COPPER AND ALUMINUM ROOFING

Copper Roofing is one of those long term investments. It's amazing in terms of durability cause it's basically the last roof you'd ever invest in. To give you some perspective on how long it would last, copper roofs built in 27 BC in Rome are still standing over 2,000 years later. No one actually knows how long copper will last, it might be indefinitely. Once installed, that's it. They are fire proof, so they will keep your insurance low as well.

Up front costs are substantially more than your normal roof shingle, but with no maintenance fees ever... no replacement fees... ever... unless your home is destroyed by something like a tornado or earthquake. If you are building a home you're going to give to your children, Copper will ultimately be cheaper and more durable, but if you're going to be moving in 2 to 5 years, I don't think it'd be worth the money.

Aluminum Roofing is similar to Copper Roofing in many respects. Depending on brand and grade, they'll last 150 to 300 years so it's a life long investment for you. Another neat feature is that they are recyclable, so in 300 years whoever buys your house and reaches the expected lifespan can recycle the roof and get some money back to invest into the new roof. Again, they are fireproof which helps with insurance costs, but like concrete and copper, they cost more up front. But if it's the last roof you ever buy and you plan to spend 10, 20 or 30 years in that home, you'll actually save a lot of money.