What is the cost difference between standing seam and corrugated metal roofing for a NB garage?

Standing seam metal roofing typically costs $12–$18 per square foot installed in New Brunswick, compared to $7–$11 per square foot for corrugated (exposed-fastener) metal panels — a difference of roughly $4,000–$6,000 on a typical two-car garage roof.

Both are excellent choices for NB garages, and metal roofing in general outperforms asphalt shingles in this province's climate. The decision between the two comes down to budget, how long you plan to own the property, and how much you care about long-term maintenance.

What You're Actually Paying For

The price gap between standing seam and corrugated isn't just about the panels themselves — it's about the fastening system. Corrugated metal (and its close cousin, R-panel or screw-down roofing) uses exposed fasteners that penetrate through the face of the panel directly into the roof deck or purlins. These screws have rubber washers that seal the hole, but those washers degrade over 15–25 years in NB's freeze-thaw cycles, eventually allowing water infiltration at every fastener point. On a 24x24 garage roof, that's hundreds of potential leak points.

Standing seam uses a concealed clip system — the panels interlock at raised seams, and the fasteners are completely hidden beneath the metal. There are no exposed penetrations in the roof surface at all. The panels float on the clips, which also allows the metal to expand and contract freely through NB's dramatic temperature swings (from -30°C in January to +30°C in July — a 60-degree range that causes significant thermal movement in metal). This floating system prevents the oil-canning and fastener stress that can develop in screw-down systems over time.

Performance in NB's Climate

For a New Brunswick garage, both systems shed snow exceptionally well compared to asphalt shingles — which is one of the primary reasons metal roofing is so popular here, particularly in northern communities like Bathurst, Edmundston, and Campbellton where ground snow loads reach 4.0–4.8 kPa. The smooth surface lets snow slide off before it accumulates to dangerous weights, reducing structural stress and eliminating the ice dam problems that plague asphalt-shingled garages.

Standing seam has a meaningful edge in longevity. A quality standing seam roof installed correctly in NB should last 50–70 years with essentially zero maintenance. Corrugated or screw-down metal will likely need fastener inspection and replacement around the 20–25 year mark, and possibly a full re-roof at 30–40 years depending on the panel gauge and coating quality. For a garage you plan to keep for decades, standing seam's higher upfront cost often works out to a lower lifetime cost.

Gauge matters significantly with corrugated panels. The difference between 29-gauge and 26-gauge corrugated metal is roughly $1–$2 per square foot, but 26-gauge panels are noticeably more rigid, dent-resistant, and durable in NB's hail and wind conditions. If you're going with corrugated, don't cut corners on gauge — 26-gauge minimum is the right call for a permanent garage structure.

Practical Numbers for a 24x24 Garage

A 24x24 two-car garage has roughly 800–850 square feet of roof surface accounting for pitch and overhang. At those rates:

• Corrugated/screw-down (26-gauge): $5,600–$9,350 installed
• Standing seam (24-gauge): $9,600–$15,300 installed

Both prices assume standard 4:12 to 6:12 roof pitch, basic trim and flashing, and no complex valleys or dormers. Steeper pitches add labour cost for both systems.

Which One Makes Sense for Your Project

Corrugated metal is the right call for a budget-conscious build, a rural workshop, a pole-barn style garage, or a structure where you want metal's snow-shedding benefits without the premium price. It's a proven product that performs well in NB when installed with quality fasteners and proper underlayment.

Standing seam is worth the investment for an attached garage, a garage with a finished bonus room above, or any structure where you want to install it once and never think about the roof again. It also photographs better and adds more resale value if curb appeal matters.

Either way, make sure your installer uses a self-adhering ice and water shield membrane for a minimum of 36–48 inches up from the eave — NB's freeze-thaw cycles make this non-negotiable regardless of which metal system you choose.

Need help finding a metal roofing contractor or garage builder in your area? Browse local professionals through the New Brunswick Construction Network at newbrunswickconstructionnetwork.com.