The cost of a roof replacement is affected by variables such as materials, labor and accessories. One variable, often overlooked, can affect all others: the roof pitch. In today’s post, Pressure Point Roofing Eugene, LLC discusses the impact of roof pitch in calculating the roof replacement cost.
What Is Roof Pitch?
Pitch is the measure of a roofing plane’s steepness, represented as a fraction or a ratio with 12 inches — that is, one foot — as a denominator. The most commonly used roof pitch is 9/12, or nine inches of rise for every foot of run, and is considered by roofers as a “walkable” surface while keeping a considerable pitch. In comparison, low-slope roofs typically have 3/12 pitch, while extremely steep roofs can have up to 16/12 pitch. Even flat roofs on commercial buildings are slightly pitched at 0.25/12 to allow surface drainage.
Roof Pitch and Roofing Costs
If your roof replacement project involves building a new frame, you have the option to change its pitch to make the roof look more prominent or perhaps you need more headroom in the attic. Whatever the reason may be, it’s important to note that increasing the roof pitch will correspondingly increase the roof area, which, in turn will result in the following:
- More materials will be needed. A bigger roof area means you’ll need more materials: wood for the framing, boards for the decking, underlayment and, of course, the outer roofing. The amount of required fasteners, adhesives, moisture barriers and insulation will likewise increase.
- The project will require more labor. The more materials to be installed, the more hours will be needed to install them. Also, the increase in roof pitch will make the roofing surface more difficult to work on, which can also have an impact on the required hours.
- You will need bigger gutters. The steeper the roof, the more efficient it will be at shedding rain and snow. This means your old gutter system won’t be as efficient as it was and will need to be replaced with bigger ones.
Find out which roof pitch is best for your roofing budget with a consultation from the roofing professionals at Pressure Point Roofing Eugene, LLC Give us a call today at (541) 688-7663 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve communities in Springfield, Oregon.