The Short Answer
On our estimates, a metal roof costs £70 to £90 per m² fitted for corrugated or box-profile steel on a garage or outbuilding, £95 to £140 for standing seam steel or aluminium, £110 to £160 for zinc and £200 to £320 for copper. On a semi's roof of about 64m², standing seam comes to about £6,100 to £9,000 before scaffold and stripping the old roof.
The thing to get right is condensation. Bare profiled sheet drips condensation into the space below, so a garage roof wants anti-condensation sheets, and a house roof wants metal over a properly insulated and ventilated build-up.
Metal roofing prices
| Metal | Per m², fitted | 64m² roof | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrugated or box-profile steel | £70 to £90 | £4,500 to £5,800 | Garages and outbuildings |
| Standing seam steel or aluminium | £95 to £140 | £6,100 to £9,000 | Houses, extensions, dormers |
| Zinc | £110 to £160 | £7,000 to £10,200 | Over 100 years if well designed (maker) |
| Copper | £200 to £320 | £12,800 to £20,500 | The dearest |
For comparison, re-covering in natural slate is £150 to £270 per m² and concrete tiles £110 to £170, on our estimates: see new roof costs.
Which metal?
- Profiled steel sheet (corrugated or box profile): the cheapest, for garages, workshops and outbuildings.
- Standing seam: long panels joined by raised seams, in coated steel or aluminium, used on houses, extensions and dormers.
- Zinc: unpainted, it forms its own protective patina. VMZINC, a maker, says a correctly designed and installed zinc roof can last more than 100 years, because the patina slows corrosion to about 2 microns a year on sheet at least 700 microns thick. Polluted industrial and severe coastal air shortens that.
- Copper: the dearest of the four.
- Lead on bays, dormers and flat roofs is laid in heavier codes: see the code table on lead flashing costs (Code 6 and up for flat roofs and bays).
The biggest problem: condensation
SAB-profiel, a profiled sheet maker, explains it: when warm, humid air meets the cold underside of a metal sheet, water condenses, runs along the sheet and drips into the space below. In a garage or workshop that means drips on whatever's stored there.
Planning and building regulations
The Planning Portal says re-roofing a house that doesn't materially affect its external appearance usually doesn't need planning permission. Swapping tiles for metal may well change how it looks, so ask the council first, especially in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Re-covering a house roof is also building work. If more than 50% of the roof over a heated space is renovated, the insulation should be brought up to standard where practical, and a roofer registered for roof coverings with the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) or NAPIT can self-certify it.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install a metal roof per square metre in the UK?
On our estimates, £70 to £90 for profiled steel, £95 to £140 for standing seam, £110 to £160 for zinc and £200 to £320 for copper, fitted.
What is the biggest problem with metal roofs?
Condensation: warm, humid air meets the cold underside of the sheet and drips into the space below. Anti-condensation fleece on garage sheets, or an insulated, ventilated build-up on a house, deals with it.
How long does a zinc roof last?
VMZINC says a correctly designed and installed zinc roof can last more than 100 years.
Is a metal roof cheaper than tiles?
Profiled steel on an outbuilding is cheap. On a house, standing seam at £95 to £140 per m² is in the same range as natural slate (£150 to £270), on our estimates.
Can I get a government grant for a new roof in the UK?
Not for re-roofing as such. The Warm Homes: Local Grant in England can pay for loft insulation for eligible households, but not a new roof.
Do I need planning permission for a metal roof?
Re-roofing that doesn't materially change how a house looks usually doesn't. Swapping tiles for metal may, so ask the council, especially in a conservation area or for a listed building.
How we priced thisView sources (7, 4 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryFrequently asked questions; durability, VMZINC UK. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryPrevent condensation droplets with anti-condensation fleece (8 June 2026), SAB-profiel. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialRoof: planning permission, Planning Portal. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialApproved Document L: Conservation of fuel and power, Volume 1 Dwellings (2021 edition incorporating 2023 amendments), GOV.UK. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialThe Building Regulations 2010, Schedule 3: self-certification schemes (para 16, roof coverings), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialApply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home (England), GOV.UK. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryGuide to Rolled Lead (BS EN 12588 codes, thicknesses and weights), Associated Lead Mills. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
