Roof and Shingle Estimates

Roof and Shingle Estimates;

Home Estimate Cost will help you save money on your estimate or your home renovation. We offer new construction estimates, renovation estimates, and remodeling estimates. We even offer disaster estimates to help you cost out shingle repairs because of hurricane, flood, fire, wind and tornado.

We'll help you balance more workloads by preparing your construction project estimate. Save money by cutting out the need to hire extra personnel and lessening overhead expense. Know the price of each project before you get started. Pricing is based on your zip code or largest nearby city and is updated monthly.

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Roof Slopes

The architectural style of a house often determines the type of slope which are best suited. A contemporary design may have a flat or slightly pitched, a rambler or ranch type an intermediate slope, and a Cape Cod cottage a steep slope. Generally, however, the two basic types may be called flat or pitched, defined as (a) flat or slightly pitched in which roof and ceiling supports are furnished by one type of member, and (b) pitched where both ceiling joists and rafters or trusses are required.

The slope of the trusse framing is generally expressed as the number of inches of vertical rise in 12 inches of horizontal run. The rise is given first, for example, 4 in 12. A further consideration in choosing a slope is the type to be used. However, modern methods and materials provide a great deal of leeway in this. For example, a builup roof is usually specified for flat or very low pitched, but with different types of asphalt pitch and aggregate surfacing materials, slopes of up to 2 in 12 are sometimes used. Also, in sloped where wood or asphalt shingles might be selected, doubling the underlay and decreasing the exposure distance of the shingles will allow slopes of 4 in 12 and less.

Flat Roofs

Flat or low pitched sometimes known as shed roofs, can take a number of forms. Roof framing joists for flat are commonly laid level or with a slight pitch, with decking or sheathing on top and with the underside utilized to support the ceiling. Sometimes a slight slope may be provided for drainage by tapering the joist or adding a cant strip to the top.

The house design usually includes a one or two foot overhang beyond the wall. Insulation is sometimes used in a manner to provide for an airways just under the sheathing to minimize condensation problems in winter. Flat or low pitched of this type require larger sized members than steeper pitched slopes because they carry both rafter and ceiling loads.

The use of solid wood decking often eliminates the need for joists. Decking used between beams serves as: (a) Supporting members, (b) interior finish, and (c) deck sheathing. It also provides a moderate amount of insulation. In cold climates, rigid insulating materials are used over the decking to further reduce heat loss.

Gable Roof

Perhaps the simplest form of the pitched, where both rafters and ceiling joists are required because of the attic space formed, is the gable end. All rafters are cut to the same length and pattern and erection is relatively simple, each pair being fastened at the top to a ridge board. The ridge board is usually a 2 by 8 inch member for 2 by 6 inch rafters and provides support and a nailing area for the rafter ends.

Hip Roof

Hip rafters are framed the same as the center section of a rectangular house. The ends are framed with hip rafters which extend from each outside corner of the wall to the ridge board at a 45° angle. Jack rafters extend from the top plates to the hip rafters.

When spans are long and slopes are flat, it is common practice to use collar beams between opposing rafters. Steeper slopes and shorter spans may also require collar beams but only on every third rafter. Collar beams may be 2 by 6 inch material. In 2 story houses, 2- by 4-inch members or larger are used at each pair of rafters which also serve as ceiling joists for the finished rooms. Good practices to be followed in the nailing of rafters and ceiling joists.

Valleys

The valley is the internal angle formed by the junction of two sloping sides. The key member of valley construction is the valley rafter. In the intersection of two equal size sections, the valley rafter is doubled to carry the load, and is 2 inches deeper than the common rafter to provide full contact with jack rafters. Jack rafters are nailed to the ridge and toe nailed to the valley rafter with three ten penny nails.

In construction of small gable dormers, the rafters at each side are doubled and the side studs and the short valley rafter rest on these members. Side studs may also be carried past the rafter and bear on a soleplate nailed to the floor framing and sub-floor. This same type may be used for the sidewalls of shed dormers.

