Estimate Roof Size

Estimate Roof Size | Get a Pro in Your Area

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To find your roof’s total square footage:
  1. Measure the length and width of each plane on the roof (including dormers) then multiply length times width.
  2. Add the square footage of each of the planes together.

The Technique For Estimating Square Footage of Hip Roofs is Different

There is a different technique I use when measuring “hip” roofs, which have 4 sides and are shaped kind of like a pyramid. These roofs make it tough to count shingles so, through trial and error, I came up with a little calculation that has provided me with another simple but accurate estimation. When using this second calculation, the total square footage number you end up with may be a little higher than what is actually there. But I would rather slightly over-estimate the size of a roof job rather than under-estimate it, like I did a few times early on. This was before I started using these two calculations.

For Hip Roofs, I measure the length of the house and then I measure the width. I then multiply these 2 numbers together and I take that number and multiply it by 1.35.

I should mention that I use a Canon digital camera that has a 10x “optical” zoom along with a 40x “digital” zoom (not really sure what the hell that means exactly) but it allows me to zoom in really close to get great photos of the flashing as well as the condition of the current roofing materials. Regardless of which brand of camera you use, I have found that the most important feature is the “size of the zoom” because it allows you to take great photos of just about any roof while standing on the ground.

Speaking of cameras, the second most important feature to have in a digital camera that you plan to use for your Property Preservation Business, is that the camera’s flash provides enough light for you to take “above average” quality pics in complete darkness.

How to Measure Roof Pitch

Knowing the pitch of your roof is useful when designing an addition, installing skylights, or cutting new rake boards. Here’s an easy, safe way to determine the pitch from inside your attic.

  1. To measure the roof pitch, you’ll need an 18- or 24-inch level, a tape measure, and a pencil.
  2. First, measure 12 inches from one end of the level and make a mark.
  3. Then, in the attic, place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level.
  4. Now measure vertically from the 12-inch mark on the level straight up to the underside of the rafter, as illustrated. That measurement is the number of inches the roof rises in 12 inches.

aerial roof measurement

What is the average size of a roof?

You will need to express this size in terms of square feet. Keep in mind that the average size of a roof is 1,700 square feet, so your total will likely be 10% higher or lower than this figure. Check that your footage measurements are within this range so you can start off on the right foot.

How Much Does A New Roof Cost?

The average roof replacement cost is $4,200-6,600 on a 1,600 sq.ft. ranch house using asphalt roof shingles.

However, if you use premium materials such as metal, wood shingles, clay tile, etc, the cost of your roof will be at least $9,500 – 16,000.

Roofing prices can vary widely depending on the size and complexity of your roof, type of materials you use, as well as your location.

Here are average roof replacement costs that contractors across the US charge to install a 1500 sq. ft. roof, including removal of one layer of old shingles.