Measure a roof from the ground

  Take the following steps to measure your roof from the ground:

1. Determine your roof pitch ( See roofpitch) if you need help.
2. Make a outline of your roof on paper.
3. Go all the way around your house and fill in your outline with your measurements making sure to account for overhang.
4.Section off your roof and write your calculations down as shown below (Dotted Lines).
5. Hips and top ridge: Visually count how many ridge pieces are on your roof. Multiply the pieces by inches based on exposure, then divide by feet. eg: Exposure comp shingles 5.5", shake 10", tile 13.5"-14". You may want to measure a couple to be sure.
Binoculars can be helpful on high roofs.
6. Rakes and Valleys: Visually count how many rows of existing roofing, multiply by inches base on exposure, then divide by feet.
7. Open the roof calculator program, select the appropriate roof pitch.
8. Enter your measurements for roof area, hip etc.

If you are totaling these numbers by hand don't forget to add for pitch to the roof area, hips, valleys and gables (Rakes). See below for the amount to add for pitch:  

Or:

Open the RoofCalculator program, Click the add pitch box, select your pitch and the correct amount will be added automatically to your totals.