Estimating Roofing Materials For Your Next Project

Sep 18
15:59

2011

Andrea Avery

Andrea Avery

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Want to know how much your next roofing project will cost? The guide below will provide you with a few tips to help you figure out your material expenses.

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Estimating the exact amount of material you will need to complete a roofing project can seem like a daunting task at first. Due to the various angles of some areas,Estimating Roofing Materials For Your Next Project Articles it can be difficult to calculate the number of shingles, nails and underlayment required. Professionals deal with this issue through the use of a special system that offers materials amount in units referred to as “squares”, or 100 square ft. or flat roof area. Once you have figured out how many of these squares make up your total roof area, you should be able to determine how much material is needed to complete your project. In this article, we will walk you through the estimation process.

Step 1 – Grab your tape measure and hop on top of your roof. The first measurement should be from the eaves to the main top part of the roof. The second should be from one end to the other. Multiply the first measurement by the second to obtain your final number.

Step 2 – Repeat the process as outlined in step one for each individual section of the roof. If you happen to have areas that are not rectangular or square, try and make use of the longest span to use in your calculations. Make sure to be thorough in your measurements in order to obtain a figure that is closest to the actual material amount you will require.

Step 3 – After you’ve determined the total square footage, add the amount to10% of the total. For example: A roof with a square footage of 4000 square feet would provide you with a figure of 4,400. Likewise, 2,000 ft. would equal 2,200.

Step 4 – Next, divide the figure by 100 to obtain the number of squares your project with require. For the second example provided above, you would need a total of 22 squares.

Step 5 – Making use of the same roofing square figure, order the proper amount of felt underlayment. The number of nails required can be determined by simply multiplying the total number of squares by 350. 350 is typically the number of nails that will be used for each individual square.

Step 6 – After you’ve determined your material needs, the next step in your project process involves finding someone to complete the job. While estimating material costs can be accomplished easily by the novice handyman, a full-scale project should typically be attended to by an experienced professional. In this way, you will be able to double check your calculations while ensuring that the project is completed properly and within a reasonable time frame.

Step 7 – Purchasing your own roofing materials will not only help you save money, but will ensure that the materials used in your project are of the quality you intend.

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