5 dollars per square?!? Even if you mean $5 per square foot, the price is way too low. The cheapest asphalt shingles run around $30 per square just for the materials. Add in tear off etc. and a realistic price for an installed new roof would run from $100 to $150 per square in most parts of the country.

Unless you have prior experience and the necessary tools, metal roofing is most definitely not easier to install.

Yes, sorry, I was abbreviating sq-ft with sq, they are off by a factor of 100. I know that most speak in Squares (100sq-ft) so sorry for any confusion by talking sq-ft.

The roofer came in at 16k for a ~3100sq-FT roof (2100 sq-ft single story house) (Thats about $5 sq-ft or 500/sq. I just bought architectural shingles from HD for $1.00sq-ft, or 99.00/sq.

I would love to find someone who would install for 100/sq, seeing as that is what I find the pricing to be for material alone here in New England.

I was looking at some hidden fastener roofs that run about 1.50sq-ft for sheeting material. Flashing and trim pieces would add to the cost. So I am looking at 4500-5000 for material alone in metal. The metal looks like it goes up fast since you are working with such large pieces (thats my reasoning anyway) and why I am considering it, offset material cost with labor...

Some people are telling me to just tarp it every year until I am ready, but that won't look very good, not sure my neighbors will appreciate that.

Sorry James. My calculation somehow wound up being materials only. $400 to $500 per square installed would be about right for New England.

Metal roofing does come in large sheets, but installation is not easy and not by any means a one or even two person DIY project. Wrestling those sheets onto the roof is difficult and dangerous, especially if there is any wind.

You might want to check out some of the two part roll roofing products. Can't recall the names, but Google or a call to your local lumber yard should turn them up. Both consist of a base layer followed by a mineral surfaced layer. One requires you to paint or roll on an adhesive between the two layers. The other is pre coated with adhesive on both layers - peel and stick for both. I have used the the second type and have been very satisfied with it. Needs two or three people for installation, but goes on fast. It's not cheap, but can be done DIY and should be less expensive than either shingles or metal. I would offer one caution: since this is a temporary fix, I have no idea how difficult removal of the two part system would be when the time comes. Also, don't be tempted by the old style double coverage roll roofing. All of it seems to be imported and it cracks easily and fails in just a couple of years, especially in a harsh climate.

Removal is not an issue, next roof will be on a new house.

Forty-seven years from one layer of asphalt shingles? Amazing! The last one I personally re-shingled (with two helpers) had lasted 20 hard winters. Another ten to 15 years requires more than a "quick fix."

As noted above, metal roof installation is not an easy job for diy. From the dangers of walking on it to the large number of cuts and bends for ridges, to wasted material if one panel is mis-cut or misplaced, any materials savings are soon lost.

$16k to reroof 3100 sq ft is hi-way robbery. 7 to 8 is more like it for minerial. I have installed thousands of feet both minerial and metal roof useing inexperienced labor ( and roofing is not my trade). ALL roofing must be done right but that only requires showing laborers how. Don't try doing it with u-tube instructions,you must have an experienced roofer show you exactly how,regardless type roofing. As far as wrestleing metal panels,a 3'x 24' (72 sq ft) sheet of 29 guage weighs 50 lbs. 1 bundle ( 33 sq ft) of 245 minerial shingles weighs 80 lbs. Add to that, you have the choice to rent a lift or carry bundles up a ladder where as a panel can be leaned against the edge of roof then pulled up. Wind can make handleing metal difficult but weight is not a factor. Speaking of weight,3100 sq ft of minerial weighs 7,500 lbs. 3100 sq ft of 29 ga weighs 2,000 lbs.that's important if you don't tear off old roof. If your roof doesn't have a bunch of valleys,dormers and hips,a metal roof can be a diy project. Buy from a steel distribitor because they will manufacture your order with sheets exact leingth saving you alot of cutting. Buy or rent electric tin snips. Hire someone knowledgable with metal installation unless you know what you are doing. Now the cherry on top. When it's time to tear down cabin,plenty of people will remove old metal and pay you for the privlige.

You need to tear off old shingles and glue roll roof to deck. You will be luck if it lasts 10 years and there's no way it will last 15.

Hi-way robbery? Not if your roofing contractor is paying worker's compensation it isn't.