my house was built in 1872, and still had the slate roof. if i could have found someone who would have been able to replace a few slates, i would still have that roof today.
to shingle the roof would have been WAY more than i could have afforded, just because of the way the roof trusses and other parts were constructed, and that meant new trusses at a minimum, plus sheeting material and who knows what else.
so i bit my tongue and had a steel roof installed. i upgraded a couple of thicknesses to a sort of industrial quality, and also got the kind that doesn't have exposed fasteners/screw heads.
so far, so good, but as you and others have said, today, it would be a TON more money today, no matter what material one decided on using for the roof.
and trying to get people around here to do any work is a joke ! lazy bastages don't even want to show up for an estimate, even on jobs that would be very expensive and profitable for them...............
i have been trying to get someone to install a new counter top in the kitchen for years. "yeah, i'll be over tomorrow or the next day to take a look. sounds like a pretty easy project..............." then ya never hear from them again...............
and all the time around here, there are guys on the newz that take your down payment and never show up to do the work. especially doing this to the elderly, which unfortunately, i'm right there......
i bet my old man is laffin' his a$$ off from above, sayin' : "ya should'a listened to what i was tellin' ya about carpentry ! "...............
i can't pound a nail straight to save my a$$.