How much does a metal roof cost per square?
Short answer. A square is 100 square feet of roof, and metal roofs cost noticeably more per square than architectural shingles: exposed-fastener panels sit closer to premium shingle pricing, while standing seam systems often cost double or more. Because per-square quotes may or may not include tear-off, trim, underlayment and flashing, compare complete written totals on the same measured roof rather than headline per-square numbers.
What a square means
Roofers measure roof surface, not house floor area, and divide by 100. A roof with 2,400 square feet of surface is 24 squares. Waste for cuts at hips and valleys is added on top, and metal can waste more than shingles on cut-up roofs because panels are long.
Why per-square prices vary
- Panel system. Exposed-fastener panels screw through the face; standing seam uses concealed clips and raised seams, which costs more in material and labor.
- Metal thickness and finish. Thicker steel and premium paint systems cost more.
- Trim. Ridge, rake, eave, valley and wall trim are priced by the linear foot and do not scale with area, so complex roofs cost more per square.
- Tear-off and deck prep. Removing shingles and repairing decking add to the per-square number.
- Pitch and height, which slow every trade on the roof.
How to compare quotes
- Confirm every bid uses the same square count.
- Get the panel system, metal thickness, finish and underlayment named in writing.
- Check that tear-off, trim, flashing, ventilation and permits are included.
- Compare totals, then divide by squares only if you want a sanity check.
For scale, typical North Georgia shingle replacements run roughly $8,000 to $16,000, and metal on the same roof starts above that. See metal roofing in Georgia and how roofers measure a roof.