Calculate The Complex Roof Areas
Most roofs in Canada would be considered on the complex side. Multiple adjacent pitches, dormers, and turrets are common. Keep in mind that an experienced metal roofing contractor will need to factor in extended labour time for areas of your roof that will require precision metalworking skills.
Start by finding the footprint area and multiply by the correct slope factor determined by pitch . In Figure 4 below, the dashed blue lines give a simplified view of the footprint. Multiply L x W to calculate the area for each rectangular section. Note the area of 77ft2 that needs to be subtracted for the recessed area.
Once the footprint including overhang areas have been determined for each area, find the appropriate slope or pitch factor in the chart below. For example, a roof area with an 8/12 pitch has a slope factor of 1.202 so 2053ft2 x 1.202 = 2468ft2 total roof area.
A Note about complex roofs: Complex roofs need more accessories and trims thaneasy roofs resulting in a slightly higher total cost/square foot.
Figure 4. Calculating Complex Roof Area
Calculate The Simple Roof Areas
On a simple hip or gable roof, multiplying the eave to ridge length by eave length will give the area to be multiplied by pitch factor. Ridge vent openings are best finished with coil rather than partial shingle. Using flat coil stock allows the ridge caps to lay flat and can also be formed with an extra water stop at the ridge opening.
Area for the roof in Figure 3 is 1784 ft2 The blue dash line divides the roof into 2 rectangles. There is a small area calculated as 8/12 that is actually 4/12. On a small area such as this, it is better to err on the side of the higher pitch since it should not significantly affect the total.
Pro Tip: Pythagorean Theorem can be used to calculate the length of the valleys. A general rule of thumb is to add at least 12 lineal inches of valley material to be safe.
Figure 3. Calculating Simple Roof Areas
What Influences A Roofing Projects Cost
Although a roofs size is always a major factor in calculating project costs, other elements may influence a contractors quote, such as:
- Your location and the average roofing project prices in your area.
- Your choice of roofing material
- Roof accessibility and ease of installation
- The contractors certifications and level of work
- Project timeline
- Season
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Walk To Your Roof And Measure Physically
Once youre on the roof, its time to check out the map and tape measure so you can get started. Carefully measure the length and width of all sections of the roof, paying special attention to the dimensions in the corresponding sections of the diagram. If your roof has triangular sections, such as a cornice, it is important to measure these as well, as they must also be shingles. Once youre done measuring the entire steep roof, its time to lower the ladder and use the measurements effectively. Finally, increase the total by 15% to account for any waste.
Figure Out Your Homes Footprint
If you use the square footage of your home, youll only get a vague idea of what the square footage of your roof is. Thats why you have to figure out your homes footprint.
A person of average height will have a stride somewhere between 2 to 2.5 feet. To figure out your homes footprint, you can step off the dimensions of your roof by counting the steps you take to get the length of your home. You will then step off the width of your home.
After stepping off the length and width of your home, youll multiply the two numbers to get your homes footprint.
Length x width = your home’s footprint
Your calculations are going to be off, but measuring this way can give you a basic idea of your homes footprint. Keep in mind, square footage of a house does not equal the square footage of a roof.
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Do You Need Roof Repair Replacement Or New Installation In The Fort Worth Area
If so, TX Roofing Solutions is the first choice for residents in the Dallas, Texas, area.
Providing free, no-obligation roof inspections, our company can handle any service request you may have. Whether youre in Euless, Arlington, Flower Mound, Keller, Coppell, Grapevine or a surrounding area, were happy to provide you with honest, reputable roofing services.
Call us today at 726-1369 or complete our form here to request your free, on-site roof inspection.
Why Should I Measure My Own Roof
If you plan on re-roofing your own home then you will need to calculate materials so you wont waste your own time and money. If youre like most people, youll need to hire a professional.
Knowing your numbers will help you figure out what roofing materials are within your budget and having your square footage handy is a great way to protect yourself from inflated quotes.
