How much does lead flashing cost, and is it used on Georgia roofs?
Short answer. Lead flashing costs more per foot than aluminum or galvanized steel, and on Georgia homes it mostly appears as lead pipe boots and occasionally as chimney or wall flashing on older or high-end homes. The material is only part of the price; the labor to shape soft lead neatly, and its compatibility with the metals around it, matter just as much.
Where you see lead on American roofs
- Lead pipe boots. A soft lead sleeve that folds into the top of a vent pipe. They outlast rubber collars but attract squirrels.
- Chimney and wall flashing on older masonry homes, where lead's softness lets it be shaped tightly to stone or brick.
- Lead-coated copper, used on some high-end and historic work for its look.
Most new shingle roofs in Georgia use aluminum or galvanized steel step flashing and counterflashing, with copper on premium jobs. Rolled lead sheet is far more common on British roofs than here.
What drives the price
- Material. Lead and lead-coated copper cost more than aluminum and galvanized steel.
- Labor. Lead has to be dressed, or shaped by hand, which takes skill and time.
- Size of the job. A single lead pipe boot is a small item; flashing a whole chimney in lead is a larger project.
Drawbacks to weigh
- Compatibility. Lead should not touch Galvalume or galvanized steel roofing, and runoff from lead or copper can corrode incompatible metal below it. Do not use lead on a steel roof.
- Animals. Squirrels gnaw lead boots and can open holes.
- Handling. Lead is toxic, so installers should wear gloves and wash up, and runoff should not feed a rain barrel used for food gardens.
- Denting. Soft lead dents from falling limbs and hail.
For most Georgia shingle roofs, well-installed aluminum or galvanized flashing and a quality silicone or metal-based pipe boot perform as well at lower cost. See roof flashing explained and pipe boot leaks.