it. We match homeowners statewide with independent local roofing professionals who do this work.

The replacement-cycle argument, stated plainly

Asphalt is cheaper to buy and shorter-lived. In much of Missouri it is also being replaced on storm timing rather than at the end of its rated life, which is the part that changes the arithmetic.

So the comparison worth making is not metal against asphalt today. It is metal once against asphalt however many times you expect to replace it over the years you own the house, plus the deductible each of those claims costs you. That is a calculation only you can do, because it turns on how long you are staying.

Tear-off, or over the top

Establish this first, because two quotes that differ on it are not quotes for the same job.

Tear-off removes the existing roofing, exposes the deck, and lets anyone actually see what they are building on. More labour, more disposal, fewer surprises.
Going over leaves the existing layer in place. Cheaper and faster where it is permitted and the deck is sound, and it means nobody has inspected the deck.

Whether going over is allowed depends on the deck, the number of existing layers and the local building official. Ask which one the quote assumes and have it written down.

The deck, which is where replacements go wrong

Nobody knows the condition of a deck until the old roof is off. That is not a failing of the contractor, it is the nature of the job, and the way to handle it is contractual rather than optimistic:

A stated per-sheet price for deck replacement, in the contract.
Your written approval required before deck work proceeds.
Photographs of anything they say needs replacing.

Those three lines turn the single most common cost blowup in roofing into a known, pre-priced contingency.

If insurance is involved

A great many Missouri replacements are storm-driven, and that brings RSMo 407.725 into play, which governs how a contractor may behave on insurance-funded work. It is short, specific, and worth reading before you sign anything. See hail damage roof replacement.

Who does the work

Missouri issues no state roofing licence, so there is no credential to look up for most addresses. Verification means something else here.

What can you actually check, where you live?

Missouri does not license or register roofing contractors at the state level. There is no state credential to look up, so what you can verify depends on your address. Three cases cover the state.

Kansas City

Reported requirement, confirm with the city

Kansas City is reported to require a Residential Building Contractor licence, obtained by passing an International Code Council exam, through the city. If your address is inside the city limits, ask for that licence number and check it with the city directly.

City of St. Louis

Reported requirement, confirm with the city

The City of St. Louis is reported to require a Construction Industry Contractor graduated business licence. Note this applies to the city, which is a separate jurisdiction from St. Louis County. Confirm which one governs your address before you rely on it.

The rest of Missouri

No roofing-specific credential exists, which covers most of the state. A roofer working without one here is not doing anything wrong, so the useful move is to change instruments: verify insurance, the contract and the manufacturer certification instead.

Where no credential exists, check these instead

Current general liability and workers compensation certificates, sent to you directly by the insurance agent rather than forwarded by the contractor.
A written contract with a deck change-order process: what happens if the deck needs replacing, at what price per sheet, and whether you approve it in writing first.
Manufacturer certification for the exact panel system and gauge going on your house, not a brochure.
Local references with addresses you can drive past.

Status as of July 2026. The absence of a state licence was verified against the Revised Statutes of Missouri. Jurisdictions change requirements, so confirm with the issuing city before you rely on any of this.

Status as of July 2026.

For system choice, see standing seam or, on outbuildings and rural property, panel roofing. For the whole decision, the Missouri Metal Roofing Guide. For what it costs, the cost guide, which is explicit about which numbers are observations rather than published figures.

Get matched for a replacement quote

When you submit this form, your information is shared with an independent local roofing professional for the purpose of scheduling your free quote.

Questions homeowners ask

Is it cheaper to replace asphalt with asphalt?: Up front, yes, usually by a wide margin. The argument for metal is not the sticker price, it is how many times you do this. If your roof is being replaced on storm timing rather than at the end of its service life, count the cycles you expect to own the house through and compare the totals rather than the quotes.
Can metal go over my existing shingles?: Sometimes. It depends on the deck condition, how many layers are already up there, and what the local building official allows. Have any professional state clearly in the quote whether they are tearing off or going over, because it changes both the price and what happens if the deck turns out to be soft.
What happens if the deck is rotten underneath?: This is the most common cost blowup on any roof replacement, and it is entirely manageable if you handle it before signing rather than after. Ask for the per-sheet price of deck replacement in writing, and ask that you approve any deck work in writing before it proceeds. A contractor who will not put that in the contract is asking you to sign a blank cheque.
How long does a replacement take?: That depends on the size of the roof, the system, the weather and whether there is a tear-off. What matters more for planning is when it starts, and in Missouri after a widespread storm that can be considerably later than you expect. Get the start window in writing.

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