Three bids on the kitchen table rarely describe the same roof. One includes the tear-off and one does not; one is 24-gauge steel with a PVDF finish and another is 29-gauge with SMP; one wants half the money up front. Type each bid in below, line by line, and the tool lays them side by side, checks every bid against the price range for your state, and lists what to ask each company before you sign. Your numbers stay in your browser.
The expected range is the one our cost calculator uses: national trade price ranges per style adjusted by a state cost index, with local figures where we have them, plus tear-off and high-temp underlayment when a bid includes them. Prices updated October 24, 2026. It is a sanity check, not a verdict: a bid outside the range can be right for an unusual roof.
What the comparison checks
- Price per square foot against your state. Each bid’s core cost (the roof system, tear-off, underlayment and trim) is divided by the roof area and placed on the same range our cost calculator uses for that style and state, with tear-off and high-temperature underlayment added when the bid includes them. Gutters, snow guards, deck repair and permits are compared between bids but kept out of that check, because the range does not cover them.
- Missing lines. When one bid lists tear-off, underlayment, flashing or a permit and another does not, the quiet bid gets a question: is it included, or is it coming later as a change order?
- The roof system itself. Gauge, paint finish, panel profile and underlayment type are laid side by side. When they differ, the tool says so plainly: a thinner panel with a cheaper paint is a different roof, not the same roof for less.
- Money and paper. Deposit size, a license number on the bid, a certificate of insurance, and the two warranties that matter: the paint finish warranty and the installer’s own workmanship warranty.
- Arithmetic. If the lines on a bid do not add up to its total, you will know before the contractor does.
How to get bids you can compare
The tool can only compare what the bids say, so ask every company for the same scope in writing: the style and panel profile, the gauge, the paint finish, tear-off or overlay, the underlayment, what trim and flashing are included, both warranties, a start date and a payment schedule. Ask each one to show the measured squares, not your home’s floor area. Three bids built on the same scope are easy to compare; three bids built on three different roofs are not, however the prices line up. Our guides on choosing a metal roofing contractor, what a metal roof costs and metal roof warranties explain the pieces.
Red flags worth a second look
- A price well under the range for your state with no explanation. Thin metal, SMP paint, no underlayment line or no insurance usually explains it.
- A deposit above a third of the job, or any pressure to sign the same day for a price that expires.
- No license number where your state or city licenses roofers, and no certificate of insurance when you ask.
- A workmanship warranty that lives only in conversation. If it is not written, it does not exist.
- Square counts that differ from bid to bid. Someone measured differently, and the bigger number is paying for roof you do not have.
Short a bid? The map search shows the five best-ranked metal roofers near your ZIP code, and every company on this site is listed free, so the list is not limited to anyone who paid to be on it.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the expected price ranges come from?
The same table as the cost calculator: national installed price ranges for each metal roof style, adjusted by a state cost index, with local quotes used instead where we have collected them. The tool adds the tear-off range when a bid includes a tear-off line and the high-temperature underlayment upgrade when a bid specifies it. The range is a sanity check, not a verdict; a bid outside it can be right for a steep, cut-up or unusual roof.
Does the tool send my bids anywhere?
No. The comparison runs entirely in your browser, and the numbers are kept only in your browser's own storage so you can come back to them. We never see them and nothing is uploaded. The Clear everything button wipes them, and the Print button gives you a paper copy to take to the next conversation.
What if a bid only shows a total?
Type the total and leave the lines blank. The tool still places the bid on the price range for your state and still compares the specifications, warranties and payment terms. It also tells you which lines the other bids itemized, which is your cue to ask that company for an itemized bid; most will provide one without fuss.
What roof area should I enter?
The measured roof surface in square feet, which is the number of squares on the bids multiplied by one hundred. It is larger than your home's floor area because of pitch and overhangs. If the bids disagree on the squares, ask each company how it measured. If you have no measurement yet, the cost calculator can estimate the area from the house footprint and pitch.
Is the cheapest bid the wrong one?
Not by itself. A low bid for the same gauge, finish, underlayment, warranties, license and insurance as the others can simply be a leaner company or a slower season. The problems are a cheaper specification presented as a cheaper price, lines left off that come back as change orders, and paperwork that is missing. The tool is built to make those three things visible.