How the math works
A "square" in roofing is 100 square feet of roof surface. So 2,000 sq ft of roof = 20 squares.
But if you measured from the floor plan (footprint), you need to multiply by the pitch factor to get the actual sloped surface:
- 4/12 pitch → multiply by 1.054
- 6/12 pitch → multiply by 1.118
- 8/12 pitch → multiply by 1.202
- 10/12 pitch → multiply by 1.302
- 12/12 pitch → multiply by 1.414
Then add waste (10 to 18%) for cuts and overhangs. The result is how much material you need to order, not how much covers the roof.
How many bundles of shingles?
Three bundles per square is the standard. So 23 squares = 69 bundles. Order 70 for cushion.
Architectural shingles average $35 to $45 per bundle at supplier prices, so material cost: roughly $2,450 to $3,150 for shingles alone. Add underlayment, ice & water shield, drip edge, ridge cap, and flashings.
Want the full quote, not just shingles?
This calculator gives you the squares number. To turn that into a complete bid (tear-off, labor, materials, markup, signed PDF), you need a proper estimating tool. Read our full guide or skip ahead and let RoofMetric do every step in 5 minutes.
The rest of the job, not just the measurement
A squares number is where a job starts. What decides whether it becomes work is whether the homeowner can reach a real person the afternoon they are ready to say yes.
Front Desk: a business line that rings your phone
A real business phone number for your company, built in. Place and answer calls, keep a shared call log the whole team can see, and text customers from a number that is not your cell. Incoming calls ring your iPhone with the standard call screen, on the lock screen, whether the app is open or closed. Every paid plan includes a real business phone number, free, with 120 minutes a month. See how Front Desk works.
Tax Central: expenses, receipts and W-9s
Track business expenses by job and by Schedule C category, so profit per job is a number you can see rather than one you work out in January. Scan a receipt with your camera, and collect a signed W-9 from every subcontractor you pay. See what each plan includes.
Front Desk and Tax Central, answered
Does RoofMetric include a business phone number?
Yes. Every paid plan includes a real business phone number at no extra cost, with 120 minutes a month. You pick your own local number in about thirty seconds. Calls and texts run from the app or a browser and always show the business number rather than a personal cell, and every call files itself against the customer it came from.
What does the AI receptionist actually do?
Turn on the AI receptionist and she answers when you cannot. She knows your services, your hours and your service area, books estimates straight onto your calendar, takes a message when the caller needs a person, and emails you the recording and a summary. Both sides are told the call is recorded, and recording can be switched off. It is optional: the business line works on its own with your team answering.
Do incoming calls ring the phone when the app is closed?
Yes, on iPhone. Front Desk calls ring with the standard iPhone call screen, on the lock screen, whether the app is open, in the background or closed, and appear in Recents like any other call. An Android build is in development with no release date announced.
Can I track expenses and 1099 paperwork in RoofMetric?
Yes, in Tax Central. Track business expenses by job and by Schedule C category, scan a receipt with your camera to fill in the vendor, amount and category, and collect a signed W-9 from every subcontractor you pay. Taxpayer numbers are encrypted and shown only as the last four digits.
