How much does metal roofing cost per foot?
Short answer. It depends which foot: metal panels are often sold by the linear foot of panel length, while installed roofs are quoted per square foot or per square of roof area. A linear foot of a 36-inch-wide exposed-fastener panel covers about 3 square feet, while a linear foot of a 16-inch standing seam panel covers only about 1.3, so per-foot prices cannot be compared until they are converted to area.
Linear foot vs square foot
- Linear foot: how panel suppliers often price material. You order panels cut to length, and the price is per foot of that length.
- Square foot or square: how installers price finished roofs, based on roof surface area.
Coverage width changes everything
Each panel has a coverage width, the amount of roof it covers side to side after overlapping or seaming. Exposed-fastener panels commonly cover 36 inches. Standing seam panels are narrower, often 12 to 18 inches. To convert:
- Coverage width in feet times 1 linear foot equals square feet covered per linear foot.
- Divide the per-linear-foot price by that number to get material cost per square foot.
That is why a standing seam panel with a lower per-foot price can still cost more per square foot of roof.
What per-foot panel prices leave out
- Trim for eaves, rakes, ridges, hips, valleys and walls.
- Closures, clips, fasteners and sealant.
- High-temperature underlayment.
- Tear-off, deck repair, flashing and labor.
The fair comparison
Ask each installer for a complete total on the same measured roof. Per-foot material prices are useful for DIY planning on simple sheds and porches, less so for a whole house. See metal roofing in Georgia and how roofers measure a roof.