Metal Roof Cost Per Square Foot, Compared by System

What does a metal roof cost per square foot?

Installed, most residential metal roofs fall between 4 and 18 dollars per square foot. Exposed fastener steel sits at the bottom, metal shingle and snap lock standing seam in the middle, mechanically seamed and aluminum above that. Copper and zinc are a separate tier.

Get Metal Roof Cost Guide connects you with licensed local companies. We are not a roofing contractor and do not perform the work ourselves.

What does the per square foot figure cover?

Usually the field of the roof: panels, clips or fasteners, underlayment, standard trim and the labor to fit them. It rarely covers everything a finished job needs.

Included as a rule: panels, fixings, underlayment, eave and rake trim, ridge cap
Often separate: tear-off and disposal
Almost always separate: deck repair, since it cannot be seen when quoting
Frequently separate: chimney and skylight flashing, snow guards, ventilation work

Two quotes at the same rate per square foot can differ by thousands on what sits outside that rate. how the work is sequenced sets out the full line item list.

Why do material only figures mislead?

Because material is often less than half of an installed price on a residential roof. Panels for an exposed fastener system might be 2 to 4 dollars per square foot, but the installed figure is 4 to 9.

Supplier pricing and quotes from installers are therefore not comparable numbers, and a supplier quote is not a discount on an installer quote. It is a different thing entirely.

Does the rate drop on a larger roof?

Slightly. Setup, mobilization and the fixed part of the job spread across more area, so a large simple roof usually carries a lower rate per square foot than a small one.

Complexity pushes the other way and usually wins. A small simple gable can price better per square foot than a large roof cut up with dormers and valleys. what drives a metal roof quote covers how the systems differ.

Frequently asked questions

Is metal roofing priced per square foot or per square?

Both are used. A roofing square is 100 square feet, so a rate of 12 dollars per square foot is 1,200 dollars per square. Check which unit a quote uses.

What is a good price per square foot for metal roofing?

There is no single good number, because the system drives it. Judge a quote against others for the same system, gauge and scope rather than against a national average.

Does the per square foot price include tear-off?

Often not. Tear-off and disposal are commonly a separate line, and so is deck repair. Ask explicitly rather than assuming.

Why is material cost so much lower than installed cost?

Because labor, flashing detail, underlayment and trim make up a large share of the job. Material alone is frequently under half the installed figure.