Roofing
Metal Roof Cost Calculator
Price a metal roof from panel type, trim, fastening system and the substrate it is going over.
Result
The asphalt comparison assumes replacement every 20 years at a mid-range installed price, and ignores inflation and the time value of money. It illustrates the trade rather than proving it.
Get a Free Business AuditWhat moves the number
- Panel system, since standing seam and exposed fastener products differ greatly in material and labour.
- Trim and flashing, which on metal is a large share of both cost and time.
- Whether panels are site formed or delivered cut, and the lead time either implies.
Where this one goes wrong
Pricing metal by the square as though it were shingle. Trim, closures, clips and the detailing at every penetration are a much larger proportion of a metal roof, and a per-square price from field panel alone will be well under.
Questions
About this calculator
Why is standing seam more expensive than exposed fastener?
More material, a concealed clip system, and considerably more skilled labour at the seams and terminations. It also generally lasts longer and has no exposed fasteners to fail, which is what the customer is buying.
Can metal go over existing shingles?
Sometimes, subject to code, the condition of what is underneath and the manufacturer's position. It saves tear-off and it hides whatever is below, which is a risk to discuss openly rather than to sell on.
What drives metal roof labour?
Trim and detailing rather than field area. A simple gable in metal goes quickly; a roof full of penetrations, valleys and changes of plane does not.
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How to use this calculator
- Roof size (squares) (sq). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 26 sq.
- Metal type. Enter your own figure; the page starts at Standing seam.
- Material per square ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $450.
- Labour per square ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $380.
- Tear-off and disposal ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $1,400.
- Expected lifespan (years). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 50.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to total installed cost, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Roof size (squares) | 26 sq |
| Metal type | Standing seam |
| Material per square | $450 |
| Labour per square | $380 |
| Tear-off and disposal | $1,400 |
| Expected lifespan (years) | 50 |
| Asphalt shingle cost per square, for comparison | $355 |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Total installed cost main result | $22,980 |
| Cost per square | $883.85 |
| Cost per year of life | $459.60 |
| Asphalt equivalent over the same period | $31,890 |
A metal roof of this size runs about $22,980, $883.85 per square, or $459.60 per year of expected life against $31,890 of repeated asphalt over the same period.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only material per square, this is what happens to total installed cost. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Material per square ($) | Total installed cost |
|---|---|
| $225 | $17,130 |
| $338 | $20,068 |
| $450 example above | $22,980 |
| $675 | $28,830 |
| $900 | $34,680 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Roof size (squares) (sq)
- Measured in sq, starting at 26 sq.
- Metal type
- Choose from Corrugated / exposed fastener, Standing seam, Premium (copper, zinc, stone-coated).
- Material per square ($)
- A money amount, starting at $450.
- Labour per square ($)
- A money amount, starting at $380.
- Tear-off and disposal ($)
- A money amount, starting at $1,400.
- Expected lifespan (years)
- A number, between 0 and 120, starting at 50.
- Asphalt shingle cost per square, for comparison ($)
- What you would charge per square for asphalt. Used only for the lifetime comparison.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Total installed cost | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Cost per square | A money figure. |
| Cost per year of life | A money figure. |
| Asphalt equivalent over the same period | A money figure. |
What this cannot see
Material quantities assume a clean rectangular plane and the waste factor you enter. Valleys, hips, dormers, penetrations and a steep pitch all raise real waste, and a tear-off frequently uncovers decking that was not in the quote.
Keep going
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