Tips and tricks when ordering metal roofing

By Jonny Suchor. 

Given the demand of metal roofing as a made-to-order product, two metal experts share valuable insights regarding metal procurement to help ensure your projects stay on track. 

This Roofing Road Trips podcast is essential for anyone interested in the roofing industry as Karen Edwards from RoofersCoffeeShop® interviews Richard King and Erik Hillhouse from ASC Building Products who share profound insights on metal roofing procurement. Erik, a sales rep for ASC has over seven years of experience in metal roofing and 25 years in building supplies, Erik shares his experience on the advantages and procurement challenges of metal roofing. And Richard, the marketing manager for ASC has been in the industry for 10 years and works to curate knowledge about what’s happening in the metal roofing industry for customers and contractors. 

The popularity of metal is through the roof, and that’s in big part to its multitude of benefits. "Metal roofing offers unparalleled design flexibility and sustainability benefits compared to traditional materials. It's not just about aesthetics; it's about energy efficiency, longevity and the ability to support solar panel integration," says Erik. He compliments metal roofing's advantages, including its superior design flexibility, energy-efficient cool roof applications, and impressive durability that far outlasts conventional roofing materials. Given its custom-made nature, he emphasizes the importance of attention to detail when ordering metal roofs. 

Another element that makes metal roofing unique is that it’s made to order. “When you think about most of the other building materials and roofing materials out there where they're kind of made to stock and you can pull off the shelf, not the case with metal roofing. And so a lot of that lead time is for that manufacturer to make it specific to your project. That can also be a big source of the bumpiness in the supply chain,” Richard explained. While the industry has recovered from the supply chain slowdown during COVID-19, Richard and Erik still see some supply chain snags when a particular color is in high demand and production can’t keep up. 

When it comes to procuring metal roofing or siding, there are a few tips and tricks Erik and Richard share to ensure a successful experience and help keep your projects on track. Erik points out that a detailed understanding of project needs is crucial due to its made-to-order process, saying “Some of the things that you can take for granted with other materials where I can just order another panel or another palette or something like that. You cannot do that with metal. Things like pitch are critical. Things like knowing what is the roof dimension, not just the dimension of the building.” Richard pointed out that the pricing of metal can fluctuate based on supply and demand of materials. He shares, “The pricing of metal can have waves of fluctuation, which is due to what's going on to the industry as a whole. So, staying abreast of trends and being aware that the pricing of metal may change throughout that quoting cycle is really important as well too. This complexity necessitates a smart approach from contractors to avoid common ordering mistakes that can potentially derail projects. 

And the team at ASC Building Products will help you every step of the way. “We have whole team where we all consult each other and we put together the tools needed from the visualizer on our website so you can see what it's going to look like all the way to, here's a handwritten order sheet that goes through every part and piece that you would need if you're going to do it that way,” Erik explained. This Roofing Road Trips with ASC Building Products is a valuable resource for anyone looking to better understand the intricacies of metal roofing procurement.  

Listen to the podcast or read the transcript to learn more about ASC Building Products and metal roofing procurement.