Field roofing by system
Asphalt three-tab and architectural shingles, standing seam metal, tile, slate, TPO, EPDM, PVC and modified bitumen
SQPlane area times pitch factor, divided by 100
Division 07 · Roofing
Roofing estimates measured in squares, pitched for the real roof
A roof bid built from the footprint and a guessed waste factor is a roof bid that loses money on hips, valleys and dormers. Our roofing estimators take every plane off the roof plan, apply the pitch factor to convert flat area to true area, and count the linear feet of ridge, hip, valley, eave and rake that drive flashing, starter and accessory quantities. Steep-slope shingle, metal, tile and slate, low-slope TPO, EPDM and modified bitumen, new construction or tear-off, each priced for the project zip code.
5,000+
Projects estimated
24–48h
Typical turnaround
40+
Trade categories
98%
Takeoff accuracy
Specialized services
Roofing Estimating specialties
Dedicated pages for each type of roofing work we price.
Scope of takeoff
Roofing quantities we take off
Measured plane by plane from the roof plan, elevations and details, with waste assigned per material and roof complexity.
Scroll through all 12 line items
Overview
How roofing estimators turn a roof plan into squares
Roofing is quantified in squares, and one square is 100 square feet of finished roof surface. The estimator starts with the roof plan, breaks the roof into planes, measures the flat area of each plane and multiplies by the pitch factor for its slope: a 6:12 roof carries a factor of 1.118, a 12:12 roof a factor of 1.414. The sum of the true areas, divided by 100, is the base square count. From the same plan we pull linear feet of eave, rake, ridge, hip and valley, because those lines govern drip edge, starter strip, ridge cap, hip cap and valley metal far more than the field area does.
Waste is where roofing estimates diverge. A simple gable with two planes wastes around 10 percent of shingles to cuts and starter; a cut-up hip roof with multiple valleys and dormers can run 15 to 20 percent, and architectural shingles waste differently than three-tab because of their exposure. We assign waste by roof complexity rather than a single blanket number, and we carry it separately for field shingles, underlayment, ice and water shield and metal so each material is ordered in the bundles, rolls and sheets it actually ships in. Fasteners, pipe boots, step flashing and vents are counted, not percentaged.
Low-slope work follows a different logic. Membrane roofs are measured in squares too, but the cost lives in the insulation stack, cover board, tapered crickets, drains, scuppers, curbs and the perimeter and corner zones where uplift pressures demand tighter fastening or full adhesion. Whether the project is a new build, a full tear-off, a change in roof form, a commercial re-cover or a leak repair, this hub page and its five linked pages explain what we measure, how labor is built by crew-day and pitch, and what the delivered workbook looks like for each type of roofing scope.
Estimate types
What type of roofing estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
| Estimate type | Accuracy | Turnaround | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
Plan-and-spec roofing bid Complete Division 07 roofing pricing from construction documents: squares by system, underlayment, flashing, accessories, ventilation and labor by pitch, organized for the bid form. | ±4% | 24–48 hours | Competitive roofing bids |
Roofing takeoff only Squares, linear feet and counts with waste by material, delivered as a bill of materials for roofing contractors who price labor and supplier costs in-house. | Quantities only | 24 hours | Roofers with their own pricing |
Budget roofing estimate Square-count budgets from schematic roof plans or aerial measurements, with system alternates and documented assumptions for pre-design planning. | ±10% | 24 hours | Developers and GCs budgeting early |
Insurance scope estimate Roof scope priced in Xactimate line items with photo-referenced quantities, matching adjuster scopes for storm and hail claims. | ±5% | Same day to 24 hours | Restoration roofers and adjusters |
Portfolio roof budgeting Square counts and replacement budgets across multiple buildings from aerial imagery and roof reports, for capital planning and reserve studies. | ±8% | Scheduled per portfolio | Property managers and owners |
Process
How our estimating process works
Four steps from upload to a bid-ready estimate, with a senior estimator signing off before anything leaves our desk.
- 1
Upload plans and scope
Send your drawings, specifications and bid invitation through the secure upload form. We confirm scope, deadline and a fixed price within two business hours.
- 2
Digital quantity takeoff
Estimators measure every item from calibrated plans in Bluebeam and PlanSwift, color-coding each layer so quantities can be traced back to the drawing.
- 3
Pricing and labor
Quantities are priced with location-adjusted material costs, crew productivity rates and equipment, then marked up to your overhead and profit targets.
- 4
Senior review and delivery
A second estimator audits quantities and pricing, documents assumptions and exclusions, and delivers your Excel workbook, PDF summary and marked-up plans.
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
- 01
Every roof plane is measured and pitch-factored individually, so cut-up hip roofs are not priced like simple gables.
- 02
Waste factors assigned by roof complexity and shingle type, carried separately for field, underlayment, membrane and metal.
- 03
Eave, rake, ridge, hip and valley lengths, pulled from the plan to drive flashing, starter and cap quantities exactly.
