Roofing advice please - slate or metal

[anchor35]

I'm in process to build a very small eco-house on a limited budget. I'm getting conflicting advice about costs of slates or metal, which are the two options. Architects said that slates and metal roofing are much on a par cost- wise now, builders I've spoken to say 'no way; slates much more expensive'.
Who's right? suggestions.
Also does anyone have experience of noise level of insulated metal roof when it rains?

 

[hardmetalking]

I have fitted many metal roofs. Not sure of a rough cost for a slate roof but a metal one would cost in the region of £150 per square metre. We use a special membrane in between the metal and the substrate to eliminate noise when it rains. Using sufficient insulation in the new roof would eliminate any rain noise on its own.

 

[anchor35]

Thanks. Does anyone have similar ballpark figure for slating?

 

[SurreyRoofingEstimator]

Without insulation a slate roof will cost between £75-£100 per sqm (batten, felt, slates and labour costs) dependant on origin / quality of slate and complexity of roof

 

[anchor35]

Having asked this question I just want to warn others that the answers here don't really tie in with some enquiries I've made from a local builder who clearly had no axe to grind.
He stated clearly that slating is more than twice as much per metre (for the whole job) than metal sheet. He specified that he was talking about metal sheet with box cross section, double skimmed, which he said would prevent dripping inside.
It maybe that the metal quote given in this forum is for more expensive metal.
Here the roofer said you can buy slates £1 each, (£1.25 each for second hand traditional Scottish slate) which is about £24 per square metre purhcase. Fixing them as well, he quoted at about £50 per square metre.
He said, never buy second hand slates off an old farm steading - can you believe this - the cows sweat, the salt moisture rises in the heat, condensation leaves salt on the tiles and ruins them.
You learn something every day.

Maybe there are big variations area to area so ask locally.

 

[hardmetalking]

My quote was for standing seam zinc. Just to clear that up.

 

[noseall]

the cows sweat, the salt moisture rises in the heat, condensation leaves salt on the tiles and ruins them.

What a load of blarney!

 

[Nige F]

[What a load of blarney!

but the OP is in Scotland perhaps the roofer "travelled" across from Ireland

 

[anchor35]

blarney? Well you could be right, and maybe this is his explanation to himself, but what he was really saying was that second hand steading tiles are not worth the money and since he's a well reputed, very experienced roofer and I prefer to listen to the message. I worked in dairy farming earlier in my life, when slurry pits were barely in existence, and I can remember the steamy fug that collects towards the end of winter above 2-3 feet fermenting straw bedding, with cows overwintering, and I can believe that such an atmosphere on an annual basis gets into the material of the building, especially if the roof is low; pretty acrid!

 

[BethesdaSlate]

As with Surrey - £75-100 for slate all in, and we usually charge at least £220 per m2 for zinc or copper all in.

 

[hardmetalking]

Looks like I need to up my rates......