Figuring Roof Square Footage

If your roof is flat or has no more than a 3 in 12 pitch you can calculate its total square footage by simply multiplying the length by the width.

Figuring roof square footage.

In cases where a roof has a complex shape such as in the image to the right measuring the dimensions and areas of each part of the roof to calculate total area will result in a more accurate measurement of area. Calculate square footage for a roof by measuring and by performing some basic math equations. The top ridge will be shorter than the one of the gable roof but the four hips will add. Check that your footage measurements are within this range so you can start off on the right foot.

The only difference in this calculation to the one for a gable roof area is the amount of the ridge. 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. With the area measurement you can learn the approximate cost of a new roof. Steep roofs measure your house at ground level then add in the roof s overhang for greater accuracy.

Calculate the square footage area of a hip roof. Next you will need to use a roofing materials calculator. When calculating square footage for your roof always add at least 10 percent of the total to account for waste. The calculator cannot account for complex shapes based on a measurement of square footage alone.