Metal Roofing Prices
September 28, 2013 | Filed under: Articles, Roofing Help
If you’re researching a metal roof for your home, at some point you’re bound to wonder the obvious question about what the prices of these products are. Yet, if you search for “Metal Roofing Prices,” you get very little information that is helpful. It may all even begin to feel like a sham or a run-around. In this article, I will share metal roofing prices that you can expect.
I do have to add a disclaimer though. There are so many variables that go into metal roofing prices that it really is impossible to quote prices “sight unseen”. In fact, it’s not even easy to give ballpark prices for metal roofing. Variables like roof condition, geometry (shape), and pitch are huge factors. The availability of roof access is a factor. The location of the home can be a factor. Which contractor you choose is a factor. As a general rule, more established contractors (and those most likely to be around in the future) will have higher metal roofing prices because they have higher costs for marketing, insurance, employees, and facilities. The more professional contractors, too, will take a “whole house” look at your home and may even add additional things you need like ventilation, insulation, or water management. And, finally, a huge factor in metal roofing prices is which style of metal roof you choose.
How do you sort through all of that? It’s not easy. I will be the first to admit that. That’s why I have even offered a service to help you sort through any metal roofing price quotations you have received. Choosing the right contractor, in my opinion, trumps choosing the right product. Even the best product, improperly installed, will not perform better than the worst product expertly installed. You very much want a contractor who is experienced and trained, takes their craft very seriously, cares about your home as much as you do, and really understands the weather conditions in your area and any special accommodations for those conditions.
So, what can you expect for metal roofing prices? As I go down through the options, realize that my metal roofing prices are installed prices, per square foot of roof space. The range of prices is based upon those many factors I listed above which vary with each installation. In no cases have I included prices for removing and disposing of old roofing materials. (Keep in mind that many metal roofs, especially the heavily formed ones, can often be installed over your old shingles, saving you money and also saving landfill space while increasing your home’s thermal mass and energy efficiency.)
My metal roofing price estimates are based upon experienced and trained professional contractors who carry proper licensing, insurance, and workers compensation. These are the guys, frankly, most likely to still be there in the future to meet the needs of you and your friends. (And, believe me, these are the guys you will want to refer your friends to!) You can always find people who will do jobs for less but you must consider what you may be giving up in return for a lower price.
At the low end of metal roofing prices will be products with exposed fasteners. These products often have lower grade paint finishes and may be made of lower grade base steels. These products have very few flashings, relying more on sealants and overhanging the panels at their lower end. Expect to pay from $4.00 – $7.00 per square foot of roof space for these products, installed.
Next, from a metal roof price perspective, you will move into steel standing seam and steel shingles. Again, there are wide differences in quality available. You will find some of these products with sub-standard metals and coatings. You will want something that is at least G90 galvanized steel or AZ 50 galvalume steel, with a PVDF (Kynar 500® or Hylar 5000® PVDF resin-based finishes) coating in order to expect a good life from the product. Expect to pay from $8.50 – $12.00 for these products. In some cases, the accessories for these roofs will be factory-formed and others will be site-formed.
The next level will be higher-end steel shingles, as well as aluminum shingles. Aluminum standing seam will also be on the higher end of this range. These products are known for their many benefits and have very long, proven histories. Most all of the accessories and trims will be factory-formed for quality and consistency. They also add a great deal of beauty and curb appeal to any home. These become a durable, lasting home addition. The formed nature of these products provides additional energy efficiency through a built-in airspace or “thermal break” to minimize conductive heat transfer into your attic during the summer. These products also have fade and chalk-resistant PVDF coatings, usually with reflective pigment for even enhanced energy efficiency. The installed metal roof price for these will vary typically from $9.50 – $14.00
The next highest genre of metal roofs are what I call “exotic” metals. These products consist primarily of mill finish zinc or copper products. They are available as standing seam or shingles. Like the higher end metal shingles discussed before, these products become a permanent home asset. They add value and beauty and will be best installed by true craftspeople. Expected costs will be from $17.00 – 22.00.