The valley rafter is also tied to the header. Methods of fastening at top plates conform to those previously described. Where future expansion is contemplated or additional rooms may be built in an attic, consideration should be given to framing and enclosing such dormers when the house is built.

Overhangs

In two story houses, the design often involves a projection or overhang of the second floor for the purpose of architectural effect, to accommodate brick veneer on the first floor, or for other reasons. This overhang may vary from 2 to 15 inches or more. The overhang should ordinarily extend on that side of the house where joist extensions can support the gable wall end. This extension should be provided with insulation and a vapor barrier.

When the overhang parallels the second floor joists, a doubled joist should be located back from the wall at a distance about twice the overhang.

In low slope designs, the style of architecture often dictates the use of a ridge beam. These solid, glue laminated, or nail laminated beams span the open area and are usually supported by an exterior wall at one end and an interior partition wall or a post at the center.

The beam must be designed to support the load for the span selected. Wood decking can serve both as supporting and sheathing. Spaced rafters placed over the ridge beam or hung on metal joist hangers serve as alternate framing methods. When a ridge beam and wood decking are used good anchoring methods are needed at the ridge and outer wall. Long ring shank nails and supplemental metal strapping or angle iron can be used at both bearing areas.

A combination of large spaced rafters (purlin rafters) which serve as beams for longitudinal wood or structural fiberboard decking is another system which might be used with a ridge beam. Rafters can be supported by metal hangers at the ridge beam and extend beyond the outer walls to form an overhang. Fastenings should be supplemented by strapping or metal angles.

Wood Roof Trusses

The simple truss or trussed rafter is an assembly of members forming a rigid framework of triangular shapes capable of supporting loads over long spans without intermediate support. It has been greatly refined during its development over the years, and the gusset and other preassembled types of wood trusses are being used extensively in the housing field. They save material, can be erected quickly, and the house can be enclosed in a short time.

Trusses are usually designed to span from one exterior wall to the other with lengths from 20 to 32 feet or more. Because no interior bearing walls are required, the entire house becomes one large workroom. This allows increased flexibility for interior planning, as partitions can be placed without regard to structural requirements.

These and similar trusses are most adaptable to houses with rectangular plans so that the constant width requires only one type of truss. However, trusses can also be used for L plans and for hips or special hip trusses can be provided for each end and valley area.

Trusses are commonly designed for 2 foot spacing, which requires somewhat thicker interior and exterior sheathing or finish material than is needed for conventional joist and rafter construction using 16 inch spacing. Truss designs, lumber grades, and construction details are available from several sources including the American Plywood Association.

The scissors truss is a special type used for houses in which a sloping living room ceiling is desired. Somewhat more complicated than the W-type truss, it provides good construction for a "cathedral" ceiling with a saving in materials over conventional framing methods.

Shingles

There are several types and weights of shingles to consider. In the country there isn't much wind shelter for a building, so it is good to have some kind of stick down shingle. This is to prevent the wind from catching the tabs and ripping the shingles up. As the pitch of the roof decreases, it gets flatter, and the chance of leaking increases.

A flat or no pitch would require a "hot" roof. This is done by applying alternate sheets of felt and hot tar or waterproof compounds. The end result is an on the job with no pitch. Slopes with less than 4-12 pitch require felt under the shingles. Steeper incline do not require felt except in areas where snow dams may occur or water may blow up under the shingles.

The felt makes a leak harder to find. Also felt frequently wrinkles causing the shingles to buckle. Actual fastening of the shingle is done by nails or staples. If they are highly mechanized nailers or staplers they will be pneumatically powered by a gasoline air compressor on the truck. People ask if the staples will pull out. The answer is the shingle will tear or rip before the staple will come out.

All estimate " Price Quotes" will depend on the size and detailed information that is provided by the customer for each room or project.

Roof Framing and Shingle Estimates (return to home page)

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