- Zinc standing seam
- Profiled steel for garages & units
- Copper and mixed-metal details
- Condensation-safe build-ups
- 10-year guarantee on new roofs
Sheet metal roofing
Used for its durability and ability to withstand extreme weather, sheet metal roofing is a popular commercial roofing solution that’s always a safe bet. It’s also energy efficient, lightweight and simple to maintain, so it really ticks all the boxes.
The team here at Roofing Cambridge has plenty of experience installing sheet metal roofs, and can do it quickly and accurately, causing your family or your business minimal disruption.
Metal roof repairs & maintenance
Sure, metal roofs are tough and can withstand the elements, but that doesn’t mean they won’t ever require maintenance. At Roofing Cambridge, we’re well versed in metal roof repairs and metal roof maintenance, so if you’re looking for a team to ensure your roof stays in top shape, look no further. We’re so confident in our repair service that we offer a 5-year guarantee on all of our repair work, so you can rest assured that you’re covered, no matter what happens.
Operating throughout Cambridge and the surrounding villages, Roofing Cambridge is here to answer any questions you might have about metal roofing. Don’t hesitate to give us a call for more information.
Which metal roofs do we fit?
“Metal roofing” covers very different jobs, from a corrugated garage roof to a hand-formed zinc dormer. These are the main options:
| Metal | Typical form | Where it suits | Expected life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc | Standing seam sheets with raised, folded joints | Extensions, dormers, garden rooms, curved and low-pitch roofs | 80 to 100+ years (VMZINC) |
| Coated steel | Profiled sheets: corrugated, box-profile or insulated panels | Garages, workshops, outbuildings, commercial units | Depends on the coating; check the maker’s guarantee |
| Copper | Standing seam, or details such as bays, canopies and dormer cheeks | Feature roofs and period details | 100+ years (Architecture Today) |
| Lead | Traditional sheet for flashings, bays and small flats | Junctions and heritage work | Centuries, if correctly detailed (Lead Sheet Advisory Service) |
Manufacturer warranties cover the product, not the workmanship, which is why the installation details matter as much as the metal. Lead has its own page: lead roofing and leadwork.
Zinc and standing seam
A standing seam roof is laid in long trays joined by raised, folded seams, with hidden clips holding it to the deck. There are no exposed fixings to leak, and the clips let each tray expand and contract. Zinc weathers to a soft blue-grey and can be formed around curves, which is why it is popular on contemporary rear extensions, dormers and garden rooms.
Profiled steel for garages and commercial buildings
Coated steel sheet, corrugated or box-profile, is the practical choice for garages, sheds, workshops and light industrial units: quick to fit, light and good value. Single-skin sheets suit unheated buildings, while insulated composite panels suit heated offices and workshops. Fixings matter more than anything. When Storm Ciara struck in February 2020, metal roof sheeting was blown off a school in Sawtry, in Huntingdonshire, a reminder that sheets are only as good as their fasteners and edge trims.
Copper
Copper is used less often, usually on bay roofs, porches, canopies and feature dormers, where it slowly turns brown and then green. It is long-lived but costly. One detail we always watch: rainwater running off copper onto zinc or galvanised steel corrodes them, so different metals have to be arranged with care.
Condensation and ventilation: getting the build-up right
Most metal roof problems are about what lies underneath, not the metal itself. Metal is vapour-tight, so warm, moist air from inside the building condenses on its cold underside unless the build-up is designed to stop it.
- Zinc needs either a ventilated build-up, with an air gap beneath the deck, or a carefully detailed warm roof with a vapour control layer and the underlay the manufacturer specifies. Moisture trapped against the underside corrodes zinc from below.
- Steel garage roofs benefit from sheets with an anti-condensation fleece bonded to the underside, which holds droplets until they evaporate.
- Heated buildings need insulation and a continuous vapour control layer, with the joints and edges taped.
If more than half of a roof is being renovated, Approved Document L normally expects the insulation to be upgraded: to 0.16 W/m²K where feasible on homes, and 0.18 W/m²K for flat roofs on non-domestic buildings. On commercial jobs, the rules also call for a signed report confirming the details protect against surface condensation. Our guide to warm roof vs cold roof explains the difference in plain English.
Metal roofs in and around Cambridge
Metal roofing work in Cambridge tends to fall into three groups. On the post-war estates of Arbury and King’s Hedges, garages and outbuildings may still have their original cement-fibre sheets, and HSE lists asbestos cement roofs among the materials found in homes built or refurbished before 2000. Those must be handled safely before new steel goes on. On terraces and semis across the city, zinc is a natural choice for rear extensions, dormers and garden rooms. And for offices, labs and units, including those on Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge Business Park, both within a mile of our Chesterton base, see commercial roofing.
The weather tests metal in its own way. 2025 was the UK’s warmest and sunniest year on record, and East Anglia had the warmest summer of any district, so thermal movement has to be allowed for. Winter frosts drive condensation, and storms such as Eunice in 2022, when an amber warning forecast gusts of 60 to 70 mph across Cambridgeshire, find any loose sheet or trim.
How much does a metal roof cost?
MyBuilder’s 2026 guide puts a typical new metal roof on a house at £6,000 to £10,000. Within that, the biggest factors are:
- The metal. Zinc and copper cost considerably more than coated steel sheet.
- Size and shape. Curves, dormers and lots of junctions take more time than a plain rectangle.
- The build-up. A new deck, insulation and vapour control layer add materials and labour.
- Access and removal. Scaffold runs at around £550 to £700 a week for a single scaffold, and stripping an old roof costs £1,000 to £2,500, more if asbestos is involved.
The price table on this page lists the main cost lines, and our roofing costs page gathers guide prices for every roofing job.
Our metal roofing process
- Survey. We inspect by ladder or drone, which is especially useful on large commercial roofs, and check the deck, the fixings and the inside for condensation.
- Specification and quote. The metal, the build-up, ventilation and the guarantee, spelled out in writing.
- Prepare. Strip the old covering, repair or replace the deck, and fit insulation and the vapour control layer.
- Install. Sheets or trays, flashings and trims, following the manufacturer’s details.
- Hand over. Photos of the finished roof and the guarantee in writing.
New roof installations come with our 10-year insurance guarantee, and repairs with our 5-year warranty.
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| New metal roof, typical house | £6,000–£10,000 |
| Remove the old roof covering | £1,000–£2,500 |
| Roofer day rate in Cambridge | £280–£360 per day |
| Roofer hourly rate in Cambridge | £35–£45 per hour |
| Single scaffold up to 10 m high, per week | £550–£700 |
| Skip (6–8 yard), per week | about £320 |
Guide figures from MyBuilder's 2026 roofing price guide (metal roofs) and Checkatrade's 2026 roof replacement, scaffolding and Cambridge roofer data. Metal roofs vary widely with the metal, size and detailing, so we always confirm a fixed price in writing after a free survey. Get your exact price.
Signs your metal roof needs attention
- Rust spots or flaking coating on steel sheets, especially at laps and cut edges
- Loose, missing or rusted fixings and washers
- Sheets lifting or rattling in strong wind
- Drips inside on cold mornings when it hasn't rained
- Leaks at the ridge, verge or wall flashings
- Old cement-fibre garage sheets that are cracked or brittle
