What’s in a roof measurement report
Every line of a roof report explained — what it means and how roofers use it.
Area and squares
Total roof area is the sloped surface of every roof plane, including overhangs, in square feet. Squares is that area divided by 100 — the unit roofers price and order by. See what is a roofing square.
Pitch
The predominant pitch is the slope that covers the most roof area. Area by pitch splits the total by slope so steep sections can be priced separately. See roof pitch explained.
Facets (roof planes)
Each flat surface of the roof is a facet. A simple gable roof has 2; a hip roof has at least 4; complex roofs can have 20 or more. More facets usually means more cutting and more waste.
Linear measurements
- Eaves — the horizontal bottom edges where gutters hang. Starter strip goes here.
- Rakes — the sloped edges at gable ends.
- Perimeter — eaves plus rakes; the length of drip edge you need.
- Ridges — the horizontal peaks where two planes meet at the top.
- Hips — the sloped outside corners where two planes meet.
- Valleys — the sloped inside corners where water runs between planes. They need leak barrier.
Waste table
The waste table shows the area, squares and bundles at several waste percentages, with a suggested value for the roof’s complexity. See roofing waste factor.
Imagery date and quality
Aerial reports are only as current as the imagery. The report should always show when it was captured, so you know whether a recent addition or re-roof is reflected.