2024 Cost To Install Snow Guards
Normal range: $1,000 - $4,000
The average cost to install snow guards is around $1,500, and most homeowners pay somewhere between $1,000 and $4,000, depending on home square footage, snow guard type, and more.
The average cost to install snow guards is around $1,500, but prices can range from $500 up to $10,000, depending on the size and design of your roof and the type of guards you have installed. The cost per linear foot is around $20, including materials and labor, but even that price can range from $10 to $40.
- Average
- $1,500
- Low end
- $500
- high end
- $10,000
Cost Per Linear Foot for Snow Guards
Most snow guard installation companies will charge between $10 and $40 per linear feet you need to cover, with an average of around $20. Less time-intensive installations that clamp onto your roof will often fall toward the lower end of that range, and snow guards that require roof penetrations and mechanical fasteners will push toward the higher end.
You can use the table below to get an idea of your total if you know how much material you need, which is often the length of the bottoms of your roof slopes.
| Linear Feet | Low Cost | High Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| 150 | $1,500 | $6,000 |
| 200 | $2,000 | $8,000 |
| 250 | $2,500 | $10,000 |
Snow Guard Installation Cost Factors
The cost to install snow guards can range widely, from $500 up to $10,000 total, because there are a few factors that influence your pricing.
Roof Material
Snow guards are most common on slick metal roofs, but the type of metal roof you have can affect how your roofing professional installs the guards, which affects the labor cost.
Standing seam metal roofs are often the most affordable metal roof style for installing snow guards because your professional can clamp the guards right onto the seams. This results in lower labor costs and usually falls in the lower end of the price range per linear foot.
Other types of metal roofs, like corrugated metal and metal shingles, don’t have the same type of seams and may require roof penetrations and mechanical fasteners to install. Drilling through the roof to attach the snow guards and sealing around the attachment points takes significantly longer and will drive up your labor costs.
Roof Design
The design of your roof will also play a major role in your total cost, as you’ll likely need snow guards along the bottom of all of your roof slopes. The more roof slopes your property has, the higher your costs will be.
For example, a simple gable roof will only have two sides that need snow guards, while a hip roof will have four, and more complicated designs can have even more.
Roof Pitch
The pitch of your roof will determine how many layers of protection you need to prevent snow from sliding off of your roof. Steeper pitches might require two or more snow guards, while lower-pitch roofs often only need one. A steeper roof pitch can double your installation costs if you need twice the linear footage.
Type of Snow Guards
There are three main types of snow guards and rails that vary in their effectiveness and cost. Pad-style snow guards are small brackets that attach to your roof without continuous protection across the entire length. Bar-style snow guards just have a single, square bar to catch snow and are more effective but also more expensive than pad-style guards. Fence-style guards are the most expensive, but they consist of two bars stacked one on top of the other for maximum protection.
The table below includes the typical cost range per linear foot for each of these types of snow guards. Just keep in mind that, in addition to varying in price, they also differ in how noticeable they are, with pad-style guards being the least noticeable from the ground and fence-style guards being the most noticeable.
| Snow Guard Type | Cost Per Linear Foot |
|---|---|
| Pad | $10–$15 |
| Bar | $12–$35 |
| Fence | $25–$40 |
Labor
In most cases, you can expect labor for the installation to cost between $5 and $30 per linear foot. Snow guards that clamp onto the seams on a standing seam roof are much easier and faster to install, so your labor costs will sit toward the lower end of that range. Any installation that requires roof penetrations and mechanical fasteners will push toward the higher end of that range.
Snow Guard Ongoing Costs
Luckily, once snow guards are on your roof, they don’t really come with any ongoing costs. They won’t require maintenance, provided you choose a material that won’t rust, and they rarely need repairs.
However, you should plan on having a roofing company inspect your snow guards about once a year before winter to ensure they’re fastened securely and will continue to function. An annual inspection is especially important if your installer uses roof penetrations to install them. The clips occasionally need resealing, and your expert should double-check to make sure the fasteners are holding securely. You can expect an inspection to cost between $100 and $200.
DIY Snow Guard Installation vs. Hiring a Pro
If you’re comfortable DIYing your snow guard installation, you could save between $5 and $15 per linear foot on labor costs with clamp-on snow guards. For a standard home with a gable roof, that would be between $500 and $1,500 total for 100 linear feet.
Installing snow guards can be a relatively simple DIY project, but only if you have a standing seam roof and can use guards that clamp on. If you need to drill through your roof to secure the snow guards, we strongly recommend hiring a pro. Poorly sealed roof penetrations can leak and lead to major property damage, which will cost you far more than it would to hire a professional in the first place.
Additionally, if it’s already winter, and you’re looking to install snow guards after you’ve run into an issue with falling snow, we recommend you hire a professional regardless of the fastener type. Getting up on a ladder and potentially onto your metal roof with wet shoes can be extremely dangerous, so hiring a pro is worth the cost of labor to keep yourself safe.
Cost of Common Snow Guard Add-Ons
While you’re budgeting for your snow guard installation, you might want to consider setting aside some money for some common add-on services, such as signing a contract with a local snow removal company to go even further with your winter preparation. Here are some costs you may want to consider:
Snow removal costs: $50 – $203
Roof snow removal costs: $200 – $700
Gutter cleaning costs: $120 – $230
Gutter installation costs: $625 – $1,700
Roof repair costs: $400 – $1,900
Fall cleanup costs: $200 – $500
Roof heating cable costs: $5 – $15 per linear foot
Ice dam removal costs: $650 – $2,000
4 Ways to Save Money On Snow Guard Installation
Here are some effective ways you can save when installing snow guards on your property:
Choose your snow guard type carefully: The cost to install snow guards will be lowest with pad-style guards because of the decreased material costs and highest with fence-style guards. Choose what you need for your property, but don’t go overboard to avoid overspending on materials.
DIY the installation for clamp-style guards: If you have a standing seam metal roof, one of the best ways to save is to install clamp-style snow guards yourself. You can save between $5 and $15 per linear foot, on average.
Hire a pro for fastened guards: If you have a metal roof that prevents you from using clamp-style guards, you’ll pay more upfront to have a professional install them, but you stand to save over time on more expensive water damage from roof leaks stemming from improper installation.
Only install them where you need them: Most homeowners have the option of installing snow guards on the rear or sides of their homes, depending on where they want protection. Opt for just the front to cut down on the linear feet you need and save on material and labor costs.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you live in an area where heavy snow accumulation is common, or you see moderate snowfall but have a steeply-pitched metal roof, snow guards are often worth the money. They can prevent personal injury from snow falling on you or guests as you walk under the roofline. They can also protect cars and other personal property below from avalanches.
No, snow guards don’t cause ice dams, nor do they help prevent them. Ice dams tend to occur when a temperature fluctuation causes snow on the roof to melt and then refreeze in or above the gutters. Snow guards won’t contribute to temperature changes and don’t block melted snow from running down into your gutters.