Roofing
Metal Roof Cost Calculator
Cost a metal roof installation with the trim, closures and fastening detail counted alongside the panels.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditWhat moves the number
- Linear feet of ridge, hip, valley, eave and rake, which all take their own trim.
- Penetration count, since each one is a detail rather than a cut.
- Substrate, and whether a solid deck or purlins are involved.
Where this one goes wrong
Ordering panels from area and trim from memory. Trim is measured in linear feet along every edge and change of plane, and it is where metal roof material orders most often fall short.
Questions
About this calculator
How is metal roof material measured?
Panels by area, trim by the linear foot along every edge, ridge, valley and transition. The two are measured differently and both have to be taken off the drawing or the roof.
Does metal need a different underlayment?
Often, because of temperature and condensation behaviour. Follow the panel manufacturer's specification rather than assuming a shingle underlayment transfers.
What about thermal movement?
Metal expands and contracts, which is why concealed clip systems exist and why fastener placement matters. Detailing that ignores movement produces oil canning and loosened fasteners.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 26 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $3,900.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, 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 |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 26 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $95 |
| Parts and materials | $3,900 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $6,465 |
| Labour | $2,470 |
| Before tax | $6,465 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $6,465: $2,470 of labour, $3,900 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $48 | $5,243 |
| $71 | $5,841 |
| $95 example above | $6,465 |
| $143 | $7,713 |
| $190 | $8,935 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 26 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $3,900.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | 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.
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.