Malarkey Roofing Products Archives

Cost to Install Malarkey Shingles: Highlander, Vista, and Legacy

April 1, 2025

Replacing a roof with Malarkey shingles shields your home from blistering heat, heavy snow, hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, hail, and seismic activity—while enhancing value and meeting local building codes.

Malarkey Roofing Products, founded in 1956 in Portland, Oregon, has carved a premium niche in North America with sustainable asphalt shingles. Their lineup spans economical 3-tab Dura-Seal® AR, architectural staples Highlander®, Vista®, and Legacy®, eco-focused Ecoasis®, and designer Windsor® Scotchgard™—all fortified with NEX® Polymer Modified (Rubberized) Asphalt, upcycled materials, and smog-reducing granules since their 2020 sustainability push.

Malarkey Architectural Shingles – Highlander®, Vista®, Legacy®, Ecoasis®

Malarkey’s architectural shingles—Highlander®, Vista®, Legacy®, and Ecoasis®—are their backbone, offering versatility and durability. Highlander® delivers Class 3 impact resistance and bold colors at an entry-level price. Vista® steps up with Class 4 hail resistance, modern aesthetics, and 110-140 MPH wind warranties via The Zone® nailing area. Legacy®, the premium architectural option, boasts thicker construction, Class 4 ratings, and Scotchgard™ algae protection. Ecoasis® adds solar reflectivity (SRI 16-25+), Class 3 hail resistance, and smog-reducing granules, meeting California Title 24 standards.

Costs average $5-$9/sq ft for architectural shingles (lower in some regions), $7-$12/sq ft for designer/specialty, and $4-$6/sq ft for 3-tab, varying by size, pitch, complexity, and region (e.g., Pacific Northwest vs. Midwest).

The U.S.’s extreme weather—summer highs (110°F+ in the South), winter snow (20-100+ lbs/sq ft in the North), hurricanes (Southeast, 130+ MPH), wildfires (West, e.g., 2020 California fires: $12B), hail (Midwest, 1-2 inch events), and seismic hazards (California’s San Andreas Fault, Midwest’s New Madrid, USGS 2023)—shapes roofing under the IRC 2021, adapted by states for energy efficiency, wind (90-150 MPH), and seismic zones (A-F).

Real estate trends (inventory +6% YoY, Zillow 2025), insurance hikes (10-40% since 2020, NAIC), climate shifts (5-15% wetter/drier by 2030, NOAA), and events like the 2020 Midwest Derecho ($11B) fuel demand. Costs have risen 20-30% since 2020 due to labor shortages, material inflation (e.g., lumber up 25%, RS Means), and storm frequency.

Malarkey’s eco-innovations—like Ecoasis® diverting ~4 tires and ~2,900 plastic bags per roof—align with green building incentives, though no solar shingle option exists.

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This guide covers costs, Malarkey shingle options, ventilation, deck condition, underlayment, regional pricing, storm/seismic impacts, insurance claims, real estate dynamics, roof shapes, sizes, warranties, financing, taxes, regulations, contractor tips, compliance, maintenance, tech trends, and FAQs—your ultimate U.S. roofing resource with Malarkey shingles.

How Much Does It Cost to Install Malarkey Shingles?

Malarkey holds a strong U.S. market share, especially on the West Coast, competing with GAF and CertainTeed via premium quality and sustainability. Their offerings include budget-friendly Dura-Seal® AR, architectural Highlander®, Vista®, Legacy®, and Ecoasis®, and upscale Windsor® Scotchgard™—all with NEX® rubberized asphalt, upcycled rubber/plastic, and smog-reducing granules.

The architectural quartet excels: Highlander® balances cost and Class 3 resilience; Vista® offers Class 4 durability and style; Legacy® provides thickness, 110-140 MPH wind resistance, and Scotchgard™; Ecoasis® adds SRI 16-25+ and eco-benefits. Costs reflect their premium status, often 20-40% above standard brands, justified by longevity and green credentials. Note: Asphalt shingles max out at 35-40 years—50-year warranties are aspirational; metal roofing (e.g., standing seam, tiles) offers true 50+ year lifespans.

Per Square Foot (National Averages)

Malarkey 3-Tab (Dura-Seal® AR): $4-$6/sq ft installed (60-70 MPH). Materials and supplies (shingles, underlayment, ridge caps, vents, trim, snow guards, flashing): $1.50-$2.25/sq ft. Costs as low as $4-$5/sq ft in lower-priced areas (e.g., AL, KS, OK) with simpler roofs and labor at $30-$50/hr.
Malarkey Architectural (Highlander®, Vista®, Legacy®, Ecoasis®): $5-$9/sq ft installed (110-140 MPH, Class 3-4 hail). $9-$11/sq ft in high-cost areas (e.g., Northeast, CA). Materials and supplies: $2-$3/sq ft. Lower-cost areas: $5-$6/sq ft. Highlander® (entry-level), Vista® (mid-tier, Class 4), Legacy® (premium, Scotchgard™), Ecoasis® (SRI 16-25+) vary within this range.
Malarkey Designer (Windsor® Scotchgard™): $7-$12/sq ft installed (110-140 MPH, Class 4 hail, SRI 20-50). Materials and supplies: $3-$6/sq ft. Adds $2-$3/sq ft over architectural due to higher material costs; installation similar.

