Metal roof cost in Fresno, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $11,400 – $35,600
- Per sq ft of roof
- $5.65 – $17.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #42
- 1 = most expensive
A metal roof in Fresno, CA usually costs $11,400 to $35,600 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $5.65 to $17.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $2,200 more. Roofers earn a median of $30.00 an hour in the Fresno area, 13% above the US median of $26.65.
Estimate your metal roof cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Fresno, CA, standard level
$18,700 to $28,400
About $9.20 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 | $11,900 | $15,600 |
| Permits and fees | $260 | $400 |
| Total | $18,700 | $28,400 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Fresno, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,100 | $9,450 | $16,800 | 40% |
| Labor | $9,150 | $13,700 | $18,300 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $330 | $510 | 1% |
| Total | $11,400 | $23,500 | $35,600 | 100% |
Why Fresno 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 $30.00 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Fresno is 1.14 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 58% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Fresno is at 105.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $9,000 nationally becomes $9,450 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 102.2: $150 to $510.
What local crews earn in Fresno
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 Fresno the blend is 1.14.
Roofers (47-2181), 70% of the weighting: a median of $30.00 an hour, 13% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $28.20 and $31.06 an hour. About 640 work in the metro. That is 13.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211), 20% of the weighting: a median of $35.51 an hour, 20% above the US median of $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $28.38 and $51.88 an hour. About 200 work in the metro. That is 4.2 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 $26.50 an hour, which is 17% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.16 and $36.70 an hour. BLS counts 2,660 of them working in the area, 55.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $330 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $570. That is a swing of roughly 2.4% to 1.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Fresno has 476,890 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 53rd 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% | $28.20 | $30.00 | $31.06 | $26.65 | 1.13 | metro |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $28.38 | $35.51 | $51.88 | $29.71 | 1.20 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $22.16 | $26.50 | $36.70 | $22.66 | 1.17 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
Fresno weather and the metal roof calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Fresno Yosemite 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 Fresno are October through May: 8 of 12. Outside them, June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Fresno gets about 11 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and March (2.2 inches in January). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 0.4 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 113 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 | 55 | 41 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Feb | 61 | 43 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 47 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 74 | 51 | 1.0 | Workable |
| May | 83 | 58 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 64 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Jul | 98 | 69 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 97 | 68 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 91 | 63 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Oct | 79 | 55 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 45 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 55 | 40 | 1.8 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Fresno
Jobs that often go together with metal roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Fresno wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+10%) and attic insulation lowest (+4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,750 – $13,700 | +10% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,400 – $4,600 | +9% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,050 – $4,200 | +4% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,050 – $27,100 | +8% |
Is Fresno cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (2,000 sq ft of roof), priced for the nearest metros. San Jose is the priciest of the group at $27,400. Visalia is the cheapest at $23,100.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CAthis page | $11,400 – $35,600 | $23,500 | |
| Merced, CA60 miles | $11,300 – $35,400 | $23,400 | −1% |
| Visalia, CA65 miles | $11,100 – $35,000 | $23,100 | −2% |
| Modesto, CA85 miles | $11,500 – $35,800 | $23,600 | level |
| San Jose, CA95 miles | $14,000 – $40,800 | $27,400 | +17% |
| Salinas, CA100 miles | $11,700 – $36,200 | $24,000 | +2% |
| California (statewide) | $11,700 – $36,400 | $24,100 | +2% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | −9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Fresno ranks #42 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Fresno is 2% below the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| 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 | +2% |
| 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 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Fresno against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | 494,280 jobs | $10,800 – $33,700 | $22,200 | −5% |
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $9,200 – $29,800 | $19,500 | −17% |
| Omaha, NE | 498,100 jobs | $9,500 – $30,400 | $20,000 | −15% |
| Albany, NY | 449,410 jobs | $11,200 – $34,600 | $22,900 | −3% |
Metal roof: what moves the price in Fresno
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.
Other metals
Tin runs $600-$1,800 per roofing square (100 sq ft) installed and aluminum $700-$1,700 per square (HomeGuide).
Fresno: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Fresno. 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
$11,400 to $21,100
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$18,700 to $28,400
Standing seam steel
Premium
$25,900 to $35,600
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $6,900 – $12,800 | $11,300 – $17,200 | $15,700 – $21,600 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $11,400 – $21,100 | $18,700 – $28,400 | $25,900 – $35,600 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $15,900 – $29,400 | $26,000 – $39,600 | $36,200 – $49,700 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $18,700 to $28,400 for Fresno, CA is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
The report lays out the metal roof numbers for Fresno, CA line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Metal roof in Fresno: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in Fresno?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $11,400 to $35,600 in the Fresno area. A standard-spec job lands at $18,700 to $28,400. 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 Fresno?
About $5.65 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 Fresno or Merced?
Merced is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $23,400, which is 1% less than Fresno ($23,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Fresno?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $13,700 out of $23,500. Materials are 40% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in Fresno?
$11,400 to $35,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in Fresno?
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 Fresno area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Fresno expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of California?
Fresno is 2% 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 Fresno?
The BLS median is $30.00 an hour in the Fresno area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.20 to $31.06.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in Fresno?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $11,400 to $21,100 and premium work $25,900 to $35,600. 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 Fresno?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. May 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 Fresno
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.