Sheet Metal Contractor in Memphis

June 15, 2026

A sheet metal contractor fabricates and installs the metal components that move air and protect buildings, which is a distinct trade from air-conditioning repair even when the two overlap on a job site. Sheet metal shops cut, form, and weld flat stock into HVAC ductwork, exhaust and dust-collection systems, kitchen hoods, flashing, gutters and downspouts, metal roofing parts, and architectural panels. In Memphis, Tennessee’s second-largest city with a population of roughly 619,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau) and one of the country’s largest logistics and distribution hubs, that work spans industrial plants, warehouses, hospitals, restaurants, and commercial buildings, each requiring custom-fabricated metal that standard parts cannot provide.

The Memphis market has a strong industrial character, and that shapes its sheet metal trade. The metro’s manufacturing, food processing, and warehousing base creates steady demand for dust collection ductwork, industrial exhaust and ventilation, storage tanks, and welded stainless work, alongside the commercial HVAC ductwork that every building needs. As a result, the field ranges from industrial fabrication shops that build air-handling and dust-collection systems to mechanical and HVAC contractors that run their own in-house sheet metal shops so they can fabricate ductwork to exact specifications. Buyers benefit from understanding whether a contractor focuses on industrial process work, commercial HVAC ductwork, or both.

Tennessee regulates sheet metal work mainly through project-value licensing. A contractor’s license from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors is required when a project totals $25,000 or more, with the mechanical (HVAC) classification covering ductwork fabrication and installation; smaller residential jobs may fall under the Home Improvement license in the counties where that class applies. Fabricated metal that is sold and installed carries Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax plus the local option tax, which in Shelby County brings the combined rate to roughly 9.75%. Many established shops build to the standards of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), and some sheet metal workers in the region are trained through the SMART union (Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers).

Contractors and facility managers hiring a sheet metal firm in Memphis can verify any required contractor license through the state at verify.tn.gov before signing. Because sheet metal work is usually part of a larger construction or mechanical contract, the scope, project value, and payment schedule should be documented in writing, and buyers should understand that Tennessee’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) gives contractors 90 days from completion to file a lien. Disputes over deceptive practices fall under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), enforced by the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs. Confirming SMACNA-standard fabrication, asking whether ductwork is built in house, and clarifying a shop’s focus on industrial, commercial, or residential work helps match the contractor to the project.

Top Sheet Metal Contractor Providers in Memphis

1. Rees-Memphis, Inc.

Address: 2426 Channel Avenue, Memphis, TN 38113
Phone: (901) 774-8830
Website: https://reesmemphis.com
Services: custom industrial ductwork, dust collection system fabrication and installation, air management and ventilation systems, manifolds, filter housings, hoods, hoppers, platforms and ladders, sheet metal, steel and aluminum fabrication
Description: Rees-Memphis, Inc. is an industrial sheet metal and fabrication contractor located on Channel Avenue in Memphis that specializes in custom ductwork and air-system fabrication. The company states it has over 50 years of fabrication experience on industrial air systems, designing and building dust collection systems, waste transfer and scrap handling systems, and ventilation solutions for industries that include wood processing, grain and feed, metalwork, and food production. Its product range covers custom ductwork along with hoods, manifolds, filter housings, platforms, ladders, hoppers, and related components, fabricated in sheet metal, steel, aluminum, and other materials. The shop is equipped with CNC burning and welding capability and also provides system surveys, consulting, design, and equipment repair and rebuilds, positioning itself as an industrial fabricator rather than a residential service company.

2. Brown Cooling, Heating and Refrigeration

Address: 4882 English Towne Drive, Memphis, TN 38128
Phone: (901) 362-1881
Website: https://www.brownref.com
Services: sheet metal fabrication and installation, HVAC duct systems, commercial exhaust systems (oven, equipment, fume, chemical, dust), air duct sealing, commercial refrigeration, heating and cooling installation
Description: Brown Cooling, Heating and Refrigeration is a Memphis firm at English Towne Drive that fabricates and installs sheet metal as part of its commercial and residential HVAC and refrigeration work. The company describes master craftsmen who build a full range of HVAC applications in its own shop, which it says allows for a higher level of quality and faster installation than relying solely on purchased components. Beyond standard HVAC duct systems, the firm fabricates commercial exhaust systems for ovens, equipment, fumes, chemicals, and dust, and performs air duct sealing and indoor air quality work. The company is BBB accredited and NATE certified, and serves both commercial and residential clients, combining in-house sheet metal fabrication with heating, cooling, and commercial refrigeration services across the Memphis area.

