Before you call about a metal roof in Alexandria, VA

• Which of the three BAR categories the building is inThe Old and Historic District, the Parker-Gray District, or a One Hundred Year Old Building. The last is a Council designation, so an old house is not automatically one. Outside the district lines, only designated buildings answer to the Board under Article 10-300 of the Zoning Ordinance.
• Whether the roof can be seen from a street or alleyThe administrative policy lists alterations not visible from a public right-of-way as needing no BAR approval, and says staff visit the property to judge visibility.
• The area you plan to replaceUnder 25 square feet of repair or in-kind work needs no review. Twenty-five or more goes to staff, and the Board only hears what staff refer to it. Full replacement of any material, in-kind included, normally gets staff review.
• What the roof is made of today: seam typeThe policy names three styles for original metal: standing seam, flat seam and stamped shingle. A replacement keeps the style.
• Whether the metal is original or a later swapA wood shingle roof that was replaced with standing seam metal or composition in the past may be replaced with standing seam metal or with wood shingles. Old photographs or a visible earlier layer settle this.
• If it is a Parker-Gray house, which document appliesA footnote in that policy sends residential Parker-Gray projects to the Residential Reference Guide and the adopted design guideline chapters instead. The policy itself covers the Old and Historic District and commercial uses in Parker-Gray.
• Whether the finish and gutters are on the tableGutters and downspouts need no BAR approval; the sheet recommends metal or wood, painted or factory finished to match the wall or trim.

The Board's roofing sheets, identical for both districts, ask first for repair of original roofing. When staff find that impractical, matching material is the default; if the original cannot be determined, roofing fitting the building's style and period is used, and the Board discourages swapping original roofing for modern alterations. The same sheet dates standing seam to the mid-19th century in the districts and stamped metal shingle to the 19th century, which is why both are treated as historic styles. Staff can also supply a chart of historically appropriate roof colors.

For the City-level picture see our Alexandria roofing page, and for how metal systems differ see the metal section of the materials guide. Another review-driven roof is covered on our Falls Church TPO page and the Reston EPDM page.

Official pages used, checked 2026-10-11: BAR roofing sheet, Old and Historic District, BAR roofing sheet, Parker-Gray District, BAR Policies for Administrative Approval, City historic districts page.