Metal roof cost in Memphis, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $9,100 – $29,900
- Per sq ft of roof
- $4.50 – $14.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #182
- 1 = most expensive
A metal roof in Memphis, TN usually costs $9,100 to $29,900 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $4.50 to $14.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,800 less. Roofers earn a median of $22.34 an hour in the Memphis area, 16% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Memphis, TN, standard level
$15,300 to $23,700
About $7.55 to $11.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,950 | $11,400 |
| Labor | $9,150 | $11,900 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $360 |
| Total | $15,300 | $23,700 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Memphis, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $8,650 | $15,400 | 44% |
| Labor | $7,050 | $10,500 | $14,100 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $460 | 2% |
| Total | $9,100 | $19,500 | $29,900 | 100% |
Where the Memphis price comes from
Labor is 54% of the midpoint bill here, against 56% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is roofers (70%), sheet metal workers (20%), construction laborers (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Memphis the blended ratio comes out at 0.88.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Memphis is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $9,000 nationally becomes $8,650 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.2: $140 to $460.
Pick a size, pick a tier: metal roof pricing in Memphis
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Memphis. 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
$9,100 to $17,400
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$15,300 to $23,700
Standing seam steel
Premium
$21,600 to $29,900
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $5,500 – $10,600 | $9,300 – $14,300 | $13,100 – $18,100 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $9,100 – $17,400 | $15,300 – $23,700 | $21,600 – $29,900 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $12,700 – $24,300 | $21,400 – $33,000 | $30,100 – $41,700 |
What nearby projects cost in Memphis
Jobs that often go together with metal roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Memphis wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (−4%) and roof replacement lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,400 – $11,300 | −10% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $4,000 | −5% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $960 – $3,850 | −4% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,750 – $23,300 | −8% |
Memphis against nearby metros and the rest of Tennessee
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Memphis. Jonesboro is the lowest at about $18,500 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 65 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TNthis page | $9,100 – $29,900 | $19,500 | |
| Jonesboro, AR65 miles | $8,550 – $28,500 | $18,500 | −5% |
| Jackson, TN75 miles | $9,050 – $29,900 | $19,500 | level |
| Little Rock, AR145 miles | $8,650 – $28,700 | $18,700 | −4% |
| Decatur, AL160 miles | $8,600 – $28,900 | $18,800 | −4% |
| Clarksville, TN170 miles | $8,550 – $28,800 | $18,700 | −4% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $9,000 – $29,700 | $19,300 | −1% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Memphis ranks #182 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Memphis is 1% above the Tennessee figure.
Elsewhere in Tennessee
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $9,350 – $30,400 | $19,900 | +2% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $9,000 – $29,700 | $19,300 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $8,900 – $29,500 | $19,200 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $8,350 – $28,500 | $18,400 | −6% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $8,550 – $28,800 | $18,700 | −4% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $9,050 – $29,900 | $19,500 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Memphis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $8,900 – $29,600 | $19,300 | −1% |
| Hartford, CT | 599,770 jobs | $11,700 – $35,300 | $23,500 | +20% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 677,680 jobs | $8,850 – $29,100 | $19,000 | −3% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $9,200 – $29,900 | $19,600 | level |
Memphis 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, Memphis 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 Memphis are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Memphis gets about 55 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.9 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 72 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 | 51 | 33 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 56 | 37 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 44 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 53 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 70 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 66 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 54 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 43 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 36 | 5.5 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Memphis
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 Memphis the blend is 0.88.
Roofers (47-2181), 70% of the weighting: a median of $22.34 an hour, 16% below the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $19.79 and $24.07 an hour. About 360 work in the metro. That is 5.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211), 20% of the weighting: a median of $29.22 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $22.59 and $34.96 an hour. About 310 work in the metro. That is 5.1 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 $21.54 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.31 and $24.40 an hour. BLS counts 3,940 of them working in the area, 64.4 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 $550 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $800. That is a swing of roughly 4.1% to 2.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Memphis has 611,670 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 46th 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% | $19.79 | $22.34 | $24.07 | $26.65 | 0.84 | metro |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $22.59 | $29.22 | $34.96 | $29.71 | 0.98 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $18.31 | $21.54 | $24.40 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Memphis 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.
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Metal roof in Memphis: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in Memphis?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $9,100 to $29,900 in the Memphis area. A standard-spec job lands at $15,300 to $23,700. 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 Memphis?
About $4.50 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 Memphis or Jonesboro?
Jonesboro is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $18,500, which is 5% less than Memphis ($19,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Memphis?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $10,500 out of $19,500. Materials are 44% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in Memphis?
$9,100 to $29,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in Memphis?
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 Memphis area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Memphis expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Memphis is 1% above the Tennessee statewide estimate ($19,300 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Memphis?
The BLS median is $22.34 an hour in the Memphis area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.79 to $24.07.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in Memphis?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $9,100 to $17,400 and premium work $21,600 to $29,900. 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 Memphis?
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 Memphis
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.