Roofing Estimating Services: Squares, Pitch and Waste From the Plans

Roofing subs bid two kinds of work: the existing roof, measured from the air or the ladder, and the new roof, measured from a plan set before there is a roof to look at. This page is about the second. A roofing estimating service that works from plans reads the roof plan and the sections, applies the pitch, and gives you squares you can price and material you can order.

What a roofing estimating service measures

• Plan area by roof section, and the sloped area by pitch — a 6:12 roof covers about 12 percent more than its footprint, a 12:12 roof about 41 percent more.
• Squares per section and in total, at the waste factor you specify.
• Ridges, hips and valleys by the linear foot, for cap and flashing.
• Eaves and rakes by the foot, for drip edge, starter and gutters if they are in your scope.
• Penetrations as counts: vents, pipes, chimneys, skylights.
• Underlayment, ice-and-water at eaves and valleys, and decking where the plans call for it.

Plan takeoff or aerial report?

For an existing roof an aerial measurement report is quicker and does not need drawings; services sell those from about fifteen dollars. For a new build or a remodel with plans, there is no roof to photograph yet, and the quantities come from the drawings — footprint, pitch and sections. The two are not interchangeable, and a roofing estimating service should be clear about which one it does. This guide, and the service it links to, are about the plan takeoff.

What to put in the scope note

• Pitch per section where the plan does not state it, and any section with a different pitch from the rest.
• Waste factor: your number, so squares come back ready to order.
• Underlayment and ice-and-water coverage, if you want them quantified.
• Which accessories are in scope: drip edge, starter, ridge vent, gutters, flashing.
• The roofing material, since standing seam and asphalt shingle do not take off the same way.

What it costs

Published starting prices for a roofing takeoff from a plan set sit around $150 to $199, with one roofing-specific service offering an on-demand price near that figure and a monthly package from about $1,299 for a set number of residential projects. Turnaround claims range from a few hours to three days; read the FAQ for the number that applies to a set like yours. The full comparison, with each provider's own published terms, is in our takeoff services cost guide.

The checks before it reaches a bid

• Confirm the pitch per section against the sections on the drawings, not against the roof plan alone.
• Multiply one section's footprint by its pitch factor by hand and compare.
• Check that hips, valleys and ridges are reported as feet, not folded into the area.
• Know whether waste is in the squares before you order.

Written by the team at Opulence Built, who also run an insulation and concrete contracting business. We mention our own software where it is relevant and say so when we do.