Panel and trim pricing, explained
What Drives the Cost of Metal Roof Panels
The cost of metal roof panels comes down to eight things: the metal, the gauge, the finish, the profile and seam height, the panel lengths and roof shape, the trim count, the color and the delivery distance. This page explains each one. For your own number, send a cut list and we reply with a written quote within 24-48 hours.
- Owner's 26+ years in metal
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How is a metal roof panel price set?
From your cut list. Every order differs in metal, gauge, finish, lengths and trim, so we price each one in writing.
Our quote covers the parts we fabricate: panels, trim and flashing, plus delivery if you want it. We do not install, so your roofer prices the labor and the rest of the job.
The sections below take the cost drivers one at a time. Each one is a choice you or your roofer can make before you order.
How does the metal change the cost?
Galvalume steel is usually the most economical metal for roof panels. Aluminum usually costs more, and copper and zinc cost the most.
Aluminum earns its place near salt water, where steel warranties have limits; see metal roofing near the Jersey Shore.
Copper and zinc are natural metals with very long service lives. Owners often use them on small, visible roofs such as bays and porches, which keeps the total in check. See copper and zinc sheet metal.
Does a heavier gauge cost more?
Yes. A lower gauge number means thicker steel, and thicker steel puts more metal into every square foot of panel.
Steel panels come in several gauges, and aluminum comes in two thicknesses. Thicker metal resists dents and keeps wide pans flatter, so the extra cost buys stiffness. The right gauge depends on the panel width, the roof and the design values on your drawings.
PVDF or SMP: how does the finish affect the price?
PVDF (Kynar 500 type) finishes cost more than SMP and hold their color longer. SMP is the economical choice for barns, sheds and outbuildings.
MBCI, one panel maker, describes its SMP finish as its most economical option and its PVDF finish as the pick for color retention on high-visibility projects.
Finish warranties come from the coil maker; see finish warranties.
How do the profile and seam height affect cost?
Taller seams and narrower panels use more metal for each square foot of roof they cover. Mechanical lock panels also need seaming on the roof, which your roofer prices.
A snap-lock panel snaps together along the seam. A mechanical lock panel is folded closed with a seaming tool, which adds a step for the installer but suits low slopes and snowy roofs. Our standing seam roof panels page lists the seam heights and widths we make.
Exposed-fastener panels are usually the economical choice for barns and sheds. See the AG and PBR panels on our barn and pole-building panels page.
How do panel lengths and roof shape change the cost?
The total square footage sets the base, and the roof’s shape decides the waste and the trim. A simple gable roof costs less per square foot than a cut-up roof with hips, valleys and dormers.
We cut each panel to the length on your cut list. On a simple roof, most panels share a few lengths. Hips and valleys mean angled cuts, so more metal ends up as offcuts.
Very long panels need a delivery plan and room to unload, so tell us about site access when you order.
Why does the trim and flashing count matter?
Every edge needs its own trim or flashing piece. Eaves, rakes, ridges, hips, valleys, walls and chimneys each add pieces, and each piece adds to the price.
A plain gable roof needs only a few trim profiles. A roof with dormers, skylights and wall intersections can need many, plus custom bends. We form trim on our CNC folder in the panel color, so list every piece with its length and quantity.
See custom trim and brake metal for the shapes we form.
Do stock and custom colors cost the same?
Not always. There is no minimum order in stock colors, but custom (non-stock) colors carry a minimum quantity. A small roof in a custom color can therefore cost more than the same roof in a stock color.
Stock colors come from the coil makers’ charts. We fabricate from coil by Englert, Fabral, ATAS, UCP and SAF.
How does delivery distance affect the price?
Delivery cost is quoted with the order, based on how far the job is from our New Brunswick shop. We deliver within about a 5-hour drive: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland.
You can also pick up at the shop during office hours, Monday–Friday 7 AM–5 PM. Our delivery area page covers the New Jersey counties near the shop.
How do you get a written quote in 24-48 hours?
Send a cut list, measurements or plans. We reply with a written quote within 24-48 hours (business days), or with questions if something is missing.
- Send dimensions, a cut list, a sketch or photo with measurements, or plans and specs. Use the form below, email info@architecturalmetalpanels.net, or text a photo to (732) 236-8750.
- Name the profile, metal, gauge, finish and color.
- List the trim and flashing pieces with lengths and quantities.
- Give the job address, and say whether you want delivery or pickup.
Builders with plan sets can send plans. Our guide on how to send a cut list for metal roof panels shows what to include.
Will you match a lower quote?
Yes, under our competitive price guarantee. Have a lower written quote for the same parts? Send it with your request and we will match or beat it.
Compare quotes line by line: the same metal, gauge, finish, profile, lengths and trim. A roofer’s installed quote also covers labor, so compare materials with materials.
Weighing metal against shingles first? Read about the benefits of metal roofing, why asphalt roofs fail and the types of metal roofing, or see all the metal roofing panels we make.
Metal roof panel cost questions
How much do metal roof panels cost?
It depends on the metal, gauge, finish, profile, panel lengths, trim count, color and delivery distance. Send a cut list or plans and we reply with a written quote within 24-48 hours.
Does your price include installation?
No. We fabricate and do not install, so our quote covers the panels, trim and flashing we make, plus delivery if you choose it. Your roofer prices the labor.
Is there a minimum order?
No. Custom (non-stock) colors carry a minimum quantity, so stock colors are the economical choice for small jobs.
Why do metal roof quotes vary so much?
Quotes differ in metal, gauge, finish, profile and how much trim and flashing they include. Compare them line by line, and compare materials quotes with materials quotes.
Will you match another supplier’s price?
Yes. Have a lower written quote for the same parts? Send it with your request and we will match or beat it.
How is delivery priced?
Delivery cost is quoted with the order, based on the job location within about a 5-hour drive of our shop. You can also pick up at the shop during office hours.
Request a quote for your roof panels
Tell us the profile, metal, finish and color, and paste your cut list in the message. We reply with a written quote within 24-48 hours.
Or text a photo or sketch with dimensions to (732) 236-8750
Prefer to talk? Call (732) 201-5224.
Price your panels
Want a written price for your roof panels?
Send the profile, metal, finish, color, panel lengths and trim list. We reply with a written quote within 24-48 hours.