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How Do You Calculate The Square Footage Of Your Roof
Is it time for a roof replacement? Are you trying to figure out how much youll have to invest in your new roof?
If so, youre probably overwhelmed trying to learn everything that goes into the cost of your roof replacement. To help you understand the size of your roof investment, you first need to know the size of your roof. Thats why were going to break down how to measure your roofs square footage.
The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has been repairing and replacing roofs in Nashville and surrounding areas since 1990. We take extreme pride in everything we do, especially our workmanship.
How Do You Measure The Square Footage Of A Hip Roof
Its not necessary to measure the vertical sides of your roof, or to figure out its slope. To find the square footage of a hip roof, you just need to calculate the area of each of its faces. For this, youll use the same formula that you would use to find the area of an ordinary triangle or trapezoid.
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Why Homeowners Choose Brava Composite Roofing
More and more homeowners who need to replace their old roofs are choosing the premium, composite roofing products of Brava Roof Tile. Brava composite tiles offer:
- Natural beauty: In most cases, high-quality Brava tiles look exactly like traditional slate, shake, or barrel tiles.
- Excellent performance: Brava products can endure extreme climates and harsh weather conditions, including wind, hail, snow, and high UV radiation.
- A wide range of color: Brava tiles come in all colors thanks to a patented multi-coloring process.
- Lightweight design: Roofing contractors can install Bravas products on structures that cant support heavier materials like clay tile.
Although Brava tiles cost more per square than traditional roofing materials, they save homeowners money in the long run thanks to their resilience and low maintenance properties. Brava tiles can last for decades with comparatively little upkeep. All Brava products have a 50-year limited warranty.
How To Measure A Roof From Blueprints
Having only a blueprint for a new home doesnt mean that a roofing contractor must put aside their high-tech roof measurement and estimating application and pull out the ol tri-ruler.
An app certainly can make it a lot easier to produce a roofing report and detailed cost estimate faster than you can say win the job for the whole darn subdivision.
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Total Square Footage Vs Number Of Squares
The number of roofing squares is simple enough to calculate in standard gable roofs. In many cases, all a roofing contractor needs to do to find out the pitch of your roof is measure the length and width of each plane, which form two sides of a triangle. The third side, the roof slope, is easy to find by using the Pythagorean Theorem.
However, some roofs have an intricate mansard or gambrel design that includes ridges, turns, and valleys, not just a plain sloping roof deck. In such projects, calculating the number of roof squares may be more complicated.
How To Measure Your Roofs Square Footage
The square footage of your roof has a huge impact on the cost of your replacement. It affects a number of cost factors, including the amount of materials used, labor, and time.
Be aware, the only way to get a 100 percent accurate measurement is to have a local roofing contractor come out to professionally measure your roof and give you a quote. However, I can give you the calculations to get a rough measurement of your homes square footage.
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What If You Have A Steep Roof
To measure a steep roof, use one of the following alternate methods:
Method 1
Calculate the roof length by measuring the exterior walls plus the overhang for the length of the house parallel to the ridge.
Next, throw a rope over the ridge and mark it where it meets each eave. This will give the width dimension to use in figuring your area. This should be done on each roof section containing a horizontal ridge.
Method 2
Determine the roof area by using a mathematical formula that accounts for the roof length, total span, and roof pitch:
How Big Is A Square Of Roofing Shingles
Simply put, a roofing square of roofing shingles is 100 square feet. This measurement unit is often applicable in the roofing and construction industries. However, you can use it to determine the cost and the number of shingles you should buy for your house.
To determine the number of roofing squares on your roof, you first calculate the roofs total square footage. That means you have to take the planes measurements on the rooftop and calculate the whole area. Youll then divide the figure by 100.
The most challenging part of determining a roofs total square footage is taking accurate measurements. Youll need to know the roofs slope and the size of all planes on the roof. It might also be tricky to access the roof, especially when the design is complex.
Calculating the square of roofing shingles doesnt have to be tricky. You can hire an expert roof contractor to help you do the job. Even if you have all it takes to determine the number of roofing shingles required, there are steps you must follow before that.
