Tools · Roofing

Turn roof lengths and pitch into an area range

Measure the plan of the building, not the slope, then add the pitch. The arithmetic stays in this tab.

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Lengths you can measure from the ground plan

Use metres. Width is eaves-to-eaves across the building, not along one slope.

35° is a typical tiled pitch, not a measurement of your house.

What the formula assumes

Plan area is length × width. Sloped area is plan area ÷ cos(pitch). A hip roof multiplies that sloped area by 1.12. Cutting allowance then adds the percentage you chose.

The page does not model dormers, valleys, two different pitches, or a chimney stack. Those change a take-off. A 12% hip factor is a first look, not a survey.

Four London roofing cards publish a £1,000 workmanship guarantee. That is a warranty line, not a price per square metre. Read the cost notes before you treat any pound figure as a bill.

Questions about this area

Does this include dormers, valleys or chimneys?

No. It treats a simple rectangle. Dormers, valleys, hips beyond a 12% allowance, and chimney cutting sit outside the figure.

Is the area a materials order?

No. A merchant or roofer still takes off the covering. Use the range on a call, not as a pallet count.

What pitch should I use if I do not know it?

Many tiled UK roofs sit near 35 degrees. If you are unsure, ask the roofer rather than inventing a steep pitch.