# DIY Roofing Estimate
Each plane, or two-dimensional area, of your roof requires a separate calculation for area to estimate the cost of a roofing job. This ensures that your materials estimate is as accurate as possible. Getting up on your roof to take measurements allows you to get comfortable with the pitch (steepness) before you have to handle tools while there. If you are not comfortable taking the measurements, consider hiring a professional contractor for the project. Do not risk your own safety just to save a few dollars.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Ladder
- Notepad
- Pencil
Instructions
-
-
1
Measure the length and width of each plane of your roof and multiply the length by the width together to get the area's square footage. Write down and keep your measurements.
-
2
Add all of the areas together for your total square footage. Multiply this by .10 to add 10 percent to the estimate. This allows for extra materials for overhangs and mistakes.
-
3
Find the price per square foot for the new roofing material you want to use and multiply that by your total square footage.
-
4
Find the price per square foot for any underlayment, such as tarpaper, that you plan to add to your roof before the new roofing and multiply that by your square footage.
-
5
Determine the number of fasteners you will need by dividing your roof area by 100 and then multiplying by 320. This is the average fastener number for standard shingles. For tarpaper fasteners, multiply your total square footage by six to get an average number of staples needed.
-
6
Return to your written measurements and find only the length measurement or measurements that represent the roof peak. Add these together to get your ridge material measurement in linear feet. Find the price per linear foot for your ridge material and multiply that by your measurement. The sum of all these estimates is your total cost estimate for your roof.
-
1
