Metal roof cost in Chico, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $11,300 – $35,500
- Per sq ft of roof
- $5.60 – $17.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #44
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a metal roof in Chico, plan on $11,300 to $35,500 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, all in. Per sq ft of roof, that is $5.60 to $17.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 10% higher than the national one. Roofers earn a median of $29.38 an hour in the Chico area, 10% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Chico, CA, standard level
$18,600 to $28,300
About $9.15 to $14 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,500 | $12,400 |
| Labor | $11,800 | $15,400 |
| Permits and fees | $260 | $400 |
| Total | $18,600 | $28,300 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Chico, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,100 | $9,450 | $16,800 | 40% |
| Labor | $9,100 | $13,600 | $18,200 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $330 | $510 | 1% |
| Total | $11,300 | $23,400 | $35,500 | 100% |
Why Chico 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 $29.38 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Chico is 1.14 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 58% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Chico metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 2,000 sq ft of roof comes to $9,450, compared with $9,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (101.2) and land at $150 to $510.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Chico. The wage table below marks each row.
How Chico compares
Same job, same size (2,000 sq ft of roof), priced for the nearest metros. Napa is the priciest of the group at $24,000. Vallejo is the cheapest at $23,400.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CAthis page | $11,300 – $35,500 | $23,400 | |
| Sacramento, CA70 miles | $11,600 – $36,100 | $23,900 | +2% |
| Redding, CA80 miles | $11,400 – $35,700 | $23,500 | level |
| Napa, CA90 miles | $11,700 – $36,200 | $24,000 | +2% |
| Vallejo, CA100 miles | $11,300 – $35,400 | $23,400 | level |
| Santa Rosa, CA105 miles | $11,700 – $36,200 | $23,900 | +2% |
| California (statewide) | $11,700 – $36,400 | $24,100 | +3% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | −9% |
Across 300 US metros, Chico comes in at #44 from the top. The priciest is Worcester, MA at $29,600; the cheapest is Lubbock, TX at $17,000 (midpoints, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Statewide, Chico is 3% below the California figure.
Other California metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $11,600 – $36,200 | $23,900 | +2% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $13,700 – $40,700 | $27,200 | +16% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $11,200 – $34,900 | $23,100 | −2% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $11,700 – $36,500 | $24,100 | +3% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $14,000 – $40,800 | $27,400 | +17% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $11,600 – $36,100 | $23,900 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Chico's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chico against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | 79,510 jobs | $11,300 – $35,400 | $23,400 | level |
| Napa, CA | 77,860 jobs | $11,700 – $36,200 | $24,000 | +2% |
| Saginaw, MI | 80,000 jobs | $10,300 – $32,000 | $21,200 | −10% |
| Racine, WI | 76,280 jobs | $11,100 – $33,600 | $22,300 | −5% |
Metal roof: what moves the price in Chico
Panel type
Corrugated sheet metal is $5-$12 per sq ft installed; standing seam is $9-$16 (HomeGuide).
Metal and gauge
Galvalume and galvanized steel are budget-friendly; copper and zinc are the top of the range.
Labor
Metal roof labor is $4-$8 per sq ft, or $400-$800 per roofing square, and standing seam needs specialist crews.
Cost by quality level and size in Chico
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Chico wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$11,300 to $21,000
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$18,600 to $28,300
Standing seam steel
Premium
$25,800 to $35,500
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $6,850 – $12,700 | $11,300 – $17,100 | $15,600 – $21,500 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $11,300 – $21,000 | $18,600 – $28,300 | $25,800 – $35,500 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $15,800 – $29,300 | $25,900 – $39,400 | $36,000 – $49,500 |
Related projects, priced for Chico
Because every project leans on different trades, Chico's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl siding runs +12% and attic insulation +4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,650 – $13,500 | +9% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,400 – $4,600 | +10% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,050 – $4,200 | +4% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,400 – $28,200 | +12% |
Climate in Chico: timing your metal roof job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Chico Univ Farm (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through June is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Chico (9 of 12 months). July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Chico gets about 27 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (5.1 inches in February). Inside the workable window, May and June are the driest, at 1.4 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 99 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 36 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 38 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 67 | 42 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 45 | 1.9 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 52 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 57 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 95 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 59 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Sep | 91 | 55 | 0.3 | Hot |
| Oct | 80 | 47 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 40 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 57 | 36 | 5.0 | Workable |
Chico labor market for metal roof
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Chico is 1.14 times the national level.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 70%) the local median is $29.38 an hour, which is 10% above the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $27.80 and $31.30 an hour. BLS counts 100 of them working in the area, 12.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Chico metro, so we used the California statewide median: $36.82 an hour against $29.71 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $28.47 and $51.62 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 10% of the weighting: a median of $26.31 an hour, 16% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.14 and $34.60 an hour. About 480 work in the metro. That is 61.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the roofers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($31.30 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $610. At the 25th percentile ($27.80) it shrinks by about $500. The total moves by 2.6% or 2.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 78,220 jobs in the Chico area. That makes it the 241st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $27.80 | $29.38 | $31.30 | $26.65 | 1.10 | metro |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $28.47 | $36.82 | $51.62 | $29.71 | 1.24 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $22.14 | $26.31 | $34.60 | $22.66 | 1.16 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
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Detailed metal roof report for Chico, CA, $9
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Metal roof in Chico: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in Chico?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $11,300 to $35,500 in the Chico area. A standard-spec job lands at $18,600 to $28,300. 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 Chico?
About $5.60 to $17.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $150 to $510 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $16.
+Is metal roof cheaper in Chico or Sacramento?
Sacramento is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $23,900, which is 2% more than Chico ($23,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chico?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $13,600 out of $23,400. Materials are 40% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in Chico?
$11,300 to $35,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in Chico?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $150 to $510 for fees in the Chico area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chico expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of California?
Chico is 3% below the California statewide estimate ($24,100 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Chico?
The BLS median is $29.38 an hour in the Chico area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.80 to $31.30.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in Chico?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $11,300 to $21,000 and premium work $25,800 to $35,500. 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 Chico?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through June. May and June 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 Chico
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.