Installation Cost for Metal Roofing

$9 to $18 per square foot installed is the realistic range for metal roofing in Nassau County, covering everything from entry-level standing-seam to high-end copper or zinc systems. For a 1,600-square-foot ranch, you’re looking at $14,000 to $29,000; on a two-story colonial with 2,400 square feet of roof, expect $22,000 to $43,000, so you know right away whether metal is a modest upgrade or a serious financial decision for your home.

Metal roofing always costs more upfront than asphalt shingles.

These numbers are estimates based on recent Nassau County projects, not guarantees-your actual price depends on your roof’s pitch, layout complexity, and the specific metal profile you choose. Coastal homes near Long Beach or Atlantic Beach will push the higher end of the range because corrosion resistance and wind-rated fasteners become non-negotiables, while a straightforward 4/12 pitch ranch in Hicksville might sit closer to the middle.

Sticker Shock Reality Check:
If that range sounds high-it’s the labor-intensive underlayment and flashing details.
If you’re comparing it to a basic shingle job-you’re looking at 2.5 to 3 times the asphalt price.
If the low number still feels steep-remember metal lasts 40 to 60 years, not 15.

What Drives the Cost of Metal Roof Installation

Here’s where most of your money actually goes: roughly half your bill is labor, 35 to 40 percent is materials, and the rest covers tear-off, disposal, and the contractor’s overhead. On a typical Nassau County project, tear-off and dump fees for old shingles run $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot-more if you have multiple layers-and that’s before anyone even touches the new metal. Labor runs high because metal panels require precise fastening schedules, custom-fitted flashings at every valley and chimney, and underlayment systems like high-temp synthetic or peel-and-stick membranes that cost significantly more than standard felt. Roof pitch is the silent cost multiplier: a 4/12 pitch is straightforward, but move to 8/12 or steeper and labor hours climb 20 to 40 percent because of safety equipment, slower movement, and harder physical positioning. Complexity matters just as much as square footage-two homes with 2,000-square-foot roofs will get wildly different quotes if one is a simple gable and the other has dormers, hips, skylights, and a dozen penetrations.

Material choice splits into three tiers. Painted steel standing-seam panels-your base option-run $4 to $7 per square foot for the panels alone, before installation. Aluminum costs 20 to 30 percent more but never rusts, making it the smart pick for salt-air neighborhoods. Copper and zinc sit at the luxury end, sometimes doubling the material cost, but they age into a natural patina and outlast everything else on the market.

Labor, Materials, and Extras Broken Down

When I build an estimate, I mentally separate it into three buckets: removal and prep, installation of the metal system, and detail work like trim and flashing. Removal includes stripping old shingles, inspecting and repairing the decking, and hauling debris to a Nassau County transfer station-budget $2,500 to $5,500 for an average home. Installation covers underlayment, panel fastening, ridge caps, and penetration boots; for standing-seam, that’s $6 to $12 per square foot in labor alone. Detail work is where inexperienced installers cut corners: custom flashings at chimneys, step flashing along walls, drip edges, and gable trims can add $1,500 to $4,000 to a project, but skipping or skimping here is how leaks start three years down the road.

How Metal Roof Costs Compare to Other Materials

Think of metal roofing options the way you’d think of cars: base, mid-range, and luxury. Asphalt shingles are the economy sedan-$5 to $9 installed per square foot in Nassau County for architectural-grade product. Metal is the well-equipped SUV: more upfront, longer life, better resale. Slate and tile are the sports cars-beautiful, durable, but often $18 to $35 per square foot, putting metal squarely in the middle of the premium-materials pack.

Metal vs. Architectural Shingles

For the same 2,000-square-foot roof, architectural shingles run $10,000 to $18,000 installed, while standing-seam metal costs $18,000 to $36,000. That spread shrinks when you factor lifespan: shingles need replacement every 20 to 25 years; metal lasts 40-plus with minimal maintenance. Over a 40-year ownership period, you’ll reroof twice with shingles, effectively doubling that initial $15,000 investment to $30,000 or more once you adjust for inflation and rising labor costs, while the metal roof still sits there doing its job. Energy savings tilt the math further-reflective metal coatings can cut summer cooling costs 10 to 20 percent in Nassau County’s humid climate, a benefit shingles simply don’t offer. National averages show metal at 2.5 times the cost of basic asphalt, but in Nassau County’s higher-cost labor market, I’ve seen that multiple shrink to 2.0 when you compare top-tier architectural shingles with entry-level painted steel, because shingle labor rates have climbed faster than metal installation rates over the past three years.

Nassau County Market Realities That Affect Pricing

For homeowners in coastal spots like Long Beach or Atlantic Beach, there’s one extra cost factor: marine-grade materials and higher wind-load engineering. Salt air corrodes standard galvanized steel quickly, so contractors spec aluminum or specially coated steel, adding $2 to $5 per square foot. Wind ratings matter because Nassau County sits in a high-wind zone; standing-seam systems with concealed fasteners perform better than exposed-fastener panels, but they cost 30 to 50 percent more to install. Permit fees in Nassau County towns range from $250 to $800 depending on municipality, and most building departments require an engineered stamped plan for metal roofs over a certain size, adding another $400 to $1,200 to your total.

Labor rates in Nassau County run higher than the Long Island average because of housing density, travel time, and the cost of doing business near New York City. A skilled metal roofing crew charges $75 to $125 per hour here, compared to $50 to $85 in more rural parts of the state. Common home styles-two-story colonials with complex hip roofs, Cape Cods with multiple dormers, split-levels with awkward transitions-all drive labor hours up because each plane, angle, and intersection needs custom flashing and careful panel layout. I’ve quoted identical-square-footage roofs in Massapequa and Garden City where the Garden City job cost 25 percent more simply because of steeper pitch, tighter property lines requiring hand-carrying materials, and stricter HOA inspection requirements that added two site visits.

• Coastal exposure requires corrosion-resistant metals and special fasteners.
• Local labor shortages in skilled metal installers push hourly rates up 15 to 20 percent above state averages.
• Permit and inspection fees vary by town; factor $500 to $1,000 into your budget.
• Most Nassau County homes have at least one complex feature-dormer, valley, or skylight-that adds labor hours.

How to Budget for a Metal Roof Installation

Before we talk upgrades, we have to lock in the “non-negotiables.” Measure your roof’s square footage, add 10 percent for waste and cuts, then multiply by your chosen material’s per-square-foot range to get a rough materials figure. Double that number to account for labor, then add $3,000 to $6,000 for tear-off, disposal, permits, and contingencies-that’s your working budget before any extras like new gutters, fascia repair, or upgraded ventilation. If a quote comes in way below that range, I immediately ask myself why: are they skipping ice-and-water shield in the valleys, using thinner-gauge panels, or planning to install over your old shingles instead of tearing off?

Get a Clear, Written Estimate for Your Nassau County Home

No two roofs cost the same, even on identical floor plans, because condition, access, and homeowner choices all shift the numbers. TWI Roofing provides detailed, line-by-line estimates for every metal roofing project in Nassau County-we measure on-site, explain each cost driver, and spell out exactly where your money goes so you can make an informed decision without surprises. On a 1,600-square-foot ranch in Levittown, that math looks like this: $3,200 for tear-off and prep, $6,400 for materials, $8,000 for labor and flashing, plus permits and contingency, landing around $19,000 for a mid-grade standing-seam system-but your number will reflect your roof, your material choice, and your home’s specific challenges. Reach out today for a free on-site consultation and a transparent, written proposal that turns “it depends” into a real budget you can plan around.