How to Measure a Roof Size

Measuring the roof size is the first step to determining materials or costs necessary for roof repair or replacement. The process requires some simple geometry and mathematics along with the ability to make measurements on the roof of the home. After taking the measurements, the sum of the surface areas of the various roof segments determines the roof size.

Ladder
Tape measure
Pencil and paper
Calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Sketch the roof of the home, dividing the roof into individual geometric segments of squares, rectangles or triangles. The triangles include hip ends of the roof and areas where two roofs intersect. Each of these segments will require individual measurements.
- 2
  Use a ladder to climb on the roof of the house while carrying the tape measure. Measure the length and width of each rectangular or square segment. Measure the base or long side of each triangle along with the distance from this base to the peak or point above it. Note all of these measurements on a piece of paper.
- 3
  Calculate the area of each segment. The area of a square or rectangle is the length times the width. The area of a triangle is the length of the baseline times the height of the triangle divided by two.
- 4
  Add the area of each segment together to determine the total roof size.

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