Metal Roof Cost in 2026
A metal roof costs $5–$16 per square foot installed in 2026, per HomeGuide — roughly double an asphalt roof on day one, for a roof that lasts two to three times as long. Angi's 4,408-project average is $11,769; HomeGuide's is $23,800. Both are real. The gap between them is the story of this page: profile, metal and roof size move the price more than any contractor's margin.
Quick answer: what it costs in 2026
| Metal roof (installed) | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full metal roof (Angi, 4,408 projects) | $6,043 | $11,769 | $18,345 |
| Standing seam roof (Angi) | $9,400 | $19,000 | $32,600 |
| 2,000 sq ft roof (HomeGuide) | $10,000 | $23,800 | $32,000 |
Why two honest 'typical' numbers? Angi's $11,769 averages every metal roof in its dataset, including small corrugated jobs on simple roofs. HomeGuide's $23,800 describes the typical full replacement it sees, standing seam included. Roofers quote per square foot — $5–$16 installed on HomeGuide's table — so your real number comes from your roof's area and profile, not from either average.
Estimates based on Angi's metal roof and standing seam cost guides (updated September–October 2026; 4,408 verified projects) and HomeGuide's metal roof pricing (updated November 2026), checked November 9, 2026. See our research method.
Metal is the premium tier of our general roof replacement cost guide — the material table there ends where this page begins. Homeowners choose it for one reason: lifespan. HomeGuide credits metal with 30–80+ years (standing seam 50–80) against asphalt's 15–30, which means a metal roof installed today is usually the last roof a homeowner buys. The price of that promise is upfront: roughly double the asphalt ticket, with labour at about 60% of the total (Angi) because metal is fitted, seamed and flashed by hand rather than nailed in strips.
The per-square-foot ladder is where quotes are won and lost. Corrugated panels with exposed fasteners are the budget entry at $5–$12 per square foot installed; standing seam, with concealed clips and raised seams, runs $9–$16 in steel — and the premium metals rewrite the scale entirely, with Angi pricing zinc and copper at $25–$35 per square foot. A quote is only comparable when the profile and the metal match, which is why this guide separates them before it talks about totals.
What the price normally includes
- Tear-off and disposal of the existing roof (priced separately at $1–$3 per sq ft if itemised)
- Metal panels or shingles, underlayment and ice-and-water shield
- Ridge cap, flashing, drip edge and vent boots
- Fasteners and clips — concealed on standing seam, exposed on corrugated
- Labour (roughly 60% of the total job cost, per Angi)
- Building permit ($150–$500 per HomeGuide) and the manufacturer's material warranty paperwork
Cost per square foot by type and metal
| Type / metal | Installed per sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Corrugated / exposed-fastener panels | $5–$12 | HomeGuide |
| Metal shingles | $6–$14 | HomeGuide |
| Standing seam | $9–$16 | HomeGuide |
| Aluminium (any profile) | $4–$11 | Angi |
| Steel (any profile) | $6–$16 | Angi |
| Copper (any profile) | $15–$30 | Angi |
Angi cuts the same market by metal, HomeGuide by profile, and the two tables interlock: a corrugated steel roof sits at the cheap corner of both ($5–$12), a standing seam steel roof in the middle ($9–$16), and copper anywhere doubles it. In roofing squares — the unit on most written quotes — the same figures read $500–$1,200 per square for corrugated and $900–$1,600 for standing seam. If a quote mixes units, convert it before you compare it.
Total cost by roof size (HomeGuide data)
| Roof size | Installed total |
|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $5,000–$16,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $7,500–$24,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $10,000–$32,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $12,500–$40,000 |
These bands are HomeGuide's $5–$16 per square foot applied to real roof areas, and they bracket Angi's project data rather than contradicting it: most of Angi's $6,043–$18,345 'most homeowners' band is smaller roofs in corrugated and shingle profiles, while HomeGuide's $23,800 average is what a full standing seam replacement on a family home costs. Measure your roof area — not your floor area; pitch multiplies it — and place yourself in the band by profile before you place yourself by budget.
What drives the price up or down
The metal itself
Steel is the default and the value pick at $6–$16 per square foot installed (Angi). Aluminium at $4–$11 earns its place on coasts, where salt air corrodes steel. Copper at $15–$30 — and zinc at $25–$35 in Angi's standing seam data — is an architectural decision, not an economic one: it outlasts the house, and is priced like it.
