Metal Roof Cost Calculator estimates the price to install a metal roof on your home.
You can calculate the total cost (materials and professional labor) of installing the top quality metal roofing materials, such as: steel shingles, aluminum shingles, stone-coated steel tiles, standing seam metal roofing panels, and corrugated steel panels.
How To Use Metal Roof Calculator
Here is a step-by-step guide on getting the most accurate metal roof cost estimate:
1) Measure your roof – with a tape measure, go corner to corner and measure ground dimensions of your home. If it has overhangs, add them to your sizes.
For example: If overhangs are 6″, add 1 foot to each side. If overhangs are 2 feet on front an back, and there are no overhangs on the sides, add 4 feet to the appropriate side.
2) Enter roof slope – you can guesstimate or measure it. Home Depot sells a visual “pitch measuring tool”, or you can use a simple square tool, line it up with your roof’s gable and measure RISE over RUN – see image on the right.
3) Select roof type – if you have a simple gable (ranch / cape / colonial type homes), select that. If you have hips, dormers, select “hip”. If it is all cut up, and has different slopes and angles, select the appropriate option.
4)Tear-off – it is always a good practice to remove old shingles. This will allow the contractor to repair any damaged wood substrate below, and will prolong the life of the new metal roof. Select the number of layers that need to be removed.
5) Select number of floors – it is much easier to work on a 1 story house vs. a triple decker. This will always be reflected in the total you are about to pay.
6) Chimneys, skylights and ridge ventilation – enter the number of penetrations and the length of your ridge line (if you are getting a ridge / soffit vent system). Most homes have at least one chimney, so you should add that.
7) Enter metal roofing material: select your desired roofing material from the drop down menu. Its important to note that metal roofing materials prices vary widely. For example corrugated steel panels as well as metal shingles made of steel are the cheapest metal roof option, while standing seam panels and stone coated tiles are the most expensive.
8) Select your location – roofing cost can vary greatly depending on where you live. By selecting your region, the tool will adjust the price accordingly (data is based on Remodeling Magazine’s local prices guide). If you are unsure, or live in Canada, select National Average.
Keep in mind that there are many factors that will affect how much you will end up spending on replacing an old roof.
Accurately Calculate Your Metal Roof Cost Based On Location
Its likely that in your research on metal roof installation costs you have come across a vary wide range of price estimates.
The reason for this variation is that professional roof installation labor charges can vary as much as 25-35% depending on where you are located.
If you live in high income cities and towns along the East or West Cost, you will see the highest charges for metal roof installations.
However, Southern and Mid Western states see much lower labor rates, that can significantly reduce your total metal roof cost.
Our Metal Roofing Calculator accurately accounts for these local labor cost variations and provides you with a realistic metal roof estimate you can expect from an installer near you.
Can You Install A Metal Roof Over Asphalt Shingles?
In order to save money on the cost of roof removal and installation, many homeowners get the idea of installing a new metal roof over existing asphalt shingles. This way they cut down on the cost of removal of old shingles and dumpster fees.
Sadly, this idea is often suggested to homeowners by scrupulous roofers themselves, in order to get the homeowner to sign the contract by luring them in with a lower price for a new roof.
The truth is that in 9 out 10 cases ITS A REALLY BAD IDEA to install a metal roof over asphalt shingles. Doing this will lead to the following issues:
– if you are installing standing seam roofing or any R panel metal roof, and there is a heavy snow storm, the asphalt shingles underneath will punch vertical lines on the bottom of the metal panel. Those will be visible from the outside. This problem is called the “telegraphing effect”.
-The expansion and contraction of a metal panel makes it move by an average of 0.25 to 0.5 up and down which causes rubbing of the panel underside against the granules in the shingles under it. This will cause rust in your metal roof within 3-5 years and visible rust on the outside in less then 7 years.
In many cases this problem can only be solved by completely replacing the metal roof. Considering the fact that most standing seam roofs cost well over $12,000, its a lot of money wasted when you try to save $1,000-2,000 by not removing the asphalt roof.
The only case when it’s safe to install a metal roof over asphalt shingles is if you are installing metal shingles. However, since the majority of metal roof installs are either standing seam or R panels, its a bad idea to do this type of install.
How Long Will A Metal Roof Last?
A properly installed metal roof can easily last 50-75 years, without much maintenance or repairs. This is usually at least double the lifespan of an asphalt shingles roof.
The service life of a quality metal roof is comparable to other premium roofing materials such as concrete or clay tile, and synthetic slate.
Note that quality installation can make or break how long your new metal roof lasts. A poorly installed metal roof by a contractor who does not specialize in metal may ultimately need to be repaired or replaced much sooner than the expected service life of a metal roof.
To safeguard your investment, make sure you only entrust the installation of your metal roof to a qualified installer who has experience working with the particular material and metal roofing brand you are installing.
Estimate Metal Roofing ROI
Since installing a new metal roof is very costly investment many homeowners wonder whether this roof has a high return on investment (ROI)?
According to Remodeling Magazine, installing a metal roof boasts one of the highest ROI’s of all interior and exterior remodeling projects, and is typically around 80%.
However, in the snow country as well as in areas that are prone to wild fired and hurricanes installing a metal roof may bring in as much as 90-95% return on investment.
