A roofing square is generally considered an area of the roof that measures 10×10 feet to make a total of 100 square ft. This vital unit of measurement assists the contractors in determining the material required for the roofing project Such as underlayment to bundles of roof shingles labor to replace or make a new roof.
Generally, the roofers determine the number of roofing squares required for an installation by measuring the length and the width of each side of the top plane surface on the roof. multiplying two numbers tells the square footage of each particular plane. In addition, the roof with a gable style is made up of two front and back sides of the structure. Some specific roof styles might require more sides based on their architectural design. Therefore, the total number of squares always comes after adding the planes and this process takes place every time the contract does the planes’ square footage. Nevertheless, there are several factors that determine the roofing cost. The primary factor is the size of the roof calculated through a proper measurement called a “roofing square”.
How many square feet in a roofing square?
In most cases, it takes about three bundles of roofing materials; asphalt shingles, to fill a roofing square. However, it ultimately depends on the material you shortlist for roof replacement. Buyers often do not understand the term “roof square” and want to see the cost broken up by square footage. Therefore, the aforementioned process is explained to have a better understanding of how the roofing measurements are calculated. The calculation is not rocket science and is DIY-friendly. All you have to do is take the cost per square and divide it by 100. For instance, if the roof cost is $600 per square, after calculation, it will come to $6 per square foot. If there is any confusion about any term during the roofing estimation, consult the expert roofing contractors to ask for an understandable explanation of the process.
Some Essential Steps of Square Footage Calculation
Now that you have learned completely about calculations of square footage and terms like roofing square, let’s understand a few more important things associated with roofs. Having adequate knowledge about roof square will have a tremendous impact from a cost standpoint. To ease things up, we have a simple formula to roughly calculate your roof’s square footage along with estimated roof cost. That said, always go for 100% accuracy in the calculations. If you are unable to do so, it is wise to reach out to a local roofing contractor so that they could perform the measurements with precision and accuracy.
Figure out your home’s footprint
If you are going to use the square footage method, most likely, you will end up with a vague idea of property measurement, wondering about the exact square footage of the roof. Therefore, it is highly recommended to figure out your property’s footprint.
For measuring the property footprint, you can use measuring tape or by simply taking steps from one end to the other. The stepping method will not have accurate measurements compared to measuring tape but that does not mean it is invalid, the data will only have slight variations. Further, follow the same step-off approach to measure the width of the property as well. Once you are done with the property’s length and width, multiply the two numbers to get your property’s footprint.
Width x Length = Property footprint
An uncommon way of measuring roofing dimensions may sound strange but it is best for DIY calculations. Plus, knowing the measurements of the property will provide a quick basic idea of the property footprint. Understand that the value of property’s square footage will always be different from the square footage of the roof.
Keep dimension and slop difficulties of roof in consideration
Generally, many homeowners overlook the fact that every roof’s dimensions vary from one another. However, it’s essential to consider all the factors when calculating the square footage. Other vital points such as roof’s steepness, edges, and slope might increase complexity if you multiply the property’s footprint.
Let us give you an example for better insight into a simple up-and-walkable roof. Simply multiply the roof’s footprint by 1.3 and you will get the value for the square footage.
The second type is a hip roof, which traditionally comes with low slope. For this multiply the roof’s footprint by 1.4 and you will have accurate value for the square footage of the top.
Lastly, multiply the roof’s footprint by 1.6 and you will get the accurate value for the square footage for complex and steep roofs.
Square footage calculation
Keeping the complexity and estimation of the slope of the roof, the next part is to calculate the roof’s square footage. For accurate and exact results, the following equation will help you get the flawless measurements.
Width of property x Length of property = Footprint of property
Complexity and slope x Footprint of property = Roof area square feet
For example, consider the gable roof of a home measures 56 feet, 28 feet in width, and 56 feet in length. Apply these values in the following equation to calculate the exact footprint of the property.
28′ width x 56′ length = 1,568’ property footprint
1,568′ x 1.3 simple up and over gable roof = 2,038 roof area square feet
Applying the above equation is a great way to calculate your roof estimations. However, knowing the roof’s square footage will provide an accurate idea of how much to invest in roof replacement. Once you get the roof’s rough square footage, apply the easy-as-pie equation mentioned above to get an idea of roofing cost.
Factors affecting your roofing cost
Traditionally, the total number of squares any roof has is considered the highest cost factor for roof replacement. To better understand what goes into the size of the investment, you need to be well aware of all other significant elements that play an important role in roofing costs. However, roof replacement is a sizable investment for every homeowner who is planning to go for it. Always run your ideas through an expert to have professional confirmation. A visit by professional contractors will provide you with an exact estimation and measurement.