Standing Seam Metal Roofing in Vancouver: What We’ve Learned from 17 Years of Experience
- September 4, 2025
At Eco Exteriors Roofing and Gutters, we’ve been installing standing seam metal roofs in Greater Vancouver for over 17 years. In that time, we’ve worked with every roofing product, system, and finish available. One thing has become clear—when it comes to long-lasting performance in our climate, standing seam metal roofing stands out.
Whether you live in Vancouver, the North Shore, Burnaby, or along the waterfront in West Vancouver, here’s what our experience has taught us about the options available and what you should know before choosing a standing seam roof.
Choosing the Right Metal
Most of our projects use 24-gauge Galvalume steel. It’s the starter point for a proper standing seam system, about 33% thicker than 26-gauge steel, and durable enough to handle everything Vancouver weather delivers—rain, wind, and snow.
For homes close to the ocean, we often recommend aluminum roofing, which performs exceptionally well against salt corrosion. On the premium side, we’ve installed copper and zinc roofs. These materials can last 80–100 years or more and develop a natural patina over time that many homeowners love.
Finishes That Last
Coatings make a big difference in how a roof looks decades from now. In our experience, PVDF/Kynar 500 finishes are the gold standard—they resist fading and chalking, even on south-facing roofs exposed to sun and rain.
We also work with SMP-coated panels, which are a cost-effective alternative. They provide solid performance but don’t have the same long-term color stability. For homeowners who prefer a natural, maintenance-free look, copper and zinc don’t require paint at all.
Panel Systems
At Eco Exteriors, we produce all of our standing seam and snap-lock panels on site with our own roll-forming equipment. This allows us to create seamless custom lengths for every roof, eliminating unnecessary joints and ensuring a precise fit.
We’ve installed both major types of standing seam systems:
• Snap-lock panels – Excellent for most residential projects. They install efficiently and perform well on typical roof pitches.
• Mechanical seam (double-lock) – Our choice for low slopes or exposed areas like the North Shore, where water tightness is critical.
Underlayment Protection
Unlike many roofing companies that use synthetic underlayment with small sections of ice and water shield only in valleys or along eaves, Eco Exteriors installs ice and water shield over the entire roof deck on every metal roof we build.
This full-coverage system creates a continuous waterproof barrier under the panels, protecting against leaks caused by wind-driven rain, ice dams, or condensation. In Vancouver’s wet climate, it means the roof has two complete layers of defense—the standing seam panels on top and a watertight membrane underneath.
It’s a more expensive approach than partial coverage, but after 17 years of experience, we’ve seen that it pays off in long-term performance and peace of mind.
Fasteners and Expansion
All of our standing seam roofs use concealed floating clips. This allows panels to expand and contract naturally with temperature changes—something we’ve found essential to long-term performance in Vancouver’s variable climate.
Warranties & Lifespan
A properly installed metal roof, when done the way we build them, will last forever. Steel, aluminum, copper, and zinc are all proven to withstand the elements indefinitely when combined with full ice and water shield, RCABC-certified installation, and precision detailing.
That’s why at Eco Exteriors Roofing and Gutters, we offer the best warranty in the industry—an unlimited warranty on both the product and our workmanship. Unlike limited or pro-rated warranties that expire after 20–50 years, ours is designed to give homeowners true peace of mind.
We guarantee that once your standing seam roof is installed by Eco Exteriors, it’s the last roof you’ll ever need.
Built for Vancouver's Climate
Every standing seam system we install exceeds local building code requirements for wind, snow load, and fire safety. Metal roofs are Class A fire rated, a valuable feature with increasingly hot and dry summers.
And as for one of the most common questions we hear—are metal roofs noisy in the rain? With today’s underlayments, the answer is no. In fact, they’re no louder than asphalt shingles.
Why RCABC Certification Matters
All of our installers are RCABC-certified. The Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia (RCABC) is the governing body that sets professional and safety standards for BC roofing. Certification means our installers have been trained and tested to meet these standards for quality, safety, and long-term performance.
For homeowners, this matters because RCABC-certified work is held to some of the strictest guidelines in Canada. It’s peace of mind that your roof isn’t just built to look good on day one—it’s built to perform for decades.
Experience Matters
After 17 years, the biggest lesson we’ve learned is this: the installer matters as much as the product. Standing seam is a precision system. When installed by crews who mainly handle shingles, problems often show up in the details—valleys, ridges, and flashing points.
At Eco Exteriors, we specialize in metal roofing. We use on-site roll formers, custom-bent flashings, full-coverage ice and water shield, and RCABC-certified installers to make sure every roof we build is designed to last a lifetime—and beyond.
Consider Eco Exteriors
If you’re thinking about upgrading to a standing seam roof in Greater Vancouver, we’d be happy to share our experience and help you compare the options. With nearly two decades in the field, we’ve seen how these systems perform over time—and we know what it takes to install them right.
📞 Contact Eco Exteriors Roofing and Gutters today to book a consultation and find out if standing seam metal roofing is the right choice for your home.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Every home is different, but in our experience standing seam metal roofs in the Greater Vancouver area generally start around 2–3 times the cost of asphalt shingles. The exact price depends on roof size, complexity, material (steel, aluminum, copper, or zinc), and system type. While the upfront investment is higher, it’s important to remember that a properly installed metal roof from Eco Exteriors is the last roof you’ll ever need.
With the way we build them—full ice and water shield coverage, RCABC-certified installation, and precision detailing—a metal roof will last forever. Steel and aluminum roofs can easily perform for 50+ years, while copper and zinc can last over a century. Combined with our unlimited product and workmanship warranty, your roof is designed to outlast the house itself.
This is one of the most common questions we hear in Vancouver, and the answer is simple: no. With today’s underlayments and our practice of covering the entire deck in ice and water shield, a standing seam roof is no louder than asphalt shingles during a West Coast rainstorm.
Absolutely. Vancouver’s climate is unique—wet winters, occasional snowfalls, and windstorms. Standing seam metal roofing is one of the strongest systems available. With hidden fasteners, interlocking panels, and floating clips that allow natural expansion and contraction, these roofs are built to withstand whatever the weather throws at them.
Not with the materials we use. Galvalume steel has a corrosion-resistant coating, and when combined with Kynar 500 (PVDF) paint finishes, it maintains both strength and color for decades. Aluminum, copper, and zinc are naturally rust-proof.
Yes. Metal roofing reflects solar heat, which can reduce cooling costs in the summer. Combined with proper insulation and underlayment, a standing seam system helps regulate indoor temperatures more effectively than traditional shingles.
For most homes in Greater Vancouver, a standing seam roof installation takes about one to two weeks, depending on size and complexity. Since we roll-form all panels on site, installation is more efficient, and panels are custom-fit to your roof without unnecessary seams or joints.
Definitely. Homes with standing seam metal roofs are seen as premium properties because buyers know they’ll never need to replace the roof. In Vancouver’s competitive housing market, that kind of peace of mind adds significant resale value.
Because we do it differently. We’re RCABC-certified, we use full-coverage ice and water shield, we produce panels on site for a perfect fit, and we back every project with the strongest warranty available—unlimited coverage on both materials and workmanship. After 17 years specializing in metal roofing, we know what works in Vancouver’s climate, and we build roofs to last a lifetime.