Metal Roof Cost:
A Price Guide For 2024

The Current Uncertainty Surrounding The Steel Industry In 2024

The price of steel has always fluctuated based on supply and demand.  However, the severity of the price changes have never been more drastic than in recent history. The US has experienced multiple raw material shortages throughout 2021-2023 and the steel industry is no exception. In fact, the cost of steel has reached prices that have never been seen before. 

While we will give a range for the price of panels in this guide, keep in mind that a more specific price depends on:

1. The specifics of your job. No two roofs are the same.
2. Steel market conditions

Cost Factors For Metal Roofing

What Factors Affect The Cost Of Metal Panels? 

• Type Of Metal By Cost
• Panel Profile Options
• Paint System Types
• Gauges
• Job Size (Size of Project)

The Different Types of Metal Panels

When you’re looking into buying a metal roof, be sure you know what metal roof type you’re interested in. When we use the term “metal roofing”, we are referring to a steel roof unless we specify otherwise. While steel is the most common type of metal roofing material, it is not the only kind.

Metal roofing can refer to:

• Copper Roof
• Zinc Roof
• Aluminum Roof
• Painted Steel Roofing
• Galvanized Steel Roofing

Each of these types of metal has a different price point. While they are all under the category of metal, they are completely different materials.

Below is a chart of general price ranges for material only for each metal roofing type.

Metal Roofing Materials Cost

Metal Panel Profile Options

The type of profile you choose affects price due to the quality of the panel and the difficulty of installation. 

There are two types of metal roofing systems:  

1. Exposed fastener panels such as a wavy corrugated metal roofing 
2. Concealed fastener panels such as standing seam roofing. 

Exposed fastener panels will cost about half the price when compared to standing seam metal roofing panels.

A standing seam metal roof and a corrugated metal roof have more differences besides just price. Watch the video below for a deep dive about the differences between standing seam panels vs corrugated metal roofing.

Paint System

There are two main paint systems for metal roofing panels: SMP and PVDF.

• SMP paint finishes are more affordable, but will fade at a faster rate than PVDF.
  
• PVDF paint is the higher quality paint system that stays bright and vibrant longer than SMP. PVDF products also usually come with a longer paint warranty than SMP.

PVDF panels usually cost 30% to 40% more than SMP painted roofing panels. Besides being a better paint system, the increase in price is also because PVDF panels are only available in heavier gauges.

Metal Gauge Choices

Gauge refers to the thickness of the metal. The thicker the metal, the more durable it is. The price of metal also increases as it gets thicker.

Metal roofing panels will range in gauge from as light as 29 gauge to as heavy as 20 gauge. 

Most metal roofs will be 26 gauge or 24 gauge steel. The heavier 24 gauge steel will cost 25% to 40% more than 26 gauge steel.

The Size Of Your Home Or Job

The larger your home or project area is, the more material you will have to buy. It’s easy to see how this would make sense. But did you know that if you’re buying directly from a metal roofing manufacturer larger jobs will cost less than smaller jobs. This is due to the manufacturer having less labor costs and the delivery charges costs less per square foot.

As long as your job is at least 1,000 square feet the price differences are minimal. Generally a really large job and a job of a couple thousand square feet are within 10% to 25% of each other.

Conversely, really small jobs, under 500 square feet, will cost significantly more than larger jobs. These small jobs could easily cost double to triple the price of a larger job.

How Much Do Metal Panels Cost?

The cost of steel metal panels ranges from $2.00- $5.00 per square foot. Below is a chart with the price ranges for each fastener system type based on paint finish and gauge.

How Much Does Corrugated Metal Roofing Cost?

Concealed Fastener (Standing Seam) Panel Cost

Roof Underlayment Cost

There are different manufacturers of synthetic underlayment and different qualities. For our purposes, we are going to show how much the popular Sharkskin® underlayment costs:

We recommend using synthetic underlayment over felt as it is better quality material.

If you choose to use felt underlayment, below is the pricing for this material: 

• #15 felt: 5 cents per square foot
• #30 felt: 10 cents per square foot

Metal Trim Cost

Cost Of Trim/Flashing

The cost of trim varies depending on the type of metal roofing system. Below are the average price ranges for trim for exposed and standing seam systems. Keep in mind that a standing seam metal roof will require more trim versus a corrugated roof.

A ballpark guesstimate for trim cost would be to take the total cost for the metal panels and add an additional 25% for an exposed fastener panel and 30-40% for a concealed fastener panel.

Trim Cost For Exposed Fastener Panels

Trim Cost For Standing Seam (Concealed) Fastener Panels

Metal Roof Installation Cost

After reading about the material costs for a metal roof, you are probably now wondering "how much does a metal roof cost to install?"

Installation costs make up roughly 60% to 70% of the overall cost of the roof. However, giving a price range that is applicable to a wide audience is challenging as there are a lot of variables when it comes to labor costs. The cost of a metal roofing installation will vary from one project to the next .

Factors that help determine labor costs include:

• Complexity Of The Roofing Project
• Regional Wages
• Contractors Level Of Experience
• Reroofing vs. Roof Replacement 
  
  

Roof Complexity

A complex roof that consists of irregular shapes or changes in elevation will have a more costly installation compared to a simple roof with just eaves, gables, and a ridge.

Regional Wages

Like any other type of service, the cost of professional steel roofing services will vary based on the location you are in and labor costs for the area. Installation costs are higher in regions that have a higher cost of living such as San Francisco or New York.

Contractor's Level Of Experience

Installation costs will not only vary from region to region but also from roof contractor to roof contractor. Take into consideration that your contractor's skill level and years of experience will most likely be reflected in their quotes. For either an installation or a metal roof repair, we highly recommend hiring a licensed and experienced roofing contractor that has experience with metal specifically. Simple installation errors, such as overtightening screws, can result in a costly roof repair that could've been easily avoidable. Since a metal roof is an investment, you do not want to cut corners to save a few dollars on the installation that will end up costing more to fix in the long run.

Reroofing vs. Roof Replacement

Installation costs are impacted on how you are handling your old roof. You can either remove your old roof first or put the metal roof over the old roof. For example, if you have an asphalt shingle roof that will be removed prior to the installation of the metal roof, there will be an extra expense to remove the existing roof.

Editor's note: Due to the fluctuations in installation cost, we suggest that you get more than one bid to compare.

Choosing The Right Metal Roof

When you make any large purchase, you have to make sure the decision is compatible with your finances. While a metal roof is not the most affordable type of roof, there are many different options that can make a metal roof either more affordable or more extravagant. The decision ultimately comes down to your needs and budget.

We’ve discussed each aspect of what goes into metal roof costs throughout this guide. You now have a better understanding of what to expect in terms of cost and which type of panel best fits your circumstances.

If you are looking for a metal roof that is lower in cost, consider going with: 

• A corrugated or exposed fastener panel
• A color in the SMP paint system
• A thinner (higher number) gauge.

If cost is not your primary concern and you are more interested in the performance of your roof, consider going with:

• A standing seam or concealed fastener panel.
• A color in the Kynar® paint system.
• A thicker (lower number) gauge.

If you still have cost concerns that were not answered in this guide, our team is happy to answer your questions.

To move forward on purchasing a metal roof, the first step is to request a quote. Click on the button below to get started.