Roofing Materials Compared: Prices & Availability in the Wake of the Iran War

Since 28 February 2026, the situation on construction material markets has changed fundamentally. With the outbreak of the Iran war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz - through which around one fifth of global oil trade flows - energy and raw material prices have jumped abruptly. For the construction industry and roofing trades, the impact is immediate: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put the increase in EU costs for fossil fuel imports in the first 44 days of the war at over 22 billion euros.

But not all roofing materials are affected to the same extent. If you are planning or pricing a roofing project today, you need to know which material remains relatively stable in the current crisis - and which one can turn into a cost trap. This article gives you the overview you need.

The starting point: Why the Iran war hits roofing materials so hard

The war and the closure of the Persian Gulf are hitting the construction sector in two ways at once:

1. Directly through higher oil and gas prices - and thus higher raw material costs for petroleum-based products
2. Indirectly through more expensive diesel, higher freight rates and delivery bottlenecks that drive up the cost of all transports

According to the German Construction Industry Federation (HDB), companies reported price increases within a single month in March 2026 of around 25 percent for diesel and over 36 percent for bitumen. For roofing companies this means: rigid calculations no longer work. Making the right material choices becomes a real competitive advantage.

This environment makes a clear roofing materials comparison more important than ever.

Bitumen: Hit the hardest

Bitumen - the key sealing material for flat roofs and torch-on membranes - is a direct by-product of crude oil. The crisis has therefore hit this segment particularly hard.

According to Argus Media, bitumen prices in southern Germany rose from around 330 euros per tonne in February 2026 to roughly 640 euros by the end of April 2026 - an increase of almost 91 percent. Tim-Oliver Müller, CEO of the HDB construction industry association, confirmed that the price of bitumen has roughly doubled overall since the start of the war.

For roofers working on flat roof projects this means: existing contracts without price adjustment clauses can become an existential threat. Experts strongly recommend including such clauses in all new offers.

What this means for your business:

• Calculate bitumen-based products (torch-on membranes, roof sealing systems) based on daily prices
• Build up stock early while contingents are still available
• Inform customers transparently about price risks

Clay and concrete tiles: More stable, but not immune

Clay and concrete tiles are made from regional raw materials (clay, loam, quartz sand) and are therefore much less directly dependent on oil prices than bitumen. In 2026, roof tile prices range from around 8 to 52 euros per square metre, depending on model and quality.

The indirect effect of the Iran war is still noticeable: clay tiles are fired at temperatures between 900 and 1,200 degrees Celsius - a highly energy-intensive process usually powered by natural gas. At the start of the war, European gas prices at the TTF trading hub more than doubled at times to over 50 euros per megawatt hour. That significantly increases production costs.

Advantage compared with bitumen: price increases for tiles remain moderate - and availability is relatively stable thanks to regional plants in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Clay roof tiles therefore remain a solid, more crisis-resilient choice - especially for refurbishment projects with a longer planning horizon. With a service life of up to 100 years, they are the most economical option over the long term.

Metal roofing: Strong benefits despite rising prices

Metal roofs made of steel or aluminium offer a clear advantage: long service life, low weight and PV compatibility. But here too, the Iran war is leaving its mark.

As a result of the war, the price of primary aluminium has risen by around 10 percent to just under 3,400 US dollars per tonne. For steel (hot-rolled coil), IKB recorded an increase of 6.8 percent in March 2026. The reason: the Gulf region accounts for around nine percent of global aluminium production - and production facilities in the UAE have been attacked in the course of the conflict.

The benefits of metal roofing in the current environment:

• Service life of 40-80 years offsets short-term price hikes over the long run
• PV-compatible - ideal for customers planning solar installations; the benefits of metal roofing are particularly clear when you combine durability with easy mounting options for PV systems
• Low maintenance costs and good recyclability
• Despite higher prices: no availability bottlenecks like those seen with bitumen

Green roofs: Geopolitically the most stable option

Right now, a green roof is the roofing build-up with the lowest exposure to the raw materials crisis. The main components - substrate, vegetation mats, waterproofing membranes - come predominantly from European sources. Only transport and energy costs in production have a slight upward effect on prices.

Green roof cost in 2026:

• Extensive green roof (sedum mats, low maintenance): approx. 50-90 €/m² total
• Intensive green roof (walkable, diverse planting): approx. 150-200 €/m² total

On top of this, green roofs benefit from increasing municipal subsidies as part of climate adaptation programmes - and they score highly with commercial clients who have clear sustainability targets. Another plus: green roofs significantly improve roof insulation, which is doubly attractive given higher energy costs.

Roofing materials in direct comparison

This table gives you a quick roofing materials comparison so you can match your clients' priorities with the right roof build-up.

Interactive price calculator: What does your roofing project cost today?

Use our calculator to quickly estimate the current material costs for your next project - before and after the Iran war effect:

Precision as a competitive edge: How to calculate correctly despite the crisis

Volatile material prices make one thing clearer than ever: if you are imprecise when determining quantities, you are taking a double risk. On the one hand, you risk wasting material due to over-planning. On the other, you face expensive additional orders at even higher prices.

This is exactly where digital drone-based measurement pays off. With the Airteam Fusion Plattform, you capture roof areas, roof pitches, structures and material quantities with DIN-compliant accuracy of up to 99.9% - in less than 24 hours, entirely from the ground.

Concretely, this means for you:

• Exact material quantities instead of rules of thumb - every unnecessary tonne of bitumen you do not order protects your budget
• Faster quote generation - especially important if you want to include price adjustment clauses tied to current cut-off dates
• Seamless export into estimating and design software such as MF Dach, AutoCAD or SEMA - without manual transfer errors

Discover how innovative companies are already saving time and money with digital measurement: Airteam success stories.

Geopolitics as a lasting factor: What roofers should focus on now

The current situation shows that geopolitical shocks are no longer the exception - they are becoming more frequent and more volatile. According to Goldman Sachs, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz represents the largest oil supply disruption in the history of global energy markets - bigger than the Arab embargo in 1973 and the invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

For your roofing business, this has clear strategic implications:

1. Diversify your supplier base - especially for bitumen and metal products
2. Use price adjustment clauses as standard - this protects you and builds trust with your customers
3. Prioritise precise quantity take-offs - drone-based measurement instead of rough estimates
4. Choose your material strategy based on crisis resilience - clay tiles and green roofs stand out for their stability

The good news: with the right tools, you remain competitive even in times of crisis. A precise 3D roof survey with drone and AI gives you the reliable data foundation you need for sound decisions - no matter how the markets move.

Conclusion: Which roofing material comes out on top now?

The Iran war has not affected all roofing materials equally - if you plan with good information, you can still submit solid quotes and deliver profitable projects in uncertain times. Digital surveying with Airteam gives you the precision you need to do that.