Standing Seam Metal Roof Cost 2024 – Best Budget Guide

Whether you have a modern home or a rustic farmhouse located in the country, there is a style of metal roofing for your home. Metal roofing has become incredibly popular in recent years as homeowners look for new styles and into materials more durable than asphalt shingles.

If you're interested in metal roofing with a seamless look, Standing Seam is the best option and in this guide, we're going to break down the cost that goes into this remarkable product.

Price of Standing Seam Metal Roofing

While standing seam roofs are more expensive as they are considered a premium style of metal roofing, a number of factors can have a major impact on the overall cost. We're going to briefly touch on each one below so that you'll have a better idea of what to expect before considering a brand. Our guide is just focusing on steel alloy panels as well, considering zinc, copper and aluminum are often typically acquired by the contractor and challenging to acquire.

Standing Seam Systems & Styles

The term "standing seam" roofing describes any metal roofing that has interlocking panels with a concealed seam fastening system. All will have vertical or trapezoidal legs, but there are dozens of variants of this popular panel depending on which manufacturer you choose. Before we get to styles, we're going to touch on the fastening systems.

With standing seam metal roofing, there are four types of mechanisms. The first two are standard mechanically seamed panels and symmetrical mechanically seamed panels. With the latter, the legs are the same size and a cap is required to join them together. While standard panels are cheaper, symmetrical ones are easier to replace.

The two other options are in the snap-lock class. These metal roofing panels can use a clip system or a fin with nail holes down one side that allows you to attach it to the deck. There are also different classes of metal panels as the SL-16 roofing is considered a budget-friendly alternative to LokSeam from American Building Components. Both are considered standing seam panels, but things like rib profile and spacing also affect the price.

Standing Seam Metal Roof Thickness

All metal roofing is designed to be sturdy, but some panels will outlast others for a variety of reasons. Thickness is one of them, and the thickness of a metal roofing panel has a significant effect on the overall cost.

To understand how thick steel is you'll need to familiarize yourself with the term gauge. This is how the thickness of sheet metal is measured, and the lower the gauge, the thicker the steel. While that may seem like an easy choice, thicker panels will add more weight to the roof.

In our research, we found that most metal roofing manufacturers make panels from 22-gauge to 29-gauge in thickness. The sizes between are 24, 26, and 29-gauge, which is the cheapest panel in regards to thickness.

For comparison, the metal used in classic cars was typically 18-gauge, which is thicker than most residential metal roofing. With that in mind, how thick standing seam roofing is varies by manufacturer with 24-gauge being the most common size.

Standing Seam Metal Roof Sizes

The size and form of the actual steel roofing panels themselves is the next thing to consider with standing seam metal roof pricing. The amount of steel used in each panel is tied directly to the price – especially if you need custom sizes.

The smallest standing seam metal roofing panel sold by most manufacturers provides 12" of coverage width. That's where the similarities end, however. You can find 16" and 18" widths from a number of companies, but it’s hit or miss with certain styles and seam systems.

Companies like Western States Metal Roofing provide custom widths as well by adding 20", 22", and 24" panels into the mix. As you'd expect, wider panels are more expensive and will be heavier which may potentially affect shipping costs as thickness does.

Metal Roof Substrates

The last major area you'll need to consider are the coatings and substrates provided by manufacturers of standing seam metal roofing. While most consumers turn straight to the available colors, you should actually consider the two types of substrate first.

With metal roofing, there are two substrates manufacturers rely on today with Galvanized and Galvalume. Most homeowners will be familiar with the term galvanized, which is a popular zinc coating that's applied to raw steel. It's the most affordable option, with G100 galvanized substrates coming in at a premium over the premium compared to G60 substrates.

We recommend G100 as the best option for residential use, but Galvalume is the next step up. Galvalume substrates also feature a zinc coating, but with aluminum added into the mix. They will outlast galvanized roofing panels, but the substrate is only half of this equation.

Metal Roof Coatings

Unless you opt for an oxidized finish with a weathered patina, you'll need to think about the type of finish for your new roof. This is one of the more important factors when it comes to the overall cost, and can have a major impact on your budget considering some colors are limited to certain series.

While there are some variants, most professionals agree that the Kynar 500 paint system is the best option for homeowners today. Kynar PDVF provides excellent protection against chalking with color retention that will keep your roof the same hue for years to come. It's an upgrade well worth considering, while SMP's are on the opposite end of the scale.

A silicone-modified polyester paint system is more cost-effective and a great alternative if you need to save money. While a step up from regular polyester-based paint, SMP-painted roofing panels are more prone to chalking and fading. In addition to these two coatings, you can find specialty finishes in the premium tier like Vari-Cool, a color-shifting polychromatic paint.

Standing Seam Metal Roofing Cost

Metal roofing is a style in the specialty class, just like some of the unique finishes found on its surface. It's not as easy to acquire as a pack of shingles from your local hardware store, and these panels are also more expensive.

With that in mind, you can't obtain pricing in this competitive industry without contacting the company you intend to buy from or the contractor you plan to hire. We can give you a rough idea of what to expect, however. Based on our research, homeowners across the United States have reported paying between $12,000 to $22,000 on average for standing seam metal roofing.

That price includes labor, which can vary from around $3,000 to $10,000 alone. While we've already outlined the cost for the material, these jobs are generally priced by the square foot. That means you may need two quotes depending on your approach. One for the standing seam metal roof cost per sq. ft., and the other for labor.

For example, if a company provides you with an estimate of $3.50 per square foot on a 2,200 square foot home, the material alone would cost $7,700 for standing seam roofing. Keep in mind, those numbers are a wide estimate as you also have to take the price of labor into account. That can also vary considerably from one part of the United States to the next.

Our advice with contractors is to always get multiple estimates, at least 3-4 at a minimum if they offer free measuring and estimates. One may quote roofing a 1,200 square foot home at $14,000 using Double-Lok from MBCI, while another could price the same job with the same material at $11,500 because they get a better discount from the company.

Conclusion

While you will need to find a contractor or contact a metal roofing manufacturer directly to get the cost of standing seam metal roofing, we hope our guide has helped streamline the buying process. If you're interested in learning more about the different types of metal roofing available or would like to learn more about the top brands, we have you covered.

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