Metal Roofing in Santa Barbara & Southern California
Durable, energy-efficient, and long-lasting metal roofing solutions installed by licensed and experienced roofing professionals.
Metal roofing in Santa Barbara and the rest of Southern California means standing-seam panels, exposed-fastener panels, or metal shingles and stone-coated steel made to look like tile or shake. NEMA Roofing installs, replaces and repairs metal roofs on homes and commercial buildings across Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties; its crews work from five Google-verified locations, in Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Downey. Call 866-631-3366 for a free on-site assessment.
- Licensed and insured roofing professionals
- Residential and commercial roofing experience
- CSLB license #1083283 (roofing C-39 and general building B)
Why homeowners here choose metal
- Fire rules. In fire hazard severity zones California requires a Class A roof assembly. Metal roof systems can be listed as Class A assemblies; ask for the listing of the whole assembly, not just the panel.
- Weight. Metal is far lighter than clay or concrete tile, which matters on an older frame or a low-slope addition.
- Heat. Many metal colors carry a Cool Roof Rating Council rating, which helps where California’s cool-roof rule applies.
- Solar. Standing-seam panels can take solar mounts clamped to the seams, so the panels need no holes through the roof.
Types of metal roof, and where each one fits
| Type | How it is built | Minimum roof slope (California Building Code 2025, 1507.4.2 and 1507.5.2) | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing seam | Long panels joined by raised seams; fasteners hidden under the seam or in clips | 1/4 inch per foot | Modern and farmhouse homes, low-slope additions, roofs that will carry solar |
| Exposed-fastener (corrugated or ribbed) panels | Lapped panels screwed through the face with sealing washers | 3 inches per foot without lap sealant, 1/2 inch per foot with lap sealant | Barns, garages, workshops, commercial and agricultural buildings |
| Metal shingles and stone-coated steel | Pressed panels shaped like shingles, shake or tile | 3 inches per foot | Homes that want the look of tile or shake at a fraction of the weight |
The code also sets material standards for metal roof coverings and requires metal flashing to be corrosion resistant. Near the ocean that deserves more attention than inland: salt air attacks cut edges, scratches and fasteners, so coastal jobs call for coated panels and fasteners and trim made for that exposure, and some owners on the water choose aluminum.
Metal, tile or asphalt shingle?
| Metal | Clay or concrete tile | Asphalt shingle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight on the frame | Light | Heavy; an older frame may need checking before tile goes on | Light |
| Lowest roof slope allowed (CBC 2025) | 1/4 inch per foot for standing seam | 2 1/2 inches per foot | 2 inches per foot |
| Fire rating | Class A assemblies available | Class A assemblies available | Class A assemblies available |
| Solar mounting | Clamps on standing seams, no holes | Tile hooks; tiles must be lifted and reset | Flashed mounts through the shingles |
| What usually fails first | Fasteners, sealant and flashing details | The underlayment beneath the tile | The shingles themselves, from sun and heat |
None of the three is right for every house. Weight and slope often decide it before looks do; for tile, see tile roofing.
Metal roofs and California’s cool-roof rule
Whether a new metal roof on a house must be cool-rated depends on the climate zone. Under the 2025 Energy Code, in force since January 1, 2026, re-roofing a sloped roof on a house in climate zones 4 and 8 through 15 calls for an aged solar reflectance of at least 0.20 and a thermal emittance of at least 0.75, or a solar reflectance index of 16, unless an exception applies. Ojai, Westlake Village and Woodland Hills are in zone 9 and Riverside and San Bernardino in zone 10, so the rule applies there. Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Montecito, Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo are in zone 6, where it applies to low-slope roofs only. The Cool Roof Rating Council label on the product shows whether a given finish and color meets it. More on the cool roofing page.
What a metal roof installation involves
- Assessment and measurements. Roof slope, deck condition, attic ventilation and the fire and energy rules for the address.
- Choosing the system. Panel type, metal and gauge, finish and color, with the Class A listing and cool-roof rating checked where they apply.
- Tear-off and deck repair. The old covering comes off and damaged decking is replaced.
- Underlayment and flashing. The layer under the metal and the flashing at walls, valleys, chimneys and vents do most of the waterproofing work at the details.
- Panels, trim and fasteners, installed to the manufacturer’s instructions for spacing and clips.
- Final walk-through and the warranty paperwork.
For a whole-roof project compared across materials, see roof replacement; for a new build or addition, roofing installation.
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Metal roof repair
Most metal roof leaks come from the parts around the panels, not the panels themselves:
- Fasteners. On exposed-fastener roofs, screws back out as the metal expands and contracts, and the rubber washers dry out. Replacing them with the next size up and new washers stops most of these leaks.
- Laps and trim. Sealant at panel laps, ridges and eaves ages and needs renewing.
- Flashing at chimneys, skylights, vents and walls.
- Rust at scratches and cut edges, which can be treated early before it goes through.
Waviness in flat areas of a panel (called oil canning) is usually a cosmetic effect of the metal, not a leak.
What decides the cost of a metal roof
We do not publish prices, because they depend on the roof. The main factors are the panel type (standing seam takes more labor than exposed-fastener panels), the metal and gauge, the finish, the roof’s size, slope and number of valleys and penetrations, whether the old roof has to come off and how much decking needs replacing, and any fire or cool-roof requirement for the address. The free on-site assessment ends with a no-obligation proposal that names the system and the scope.
Metal roofing questions
Is a metal roof noisy in the rain?
Over a solid deck with underlayment, as on most homes, rain on metal sounds much like rain on other roofs. It is louder on open framing without a deck, as on a barn.
Can a metal roof go over my existing shingles?
Sometimes. The building code allows a new covering over an existing one when it is installed to the manufacturer’s instructions, but not over a roof that is water-soaked or deteriorated, and not where there are already two or more layers (California Building Code 2025, section 1512.3). Removing the old roof lets the deck be inspected and repaired, which is why a full tear-off is usually the better choice.
Do you install metal roofs outside Santa Barbara?
Yes, in Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties as well. See our service areas.
Call 866-631-3366 or use the form below to book an assessment.
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