3. Choate’s Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electrical

Address: 2526 Sam Cooper Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38112
Phone: (901) 755-4797
Website: https://choateshvac.com
Services: in-house sheet metal fabrication, custom ductwork, return plenums, filter chambers, square ductwork, transitions, drop plenums, rain covers and shields, HVAC installation
Description: Choate’s operates an in-house sheet metal shop that fabricates custom ductwork for its HVAC projects, with a Memphis showroom on Sam Cooper Boulevard alongside its Collierville headquarters and additional locations in Jackson, Tennessee, and Oxford, Mississippi. The sheet metal operation produces custom ductwork, return plenums, filter chambers, square ductwork, transitions, drop plenums, and rain covers and shields in the sizes a job requires, which the company says delivers shorter turnaround, lower cost, and a quality guarantee compared with sourcing pre-made components. The firm serves both residential and commercial markets across Tennessee and Mississippi, pairing its in-house fabrication capability with full HVAC installation and service. Building ductwork to a project’s exact dimensions allows the company to match metal assemblies to each system rather than adapting standard parts.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sheet Metal Contractor in Memphis

Q: What is the difference between a sheet metal contractor and an HVAC repair company?

A sheet metal contractor fabricates and installs the metal components of mechanical and exterior systems, including HVAC ductwork, industrial exhaust and dust-collection systems, kitchen hoods, flashing, and metal roofing parts. An HVAC repair company diagnoses and fixes heating and cooling equipment. Many Memphis firms do both, running an in-house sheet metal shop to fabricate ductwork while also installing and servicing HVAC systems, but the fabrication trade centers on cutting, forming, and welding metal rather than on equipment repair.

Q: Does a sheet metal contractor in Memphis need a license?

A contractor’s license from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors is required for any project totaling $25,000 or more, with ductwork and mechanical fabrication falling under the mechanical (HVAC) classification. Smaller residential projects may fall under the Home Improvement license in the counties where that class applies. Buyers can confirm a contractor’s license and classification before signing through the state’s verification system at verify.tn.gov.

Q: What is SMACNA, and why does it matter for ductwork?

SMACNA is the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, which publishes the duct construction and installation standards used across the industry. When a contractor states that its ductwork meets SMACNA standards, it means the gauge, seams, reinforcement, and sealing follow nationally recognized specifications for the system’s pressure class. Asking whether a shop builds to SMACNA standards is a practical way to gauge fabrication quality on commercial and industrial work.

Q: How much sales tax applies to fabricated sheet metal in Memphis?

Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax, and Shelby County adds a local option tax that brings the combined rate to roughly 9.75% on materials. On a construction contract, labor and materials may be taxed differently depending on how the contractor structures the transaction, so buyers should request an itemized invoice that separates fabrication, installation labor, and tax.

Q: What kinds of sheet metal work are common in the Memphis market?

Because Memphis is a major industrial and logistics center, its sheet metal trade includes a strong base of industrial work such as dust collection ductwork, industrial exhaust and ventilation, welded stainless fabrication, and air-handling systems for manufacturing and food processing, alongside commercial HVAC ductwork and exhaust systems for restaurants and commercial buildings. Some firms specialize in industrial fabrication, while others run in-house shops to fabricate HVAC ductwork for installation.

Q: How do I protect myself on a sheet metal or ductwork contract in Memphis?

Get the scope, project value, and payment schedule in writing, and verify any required contractor license at verify.tn.gov. Because Tennessee’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) allows contractors to file a lien within 90 days of completion, structuring payments around milestones offers protection for both sides. Complaints about deceptive practices can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104).