- 04
Ventilation sized to net free area from the, attic footprint rather than guessed from a count of existing vents.
- 05
Low-slope insulation, cover board, tapered, crickets and uplift zones quantified by layer the way the manufacturer's warranty requires.
- 06
Material priced per bundle, roll, sheet and box from current distributor quotes for the project zip code.
- 07
Labor built per square by system, pitch and roof height, with tear-off, staging and safety setup itemized separately.
- 08
Five linked pages cover new roofing, replacement, remodeling, renovation and repair so you get the right scope logic every time.
What's included in your estimate package
Every deliverable is formatted so it can go straight into a proposal, a purchase order or an owner report.
XLSX
Estimate workbook
PDF
Marked-up plans
XLSX
Material procurement list
XLSX
Labor hours by task
Estimate workbook XLSX
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
Marked-up plans PDF
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
Material procurement list XLSX
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
Labor hours by task XLSX
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
Assumptions and exclusions log PDF
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
Bid summary sheet PDF
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
Clients
Who relies on our estimates
From single-trade subs to national developers, every client gets the same measured-twice standard.
General Contractors
Bid more work without adding estimating headcount. We deliver division-by-division numbers you can level against sub quotes.
Subcontractors
Trade-specific takeoffs with labor hours and material lists, ready to drop into your proposal.
Developers & Owners
Feasibility budgets and bid reviews that tell you whether the numbers you are seeing are fair.
Home Builders & Remodelers
Lumber lists, finish schedules and allowance-based budgets homeowners understand.
Lenders & Insurers
Replacement cost and draw-schedule estimates documented to underwriting standards.
Reviews
What contractors say after their first bid with us
What general contractors, subcontractors and developers say after bidding with our numbers.
Trustpilot
“Squares, underlayment, flashing lengths, fastener counts, even the ridge vent. The waste factors were right for the roof pitch. Bid-ready out of the box.”
Greg Lindqvist
Estimator, Summit Roofing Co. · Kansas City, MO
Google
“We were turning down bids because our two in-house estimators were buried. LEEDS gave us division-by-division numbers in 48 hours that leveled cleanly against our sub quotes. We bid 40% more work last quarter and our hit rate went up, not down.”
Marcus Whitfield
Chief Estimator, Whitfield Commercial Builders · Charlotte, NC
Google
“Lumber lists, finish schedules and allowances in a format our clients actually understand. The assumptions log alone has saved us from two scope disputes.”
Luis Herrera
Project Manager, Sierra Ridge Homes · Phoenix, AZ
Nationwide
Priced for your zip code in all 50 states
Labor rates, material costs and code requirements are adjusted to the project location, not a national average.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
FAQ
Roofing Estimating FAQs
Straight answers on scope, turnaround, pricing and deliverables.
How do you calculate roofing squares from a flat roof plan?
We measure the flat area of each roof plane from the calibrated plan, multiply it by the pitch factor for that plane's slope, then sum the true areas and divide by 100 to get squares. Pitch factors come from the slope shown on the elevations or sections, and when a plane's pitch is not labeled we derive it from ridge height and span and note the assumption.
What waste factor do you use for shingles?
It depends on the roof. Simple gables carry roughly 10 percent, hip roofs 12 to 15 percent, and roofs with multiple valleys, dormers and turrets 15 to 20 percent. Architectural shingles, three-tab, metal panels and tile each waste differently, so we assign waste per material and per roof complexity and show the factor in the workbook where you can adjust it.
Do you estimate both steep-slope and low-slope roofing?
Yes. Steep-slope shingle, metal, tile and slate roofs are measured by plane and pitch with flashing and accessories by linear foot. Low-slope TPO, EPDM, PVC, modified bitumen and built-up roofs are measured by area with insulation by layer, cover board, tapered crickets, drains, curbs and perimeter fastening zones itemized according to the manufacturer's assembly and the uplift requirements on the drawings.
Which roofing page should I use for my project?
New roofing covers ground-up construction where the deck is new. Roof replacement covers full tear-off and re-roof on an existing building. Roofing remodeling covers changing the roof form or material, such as adding dormers or switching shingle to metal. Roofing renovation covers commercial re-covers and restoration coatings, and roof repair covers leaks, flashing, storm damage and partial replacement. If the scope mixes types, send it here and we will split it.
Can you work from aerial measurements instead of drawings?
Yes. For existing roofs without drawings we work from aerial measurement reports, satellite imagery or your field sketch with pitch readings, and we reconcile the plane areas against the building footprint before applying waste. The workbook flags any plane where the pitch or edge type was assumed so your crew can verify it on the ladder inspection.
How quickly can I get a roofing estimate back?
Single-family and small commercial roofs are usually delivered within 24 hours. Multifamily complexes, cut-up institutional roofs and large low-slope buildings with tapered insulation take 48 hours. Multi-building portfolios are scheduled individually and we confirm the delivery date before we start measuring. Rush delivery for bid-day deadlines is available on request.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Ready for a roofing estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.