Metal roof cost in Chicago, IL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $14,100 – $41,300
- Per sq ft of roof
- $6.95 – $20.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +30%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #2
- 1 = most expensive
A metal roof in Chicago, IL usually costs $14,100 to $41,300 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $6.95 to $20.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $6,350 more. Roofers earn a median of $39.47 an hour in the Chicago area, 48% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Chicago, IL, standard level
$22,200 to $33,100
About $11 to $16.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 64% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,650 | $12,700 |
| Labor | $15,300 | $20,100 |
| Permits and fees | $260 | $410 |
| Total | $22,200 | $33,100 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Chicago, IL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,150 | $9,650 | $17,200 | 35% |
| Labor | $11,800 | $17,700 | $23,600 | 64% |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $340 | $520 | 1% |
| Total | $14,100 | $27,700 | $41,300 | 100% |
Why Chicago prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: roofers at 70%, sheet metal workers at 20%, construction laborers at 10%. Weighted together, Chicago wages are 1.47 times the national level. Labor makes up about 64% of the midpoint estimate (56% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Chicago is at 107.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $9,000 nationally becomes $9,650 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 103.6: $160 to $520.
Related projects, priced for Chicago
Jobs that often go together with metal roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Chicago wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+30%) and attic insulation lowest (+12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $8,200 – $16,000 | +30% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,600 – $5,050 | +21% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,150 – $4,500 | +12% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $10,100 – $30,400 | +21% |
Metal roof: what moves the price in Chicago
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.
Chicago: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Chicago. 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
$14,100 to $25,000
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$22,200 to $33,100
Standing seam steel
Premium
$30,400 to $41,300
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $8,500 – $15,100 | $13,500 – $20,000 | $18,400 – $25,000 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $14,100 – $25,000 | $22,200 – $33,100 | $30,400 – $41,300 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $19,700 – $34,800 | $31,000 – $46,200 | $42,400 – $57,600 |
Chicago 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, Chicago Midway 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 Chicago are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Chicago gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and August (4.1 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 1.9 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 20 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 | 33 | 19 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 23 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 32 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 60 | 41 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 52 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 62 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 68 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 76 | 59 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 47 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 35 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 38 | 25 | 1.8 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Chicago
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 Chicago the blend is 1.47.
Roofers (47-2181), 70% of the weighting: a median of $39.47 an hour, 48% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $28.73 and $50.61 an hour. About 3,900 work in the metro. That is 8.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211), 20% of the weighting: a median of $45.82 an hour, 54% above the US median of $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $29.04 and $52.11 an hour. About 2,430 work in the metro. That is 5.4 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 $29.27 an hour, which is 29% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.25 and $48.44 an hour. BLS counts 26,690 of them working in the area, 59.1 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 $3,500 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $3,400. That is a swing of roughly 12.2% to 12.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has 4,513,280 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 3rd 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% | $28.73 | $39.47 | $50.61 | $26.65 | 1.48 | metro |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $29.04 | $45.82 | $52.11 | $29.71 | 1.54 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $22.25 | $29.27 | $48.44 | $22.66 | 1.29 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.47 | |||||
Chicago against nearby metros and the rest of Illinois
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 2,000 sq ft of roof range from $21,100 to $27,700 across Chicago and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, ILthis page | $14,100 – $41,300 | $27,700 | |
| Niles, MI55 miles | $10,300 – $32,000 | $21,100 | −24% |
| Kenosha, WI55 miles | $11,100 – $35,200 | $23,200 | −16% |
| Racine, WI70 miles | $11,100 – $33,600 | $22,300 | −19% |
| Rockford, IL75 miles | $11,600 – $34,700 | $23,100 | −16% |
| Milwaukee, WI80 miles | $11,100 – $33,700 | $22,400 | −19% |
| Illinois (statewide) | $13,400 – $39,400 | $26,400 | −5% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | −23% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Chicago ranks #2 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Chicago is 5% above the Illinois figure.
Elsewhere in Illinois
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $13,100 – $37,600 | $25,300 | −9% |
| Rockford, IL | 137,650 jobs | $11,600 – $34,700 | $23,100 | −16% |
| Champaign, IL | 105,500 jobs | $11,500 – $34,400 | $23,000 | −17% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $13,300 – $37,900 | $25,600 | −8% |
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $13,200 – $37,700 | $25,400 | −8% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chicago against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $11,600 – $36,200 | $23,900 | −14% |
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $9,150 – $30,900 | $20,000 | −28% |
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $13,100 – $39,700 | $26,400 | −5% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $8,800 – $29,900 | $19,300 | −30% |
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Metal roof in Chicago: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in Chicago?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $14,100 to $41,300 in the Chicago area. A standard-spec job lands at $22,200 to $33,100. 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 Chicago?
About $6.95 to $20.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $160 to $520 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $16.
+Is metal roof cheaper in Chicago or Niles?
Niles is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $21,100, which is 24% less than Chicago ($27,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chicago?
About 64% at the midpoint, or $17,700 out of $27,700. Materials are 35% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in Chicago?
$14,100 to $41,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in Chicago?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $160 to $520 for fees in the Chicago area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chicago expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of Illinois?
Chicago is 5% above the Illinois statewide estimate ($26,400 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Illinois; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Chicago?
The BLS median is $39.47 an hour in the Chicago area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.73 to $50.61.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in Chicago?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $14,100 to $25,000 and premium work $30,400 to $41,300. 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 Chicago?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and November 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 Chicago
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.