Hip Roof Calculator
A hip roof slopes on all four sides and meets at a central ridge — giving a more wind-resistant profile than a gable roof. Because all sides are sloped, hip roofs have slightly more surface area and more cuts at the hip corners. Enter your footprint and pitch below for an accurate material estimate.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your roof's length and width — measure the outer footprint of the building, not the slope length.
- Select your roof pitch (rise:12). If unsure, see the pitch reference table below or count the rise in inches for every 12 inches of horizontal run.
- Choose your shingle type and adjust the waste factor (add more for complex rooflines).
- Read your squares, bundles, and underlayment rolls from the result panel — use these numbers to get supplier quotes.
How we calculate this
Hip roof area is calculated as footprint area × pitch multiplier × 1.05. The 1.05 factor accounts for the additional surface area at the four hip corners relative to a gable of the same footprint and pitch. Ridge length for a hip roof equals length minus width, so a 40 × 30 ft roof has a 10 ft ridge. The rest of the material calc (squares, bundles, underlayment) is identical to a gable roof.
Pitch multiplier reference
The pitch multiplier converts your flat footprint to actual sloped roof area. A steeper roof means more material.
| Pitch | Multiplier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1:12 | 1.0035 | Almost flat — commercial membrane |
| 2:12 | 1.0138 | Low slope — common on additions |
| 3:12 | 1.0308 | Low pitch — walkable |
| 4:12 | 1.0541 | Moderate — ranch homes |
| 5:12 | 1.0833 | Standard |
| 6:12 | 1.118 | Standard — most common in US |
| 7:12 | 1.1577 | Moderate-steep |
| 8:12 | 1.2019 | Steep — requires toe boards |
| 9:12 | 1.25 | Very steep |
| 10:12 | 1.3017 | Very steep — safety harness required |
| 12:12 | 1.4142 | 45° — high-end residential |
Example material estimates — Hip Roof at 6:12 pitch
Pre-calculated for common house footprints. Click any row to pre-fill the calculator above.
| Footprint | Roof Area | Squares | Bundles (arch.) | Underlayment | Ridge Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800 sq ft (33 × 24 ft) | 939 sq ft | 10.8 | 33 bundles | 3 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 1,000 sq ft (37 × 27 ft) | 1,174 sq ft | 13.5 | 41 bundles | 3 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 1,200 sq ft (40 × 30 ft) | 1,409 sq ft | 16.2 | 49 bundles | 4 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 1,500 sq ft (44 × 34 ft) | 1,761 sq ft | 20.3 | 61 bundles | 5 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 1,800 sq ft (49 × 37 ft) | 2,113 sq ft | 24.3 | 73 bundles | 6 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 2,000 sq ft (51 × 39 ft) | 2,348 sq ft | 27 | 82 bundles | 6 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 2,400 sq ft (57 × 42 ft) | 2,817 sq ft | 32.4 | 98 bundles | 8 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 2,500 sq ft (58 × 43 ft) | 2,935 sq ft | 33.8 | 102 bundles | 8 rolls | 1 bundles |
| 3,000 sq ft (64 × 47 ft) | 3,522 sq ft | 40.5 | 122 bundles | 9 rolls | 1 bundles |
Includes 15% waste. Architectural shingles, 3 bundles/square.
What this calculator doesn't include
The 1.05 hip adjustment is an industry approximation. Unusually short or wide buildings may vary. Valley and hip cap shingles are not separately itemized here — they are included in the waste factor. Ridge cap is estimated from the ridge run only (not the hip runs).
Frequently asked questions
Yes, typically 10–20% more in labour and slightly more in materials because of the additional cuts at the four hip corners and the longer runs of hip cap shingles. The extra cost is often worth it in hurricane-prone regions where hip roofs perform significantly better.
For a rectangular building, the ridge length of a hip roof equals the building length minus the building width. A 50 × 30 ft house has a 20 ft ridge. If length equals width (square footprint), the ridge length is zero and you have a pyramid hip roof.
Hip roofs have four angled hip corners where each course of shingles must be cut diagonally, generating more off-cuts than a straight gable run. A 15% waste factor is standard; increase to 20% for smaller or more complex hip roofs.
Yes. Hip cap shingles cover the four diagonal hip runs from ridge to eave, while ridge cap covers the horizontal ridge at the top. Measure each hip run and divide by 35 to get additional bundles needed (most hip cap products cover ~35 linear feet per bundle).
Yes — shingle type is independent of roof style. Architectural (dimensional) shingles are the most popular choice for both styles. Hip and ridge cap shingles are a separate product designed to flex over the ridge/hip angle; most manufacturers sell them to match their full shingle lines.