So, as you have read through this information, you may be wondering who buys metal roofs? In my experience, there are two main criteria that fit most metal roofing customers. First, they care very much about the beauty of their home. They see their homes as a reflection of themselves and they see more beautiful homes as being more inviting, comfortable, and valuable. They like those things. Second, the typical metal roof customer intends to stay in their home through at least one re-roofing cycle. In most areas, that is about 12 – 17 years. They may even intend to leave their home to their children or other family members. They very much take a “life cycle cost” view of things as a result. With roofing prices for any material doubling about every ten years, metal roofing and especially long-lasting metal roofing, makes perfect financial sense to these homeowners. When you add in energy savings, the financial justification becomes even stronger.
Again, keep in mind that there are so many factors to metal roofing prices. You’re bound to find a range of prices once you begin to get bids. I am here to help you sort through it all if you wish. Feel free to email me at todd@asktoddmiller.com.
Kynar 500® is a registered trademark belonging to Arkema Inc.
Hylar 5000® is a registered trademark belonging to Solvay
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
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Plan on replacing roof in spring 2014. Have dutch colonial style home with 5 dormers. What style and weight would you suggest? Live in Bridgeport, WV and desire a contractor that has installed your metal roofing in this area. Thank you!!
Thanks, Charles. I appreciate your input. Roofing is typically a very prominent part of a dutch colonial exterior. For that reason, a very nice looking roof can really enhance the overall beauty of the home. I have seen both shake and slate profiles used on these homes. In fact, my company is introducing a couple of new slate look products very soon and we will be looking for homes that we can discount and use for photos.
We do not have any experienced dealers real close to you but I think we could find someone willing to travel a couple of hours. We even have a crew of our own based in Kentucky that we could look at this project for, especially if we do the new slate profile.
Is there anything in particular looks-wise that you had in mind?
looking at a metal roof application. Standing Seam style w/gray blue in color. 1800+ sq.ft w/10/2 pitch
price,and would going over existing roof be ok. roof is 22 years old but looks good.
There are many types of standing seam available covering a wide range of prices. I would suggest hidden clip fasteners and a PVDF finish. Expect to pay from $9 – $14 per square foot installed for a quality product and quality installation. from an experienced and reputable company. You probably can go over the old shingles but a layer of underlayment should be put down over them first.
I have a 90 year old 2 (rear) to 2-1/2 (front) story Tuscan style house with quite a complex roof having multiple hips and mostly triangular and trapezoidal areas. It is 1000 feet from the Hayward Fault in Oakland, CA and has 5 tons of clay tile on the roof. I want to get that excess weight off the roof before the big one comes. Google Maps aerial view shows the complexity of the roof. I’ve had multiple leaks, mostly due to hairline cracks in the copper valleys resulting from stress at wrinkles in the copper. I solder copper patches over these when I can find them. I have been thinking of going to standing seam metal. While that would violate the Tuscan style of the house, you can see in the google maps front view that the roof is not at all prominent from the street. I like the idea of standing seam because if I can ever find a supplier of thin film amorphous photovoltaic panels (now that Unisolar has been driven out of business by low cost Chinese collectors) they can be laminated directly to the panel surface making solar panel mounting hardware unnecessary. Also, I believe I could use a far greater portion of the south-facing roof area than would be possible with rigid rectangular panels. Does my roof look like a candidate for standing seam metal? I’m guessing the complexity of the roof would make a standing seam roof quite expensive to install and produce lots of waste.
Thank you. That is a beautiful home. I am a little curious what the roof pitch is. It is a little hard to tell from the angle of the images I could find online. Most metal roofs require a 3:12 pitch though there are metal roofs that can be use don much lower pitches. If the tile roof has performed satisfactorily, I have to think you have at least a 3:12 roof pitch. I feel that a standing seam roof would look okay and maintain architectural integrity. Yes, it would be a change but many old European homes have vertical seam metal roofs. Another option would be a metal tile product … this would provide low weight and the look of tile. My company manufactures a product called GrandeTile but there are other ones as well. Traditional PV panels could be mounted on top. I do believe there are still some laminated solar products available for standing seam but, frankly, they were not particularly good nor efficient energy producers and I would be concerned about the availability of companies to service or repair them in the future. I hope this helps some. feel free to email me anytime. todd@asktoddmiller.com