A metal roof commonly lasts 40 to 70 years, but only when it is installed by someone who does metal regularly. To choose a metal roofing contractor, check the license and insurance, confirm real experience with the exact system you want, get three written bids on the same scope, and read the contract before you sign. This guide gives you a checklist and shows how to use our directory and reviews along the way.
Why metal is a specialty
Shingles forgive mistakes; metal does not. Standing seam panels hang on clips that let the metal expand and contract, edges are hemmed and locked rather than nailed, seams are snapped or mechanically crimped, and every flashing is bent to fit. Exposed-fastener roofs depend on hundreds of screws set to the right depth. A shingle crew that does metal a few times a year is where most metal roof leaks come from, and the trouble usually shows up at valleys, chimneys and wall transitions years later, when the installer may be gone. You want a company that has done your panel system many times and will be around to stand behind it.
The 10-point checklist
Work through these in order. Most of them take a phone call or an email, and together they filter out nearly every bad outcome.
- Build a short list of three to five companies that install the metal roof style you want, using our directory, neighbors and local suppliers.
- Ask each company for its license number and verify it with the agency that issued it, or confirm your area does not license roofers.
- Request certificates of general liability and workers compensation insurance sent directly from the insurer, naming you as certificate holder.
- Ask how many metal roofs the company installed in the past 12 months, with which systems, and whether its own crew or a subcontractor did the work.
- Get addresses of two or three completed metal roofs in your area with the same system and look at them from the street.
- Have each company inspect your roof and attic in person and give you a written bid that lists every material by name.
- Line up the three bids on the same scope and ask each contractor to explain any differences in gauge, paint, underlayment or trim.
- Ask for the manufacturer finish and substrate warranty documents and the installer’s written workmanship warranty before you sign.
- Read the contract for scope, schedule, payment milestones, change orders, permit responsibility, cleanup and lien waivers.
- Check reviews and owner responses, then choose the company you trust to come back in year ten, not just the lowest number.
License, insurance and permits
Contractor licensing varies by state. Some states license roofing contractors at the state level, some leave it to cities and counties, and a few require no license at all. Ask for the license number and look it up yourself with the issuing agency; do not rely on a number printed on a truck. Where no license exists, business registration and insurance carry more weight. Ask for certificates of general liability insurance and workers compensation coverage and have the insurance agent send them to you directly. If a worker is hurt on your roof and the contractor has no workers compensation policy, the claim can land on you. Finally, confirm who pulls the permit. A roofing contractor who works in your area regularly pulls permits regularly; one who suggests skipping it is telling you something.
Metal-specific experience
Ask plain questions. How many metal roofs did you install last year? Which systems: snap-lock standing seam, mechanical lock, exposed fastener, metal shingles, stone-coated steel? Do you form panels on site with your own roll former or buy them from a manufacturer? Has the crew taken manufacturer training on the panel you are quoting me? Will the people who show up be your employees or a subcontractor, and who supervises them? Ask for two or three local addresses with the same system and drive by. Look at the ridge, the valleys and the trim lines from the street; straight, tight and even is what you want to see. Our guides to standing seam metal roofing and metal roof gauge will help you speak the same language.
Comparing three bids
Bids are only comparable when they describe the same roof. Ask every contractor to put the items in the table below in writing. When one bid is far lower, the difference is almost always in these lines.
| Bid item | What a complete bid states |
|---|---|
| Panel | Profile, manufacturer or roll-former, panel width, snap-lock or mechanical lock, or exposed-fastener type |
| Metal and gauge | Steel gauge or aluminum thickness; Galvalume or galvanized coating |
| Paint | PVDF or SMP by name, color, and who issues the finish warranty |
| Underlayment | Product name, high-temp rating, where self-adhered membrane goes |
| Tear-off and deck | Layers removed, disposal, price per sheet for deck replacement |
| Trim and flashings | Same gauge and finish as panels; chimney, wall, valley and pipe details |
| Fasteners and clips | Type, coating, spacing per the manufacturer’s manual |
| Ventilation | Ridge vent, intake, net free area |
| Accessories | Snow retention, gutters, skylights, solar preparation if wanted |
| Admin | Permit, schedule window, payment milestones, cleanup, warranties |
Reading the contract
The contract should repeat the bid scope word for word, name every material, give a start window and an estimated duration, and explain how changes are priced and approved in writing. Payments should follow milestones: a modest deposit when panels are ordered, a payment when materials are on site or dry-in is complete, and the balance when the work passes your walk-around and the final inspection. Never pay in full up front. Ask for lien waivers from the contractor and its major suppliers as each payment is made, so an unpaid supplier cannot put a lien on your home. The workmanship warranty, with its length and what it covers, belongs in the contract too. Our guide to metal roof warranties explains the four documents you should end up holding.
Using this site’s directory and reviews
The metal roofer directory lists metal roofing companies by state, with filters for the panel style, metal and market each one works in. Use it to build your short list of installers who actually do the system you want, then run every one of them through the checklist above. A listing on this site is a starting point, not an endorsement; we are independent, we sell nothing, and we do not vouch for any company’s work.
How it works explains what you see on a listing, including what our verified badge does and does not mean, and how the free quote path works. Reviews on the site follow our review guidelines: they must come from first-hand experience, cannot be bought or traded for discounts, and listed companies can respond in public. Read reviews for specifics about metal work and for how the owner handles a complaint. A company that answers criticism calmly and fixes problems is usually a company that will answer your call in year ten.
Making the call
When the checklist is done, you will usually have one company that answered every question without hesitation, showed you real roofs, and wrote everything down. That is the one to hire, even if it is not the cheapest. A metal roof is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase for most homeowners, and the installer matters as much as the metal. Our guide to metal roof cost shows what the numbers on those bids should look like. Start your short list in the directory, and take the questions above with you to every appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire a general roofer or a metal roofing specialist?
A company that installs metal roofs week in and week out. Many general roofing companies do excellent metal work, and some metal-only shops are small and new, so the label matters less than the track record. Ask how many metal roofs the crew installed in the last year, which systems, and whether the people on your roof will be the ones who did that work. Metal details are different from shingle details, and practice is what makes them tight.
How many bids should I get for a metal roof?
Three is the standard advice and it holds. Three written bids on the same scope let you see the real market price in your area, spot the outlier that is missing something, and compare how each company communicates. Make the scopes match: same panel, gauge, paint system, underlayment and trim. If the bids differ in those items, ask each contractor to price the other's spec so you are comparing like with like.
How much deposit is normal for a metal roof?
A modest deposit at signing is common, often enough to cover ordering custom-made panels and trim, with the balance due at stages or on completion. Never pay in full up front, and be wary of any contractor who wants most of the money before materials arrive. Some states cap deposits by law. Tie each payment to a milestone in the contract, and get lien waivers from the contractor and major suppliers as you pay.
What if the lowest bid is much lower than the others?
Find out why before you celebrate. A bid that is far below two others usually has something thinner or missing: a lighter gauge, SMP instead of PVDF paint, felt instead of synthetic underlayment, no tear-off, no permit, or a crew without insurance. Ask the low bidder to walk you through the scope line by line next to the other quotes. If the answers are solid and in writing, a sharp price is fine.
How should I use online reviews when picking a roofer?
Read them as one input, not the verdict. Look for detail: the system installed, how the crew handled problems, whether the company came back when called. Pay attention to how owners respond to criticism. Check that the reviews describe metal work, not just shingles. On this site, our review guidelines require first-hand experience and no incentives, and listed companies can respond publicly, so you see both sides.