Metal roof cost in New Orleans, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $8,850 – $29,100
- Per sq ft of roof
- $4.35 – $14.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #238
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a metal roof in New Orleans, plan on $8,850 to $29,100 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, all in. Per sq ft of roof, that is $4.35 to $14.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 11% lower than the national one. Roofers earn a median of $23.44 an hour in the New Orleans area, 12% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in New Orleans, LA, standard level
$14,900 to $23,000
About $7.35 to $11.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,800 | $11,100 |
| Labor | $8,850 | $11,600 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $370 |
| Total | $14,900 | $23,000 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in New Orleans, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,850 | $8,450 | $15,000 | 44% |
| Labor | $6,800 | $10,200 | $13,600 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $460 | 2% |
| Total | $8,850 | $19,000 | $29,100 | 100% |
Where the New Orleans price comes from
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, New Orleans wages are 0.85 times the national level. Labor makes up about 54% of the midpoint estimate (56% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the New Orleans metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 2,000 sq ft of roof comes to $8,450, compared with $9,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (92.6) and land at $140 to $460.
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 New Orleans. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a New Orleans bid
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).
Metal and gauge
Galvalume and galvanized steel are budget-friendly; copper and zinc are the top of the range.
What nearby projects cost in New Orleans
Because every project leans on different trades, New Orleans's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, attic insulation runs −6% and vinyl siding −12%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,450 – $11,300 | −10% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,100 – $3,750 | −11% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $940 – $3,750 | −6% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,400 – $22,200 | −12% |
New Orleans: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for New Orleans 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
$8,850 to $16,900
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$14,900 to $23,000
Standing seam steel
Premium
$21,000 to $29,100
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $5,350 – $10,300 | $9,050 – $13,900 | $12,700 – $17,600 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $8,850 – $16,900 | $14,900 – $23,000 | $21,000 – $29,100 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $12,300 – $23,600 | $20,800 – $32,100 | $29,200 – $40,500 |
Climate in New Orleans: timing your metal roof job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for New Orleans Lakefront Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in New Orleans (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
New Orleans gets about 60 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (6.5 inches in August). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.6 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 86 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 | 61 | 47 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 65 | 51 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 57 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 63 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 71 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 76 | 6.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 78 | 6.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 79 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 87 | 76 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 67 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 70 | 56 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 63 | 50 | 4.6 | Workable |
How New Orleans compares
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 $18,600 to $19,200 across New Orleans and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LAthis page | $8,850 – $29,100 | $19,000 | |
| Houma, LA75 miles | $8,950 – $29,300 | $19,200 | +1% |
| Slidell, LA80 miles | $8,900 – $29,200 | $19,100 | +1% |
| Gulfport, MS90 miles | $8,900 – $29,500 | $19,200 | +1% |
| Baton Rouge, LA125 miles | $9,000 – $29,400 | $19,200 | +1% |
| Mobile, AL125 miles | $8,500 – $28,800 | $18,600 | −2% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $8,900 – $29,200 | $19,000 | level |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | +13% |
Across 300 US metros, New Orleans comes in at #238 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, New Orleans is 0% below the Louisiana figure.
Other Louisiana metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $9,000 – $29,400 | $19,200 | +1% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $8,850 – $29,100 | $19,000 | level |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $9,050 – $29,500 | $19,300 | +2% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $9,150 – $29,700 | $19,400 | +2% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $8,900 – $29,200 | $19,100 | +1% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $8,800 – $29,000 | $18,900 | level |
Cities with a workforce like New Orleans's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is New Orleans against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | 446,380 jobs | $12,100 – $37,900 | $25,000 | +32% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $8,700 – $29,200 | $18,900 | level |
| Albany, NY | 449,410 jobs | $11,200 – $34,600 | $22,900 | +21% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $9,000 – $29,700 | $19,300 | +2% |
New Orleans 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 New Orleans is 0.85 times the national level.
Roofers (47-2181) carry 70% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the New Orleans metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $23.44 an hour against $26.65 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.74 and $27.02 an hour.
For sheet metal workers (47-2211, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.61 an hour, which is 24% below the national $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $17.74 and $30.10 an hour. BLS counts 310 of them working in the area, 7.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 7.7), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 10% of the weighting: a median of $18.98 an hour, 16% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.45 and $23.29 an hour. About 3,620 work in the metro. That is 81.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the roofers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($27.02 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,150. At the 25th percentile ($18.74) it shrinks by about $1,500. The total moves by 6.0% or 7.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 445,550 jobs in the New Orleans-Metairie area. That makes it the 57th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.29% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $18.74 | $23.44 | $27.02 | $26.65 | 0.88 | state |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $17.74 | $22.61 | $30.10 | $29.71 | 0.76 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $17.45 | $18.98 | $23.29 | $22.66 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.85 | |||||
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Metal roof in New Orleans: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in New Orleans?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $8,850 to $29,100 in the New Orleans area. A standard-spec job lands at $14,900 to $23,000. 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 New Orleans?
About $4.35 to $14.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $140 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $16.
+Is metal roof cheaper in New Orleans or Houma?
Houma is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $19,200, which is 1% more than New Orleans ($19,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in New Orleans?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $10,200 out of $19,000. Materials are 44% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in New Orleans?
$8,850 to $29,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in New Orleans?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $140 to $460 for fees in the New Orleans area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is New Orleans expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of Louisiana?
New Orleans is 0% below the Louisiana statewide estimate ($19,000 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in New Orleans?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.44 an hour, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.74 to $27.02.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in New Orleans?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $8,850 to $16,900 and premium work $21,000 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 New Orleans?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. October 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 New Orleans
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.