Metal roof cost in Huntsville, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $8,650 – $29,100
- Per sq ft of roof
- $4.25 – $14.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #254
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a metal roof in the Huntsville area: $8,650 to $29,100 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 12% lower than the US figure. Roofers earn a median of $21.96 an hour in the Huntsville area, 18% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Huntsville, AL, standard level
$14,800 to $22,900
About $7.25 to $11.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 52% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,000 | $11,400 |
| Labor | $8,550 | $11,200 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $370 |
| Total | $14,800 | $22,900 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Huntsville, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,950 | $8,700 | $15,400 | 46% |
| Labor | $6,600 | $9,900 | $13,200 | 52% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $470 | 2% |
| Total | $8,650 | $18,900 | $29,100 | 100% |
Why Huntsville prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on roofers, who do 70% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $21.96 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Huntsville is 0.82 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 52% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Huntsville is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $9,000 nationally becomes $8,700 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 93.1: $140 to $470.
Data note: 70% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Huntsville. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in Huntsville
Jobs that often go together with metal roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Huntsville wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (+1%) and roof replacement lowest (−13%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,250 – $11,000 | −13% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,850 | −9% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,000 – $4,000 | +1% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,450 – $22,300 | −11% |
Is Huntsville cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Huntsville. Decatur is the lowest at about $18,800 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 30 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, ALthis page | $8,650 – $29,100 | $18,900 | |
| Decatur, AL30 miles | $8,600 – $28,900 | $18,800 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN80 miles | $8,900 – $29,500 | $19,200 | +2% |
| Nashville, TN90 miles | $9,350 – $30,400 | $19,900 | +5% |
| Birmingham, AL90 miles | $8,650 – $29,100 | $18,900 | level |
| Dalton, GA105 miles | $8,850 – $29,500 | $19,200 | +2% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $8,550 – $28,800 | $18,700 | −1% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Huntsville ranks #254 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Huntsville is 1% above the Alabama figure.
Elsewhere in Alabama
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $8,650 – $29,100 | $18,900 | level |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $8,500 – $28,800 | $18,600 | −1% |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $8,650 – $29,000 | $18,800 | level |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $8,550 – $28,800 | $18,700 | −1% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $8,600 – $29,000 | $18,800 | level |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $8,500 – $28,800 | $18,600 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Huntsville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $8,900 – $29,500 | $19,200 | +2% |
| Lakeland, FL | 265,280 jobs | $8,700 – $29,100 | $18,900 | level |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | 268,970 jobs | $11,400 – $36,200 | $23,800 | +26% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $11,000 – $34,800 | $22,900 | +22% |
The best months for metal roof in Huntsville
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Huntsville Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Huntsville are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Huntsville gets about 54 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 2 inches of snow. The wettest months are February, March and December (5.9 inches in December). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.5 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 62 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 33 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Feb | 57 | 36 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 66 | 43 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 75 | 51 | 4.9 | Workable |
| May | 83 | 60 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 68 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 71 | 4.5 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 70 | 3.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 87 | 63 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 76 | 52 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 64 | 41 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 55 | 36 | 5.9 | Workable |
Who does the work: Huntsville trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Huntsville the blend is 0.82.
Roofers (47-2181) carry 70% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Huntsville metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $21.96 an hour against $26.65 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.36 and $25.64 an hour.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211), 20% of the weighting: a median of $24.74 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $22.53 and $29.39 an hour. About 140 work in the metro. That is 5.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 7.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 10%) the local median is $18.03 an hour, which is 20% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.00 and $21.95 an hour. BLS counts 1,670 of them working in the area, 62.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,150 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $500. That is a swing of roughly 2.7% to 6.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Huntsville has 266,650 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 99th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $20.36 | $21.96 | $25.64 | $26.65 | 0.82 | state |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $22.53 | $24.74 | $29.39 | $29.71 | 0.83 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $14.00 | $18.03 | $21.95 | $22.66 | 0.80 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.82 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Huntsville bid
Labor
Metal roof labor is $4-$8 per sq ft, or $400-$800 per roofing square, and standing seam needs specialist crews.
Other metals
Tin runs $600-$1,800 per roofing square (100 sq ft) installed and aluminum $700-$1,700 per square (HomeGuide).
Panel type
Corrugated sheet metal is $5-$12 per sq ft installed; standing seam is $9-$16 (HomeGuide).
Cost by quality level and size in Huntsville
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Huntsville. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small (1,200 sq ft of roof) to large (2,800 sq ft of roof).
Basic
$8,650 to $16,800
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$14,800 to $22,900
Standing seam steel
Premium
$20,900 to $29,100
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $5,250 – $10,200 | $8,950 – $13,900 | $12,700 – $17,600 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $8,650 – $16,800 | $14,800 – $22,900 | $20,900 – $29,100 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $12,100 – $23,400 | $20,600 – $32,000 | $29,100 – $40,500 |
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Detailed metal roof report for Huntsville, AL, $9
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Metal roof in Huntsville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in Huntsville?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $8,650 to $29,100 in the Huntsville area. A standard-spec job lands at $14,800 to $22,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for metal roof in Huntsville?
About $4.25 to $14.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $140 to $470 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $16.
+Is metal roof cheaper in Huntsville or Decatur?
Decatur is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $18,800, which is 1% less than Huntsville ($18,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Huntsville?
About 52% at the midpoint, or $9,900 out of $18,900. Materials are 46% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in Huntsville?
$8,650 to $29,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in Huntsville?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $140 to $470 for fees in the Huntsville area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Huntsville expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of Alabama?
Huntsville is 1% above the Alabama statewide estimate ($18,700 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Huntsville?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $21.96 an hour, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.36 to $25.64.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in Huntsville?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $8,650 to $16,800 and premium work $20,900 to $29,100. Basic means: corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels. Premium means: aluminum or premium finish, complex roof.
+When is the best time to install a metal roof in Huntsville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Metal roof near Huntsville
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Metal Roof Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed range minus HomeGuide's $4-$8/sq ft labor range for metal roofs.