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Calculate Your Roofs Total Square Footage
To calculate the roofs total square footage, you have to go to the rooftop and measure the lengths and widths of the roof planes. But before doing that, you have to prepare adequately by assembling all the necessary tools and equipment.
Secure a stable ladder and wear essential safety gear, including work boots with improved traction. Dont forget to carry a tape measure to help you take accurate measurements. Get a pen and a notebook for recording the measurements.
In order to calculate the total square footage of the roof:
Pro Tip: As you take measurements, note the number of skylights, chimneys, and other obstructions on the roof. Such features may increase the number of planes on your roof.
Measuring Or Calculating Gable And Hip Lengths
The slope factor is also used to determine gable lengths when the run length is known. For example, in Figure 4 the bottom left gable measures 16 across from eave to eave and therefore has a run of 8. When this is multiplied by 1.202 the gable distance is 98 . Note that this run can also be multiplied by the hip/valley factor of 1.563 to get a valley length of 126.
Record all your calculations on your drawing as seen in Figure 5 below.
Figure 5. Completed Roof Plan Drawing
Pro Tip: A Note About Waste Factor
Once you have figured out your roof area, you will need to also calculate how much room you need to allow for waste. For metal roofing products on a medium complex roof a waste factor of 15% is advisable. In other words for the 2468 ft2 roof in our example you should multiply by 1.15 giving you 2838.2 ft2 roofing material needed.
Important Note: Most metal roofing products are packaged and sold by the square so for our example roof the number of squares or boxes to purchase is 29.
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How Much Does A Square Of Roofing Cost
The most frequent application for the term square throughout the roofing industry is in regard to pricing and ordering bundles of shingles, so it makes sense to cover the how much a square of roofing costs on average.
In the interest of time, well use the state of Massachusetts as our example. Massachusetts roofers price their projects between $5 and $9 per square foot. We can convert cost per square foot to cost per square by multiplying the original number by 100. So in Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding area, the cost of a square of roofing is between $500 and $900.
Calculating The Area From The Building’s Square Footage
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Varying Roof Styles Make The Term Roofing Square More Common
Another reason that you cant always divide square footage by 100 to get the number of square is because every roof shape and style is different
For example, measuring a gable roof is fairly straightforward, but measuring a gambrel or mansard style roof can be a bit more complicated. Waste becomes a major factor when measuring more intricate roofing types like mansard and hipped roofs. Waste happens when shingles need to be cut to fit tight spaces . They are not always nailed in even rows along the roof deck.
With more complex roof types, you quickly realize that not every square foot of measurement is created equal! Overall, the phrase roof square helps bridge the gap for projects both simple and complex.
As long as you have an experienced roofing contractor to work with, you can breathe easy knowing that at the end of the day, the correct amount of materials will get delivered and that your roof installation will go 100% according to plan! You can skip the hassle of measuring your roof, ordering materials, and DIYing the project by hiring Roof Hub. Our guarantees, time-tested processes, and 50 year warranty are just a few of many reasons hundreds of homeowners have trusted us with their #1 asset. If youd like to get started on a roof estimate, click here.
How Many Squares Is 3000 Square Feet
Please share if you found this tool useful:
| Conversions Table | |
|---|---|
| 10 Roofing Squares to Square Feet = 1000 | 800 Roofing Squares to Square Feet = 80000 |
| 20 Roofing Squares to Square Feet = 2000 | 900 Roofing Squares to Square Feet = 90000 |
| 30 Roofing Squares to Square Feet = 3000 | 1,000 Roofing Squares to Square Feet = 100000 |
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Roofing Squares: A Way To Measure Your Roof
So youve decided to re-shingle your roof, youve called the contractor and all seems well until the contractor comes down and you hear a term youre not familiar with, roofing square
What? you ask yourself, wondering what exactly the person you hired just said to you, did they mean a square foot, a panel, something else entirely? Dont worry, youre not alone. Its a question we at Rennison Roofing get all the time!