Profile and fasteners
Standing seam costs more because it is slower to fit and its fasteners hide from the weather — which is also why it carries the 50–80 year lifespan in HomeGuide's data while exposed-fastener roofs need screw maintenance over the decades. Neither profile is 'wrong'; the price difference buys longevity and a cleaner line, and on a simple gable roof corrugated closes much of the gap.
Tear-off and complexity
Removal runs $1–$3 per square foot (HomeGuide), or $1,000–$5,000 a job on Angi's figures, before decking repairs are counted. Valleys, hips, dormers and skylights each add flashing labour to a job that is already 60% labour — a cut-up roof in corrugated can cost more than a simple roof in standing seam, which is why per-square-foot tables always carry a complexity caveat.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Price corrugated and standing seam side by side on your roof — on simple roofs the gap narrows a lot.
- Stay with steel unless you are on the coast; aluminium and copper premiums buy corrosion life you may not need.
- Get the tear-off itemised ($1–$3 per sq ft): it is the easiest line for a padded quote to hide in.
- Ask about resale value honestly — Angi puts the ROI at about 60%, so plan to stay long enough to collect the lifespan.
- Book outside peak roofing season where your climate allows; metal crews discount winter work in mild regions.
- Verify the permit ($150–$500) is in the quote — an unpermitted roof can complicate insurance claims.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a metal roof cost per square foot?
HomeGuide prices metal roofing at $5–$16 per square foot installed, depending on profile: corrugated panels at $5–$12, metal shingles at $6–$14 and standing seam at $9–$16. Angi's wider span is $4–$30 per square foot installed, with the top of its range set by premium metals — its by-metal table runs from aluminium at $4–$11 and steel at $6–$16 up to copper at $15–$30.
How much does a metal roof cost for a 2,000 sq ft roof?
HomeGuide's size table puts a 2,000 sq ft metal roof at $10,000–$32,000 installed, and its national average project at $23,800. Angi's all-project average is lower — $11,769, with most jobs at $6,043–$18,345 — because its dataset includes smaller and simpler roofs. Budget from HomeGuide's table for a full-size standing seam job, and from Angi's range for corrugated or partial-scope work.
Is a metal roof worth the extra cost over asphalt?
On lifespan maths, usually yes. HomeGuide puts an asphalt roof at $5,700–$12,000 lasting 15–30 years, against metal at 30–80+ years — two to three times longer — so one metal roof replaces two or three asphalt ones. Angi estimates a metal roof returns about 60% of its cost in home value. The honest catch is the upfront gap: metal costs roughly double on day one, and the payoff only arrives if you stay in the house.
How long does a metal roof last?
HomeGuide puts metal roofing at 30–80+ years depending on the metal, with standing seam specifically at 50–80 years — against 15–30 years for the asphalt it usually replaces. Longevity is profile-dependent as much as metal-dependent: concealed-fastener standing seam outlasts exposed-fastener corrugated because there are no screw gaskets to perish and work loose over the decades.
How much does tearing off the old roof add?
HomeGuide prices roof removal at $1–$3 per square foot by roof type, and Angi's removal range is $1,000–$5,000 depending on size and complexity. On a 2,000 sq ft roof that is $2,000–$6,000 of the quote before any new material lands — one reason two quotes for the same house can differ by thousands while describing the same finished roof.
Why does standing seam cost more than corrugated metal?
Two reasons: material and labour. HomeGuide installs corrugated panels at $5–$12 per square foot against standing seam at $9–$16, and Angi's type data prices standing seam steel at $10–$16 per square foot. The concealed clips and seamed joints that keep fasteners out of the weather take longer to fit — and labour is roughly 60% of a metal roof's total cost (Angi), so slower fitting shows up directly in the quote.
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Typical: $13,000 · Range $6,000–$20,000 (2,000 sq ft)Sources: Angi metal roof cost guide (updated Sep 25, 2026; 4,408 verified projects — average $11,769, per-square-foot span, by-metal table, labour share, removal range, ~60% ROI) and Angi standing seam guide (updated Oct 20, 2026 — $19,000 average, per-square-foot by steel/aluminium/zinc/copper); HomeGuide how much does a metal roof cost (updated Nov 21, 2026 — $5–$16 per sq ft installed, by-type and by-size tables, $23,800 average, asphalt comparison $5,700–$12,000, 30–80+ year lifespans, tear-off $1–$3 per sq ft, permits $150–$500). Full source list and methodology: How we research. Spotted a price that looks wrong in your area? Tell us — we re-check reader-flagged figures first.