Average Roof Replacement Cost:

Low End $7,500 Mid-Range $10,500 High End $14,500
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Malarkey vs. CertainTeed Shingles: Costs, Comparison – Definitive Guide

June 7, 2021June 1, 2021

You’re here to get the insight on which brand has the upper hand in the Malarkey vs. CertainTeed shingles battle.

Both companies are very well-established premium brands that are near the top of the industry in consumer satisfaction and shingle durability ratings.

CertainTeed gives you a wider range of quality options, but Malarkey offers enough selection to make their products worth your consideration. Both brands can deliver premium beauty to any home.

Overview: Company and Product Comparison

In this section we will compare both brands and answer the following questions:

Who are these companies and what are their best-selling shingle products?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each brand?

CertainTeed

This is the brand of asphalt shingles that all others are measured against. CertainTeed is one of the most prominent manufacturers of exterior building materials of all types, not just roofing.

The best-selling lines are Landmark series shingles, and they’re offered in Landmark, Landmark Pro, Landmark Premium, and the new Landmark ClimateFlex.

CertainTeed makes about a dozen shingle lines in three categories: 3-tab or strip shingles, Designer/Architectural and Premium.

All major asphalt roofing shingle manufacturers have a similar three-tier lineups.

Malarkey makes half as many shingle product lines as CertainTeed.

Specialty shingles from CertainTeed include solar reflective and UV-reflective CoolRoof rated shingles, class 4 hail impact resistant shingles, algae-resistant shingles, and polymer-modified shingles suitable for installation even in cold weather.

Malarkey

This brand keeps its focus on roofing materials – mostly asphalt shingles for residential applications, but also offers a few commercial roofing products.

Best-selling Malarkey shingles are the manufacturer’s Architectural lines called Vista, Highlander and Legacy. — They all feature NEX flexibility for cold-weather application, plus strength and flexibility in high winds, explained below.

Malarkey used to make 3-tab shingles, which were more affordable than its current architectural shingle lines, and Designer shingles, the Windsor line (the most expensive).

Specialty shingle choices are no surprise – they include algae-resistant, impact-resistant, and Cool Roof options.

Clearing the confusion: Malarkey calls its premium shingles “Designer.” — That’s the term CertainTeed uses for its midgrade shingles, the best-selling Landmark architectural shingles.

The brands mean different things by the label. Keep this in mind for the sake of the CertainTeed Landmark vs Malarkey Legacy comparison – both products fit into the mid-tier Architectural Shingle class.

Pros & Cons of Malarkey Shingles – Costs – Unbiased Malarkey Roofing Reviews

May 24, 2023May 23, 2021

Malarkey asphalt shingles have a strong following among roofers, especially on the West Coast and in the Pacific North West.

Malarkey shingles also get good ratings from homeowners. The consensus is that Malarkey shingles are premium and high-quality products, more expensive than traditional asphalt roofing brands like Owens Corning and GAF, backed by above-average warranties.

The brand has a reputation for quality over quantity, part of the reason it doesn’t enjoy the same name recognition as GAF and CertainTeed. Professional roofers on the West Coast know it, and we thought you should too, as you consider the best asphalt shingle brands.

New Shingle Roof $7,500 Average price	New Metal Roof $14,500 Average price	New Flat Roof $8,225 Average price
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Are Malarkey Shingles the Right Choice for Your Roof?

Our research includes pros and cons, materials and installation costs, and a comparison Malarkey shingles with other popular composition shingle options in good, better, and best categories.

Pros

Here is why contractors, inspectors and homeowners give this brand ratings that are in the top tier of all shingle brands. Let’s start with what professional roofers like.

The Malarkey Secure Choice™ Roof System

While Malarkey shingles can be combined and installed with roofing products from other brands, professional roofers and homeowners have the choice of building a roof from the deck up with Malarkey products designed to work together as a complete system.

This brochure (PDF) shows the Secure Choice™ System with available options.

Did you know? When getting a new roof, it’s always a good idea to get at least three major components of a roofing system from the same manufacturer so that your roof can qualify for extended warranty coverage. To qualify and get the extended warranty, make sure your installer follows the manufacturer’s installation instructions, and registers the new roof on your behalf with the manufacturer.