How Many Shingles for a 5,000 Square Foot House?
Roofing squares needed
61.5 squares
A 5,000 square foot footprint, 100 by 50, at a 6/12 pitch with ten percent waste.
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How that number is worked out
These are the figures this page was built with and every line the calculator produces from them. Change anything above and all of it moves.
- Building length100 ft
- Building width50 ft
- Roof pitch, rise per 12 in6 /12
- Waste allowance10 %
- Ridge length, 0 if unknown100 ft
Roofing squares needed61.5 squares
| Footprint area | 5,000 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Slope multiplier at 6/12 | 1.12 x |
| Actual roof surface | 5,590 sq ft |
| Squares before waste | 55.9 |
| Squares with 10% waste | 61.5order to this number |
The material list this produces
| Shingles, bundles (3 per square) | 185 |
|---|---|
| Synthetic underlayment, rolls (10 sq each) | 7 |
| Starter strip, linear ft | 336 |
| Ridge cap, linear ft | 100 |
| Drip edge, linear ft | 300 |
| Roofing nails, lb | 135 |
Roof pitch compared
Pitch is the number most people guess at, and it is worth more shingles than any other input. Same house, five pitches.
| Roof pitch | Roofing squares needed |
|---|---|
| 4/12 | 58 squares |
| 6/12 | 61.5 squares |
| 8/12 | 66.1 squares |
| 10/12 | 71.6 squares |
| 12/12 | 77.8 squares |
What else matters here
Five thousand square feet of footprint at 6/12 is 5,590 square feet of roof, 61.5 squares with waste, a hundred and eighty five bundles.
A reroof at this scale needs a permit almost everywhere, and the inspection usually comes in two parts: one after the tear off with the deck exposed and the ice and water membrane down, and a final after the shingles are on. Pulling the permit is the contractor's job and the homeowner's problem if it was skipped, because an unpermitted roof surfaces at resale.
Verify the contractor separately from the bid. A state license number where the state licenses roofers, a certificate of insurance sent directly from their carrier rather than a copy they hand over, general liability and workers compensation both current, and manufacturer certification if an extended system warranty is part of the deal. Pay a deposit and progress payments against milestones, never the full amount in advance, and hold the final payment until the inspection has passed and the site is clean.
What this calculator assumes
- Footprint times the slope multiplier gives the actual roof surface. A 6/12 roof is 11.8 percent larger than the ground it covers, which is the number most people forget.
- Three bundles per square is standard for both three tab and architectural shingles. Check your brand, a few premium lines run four.
- Synthetic underlayment is figured at 10 squares per roll, starter and ridge cap at one linear foot per foot.
Questions people ask
How many bundles of shingles for a 5,000 sq ft house?
About 185 bundles at a 6/12 pitch with ten percent waste, which is 61.5 squares.
Do I need a permit to replace a roof?
In most jurisdictions yes, and the inspection often comes in two visits, one with the deck exposed and one at completion. The contractor pulls it, but an unpermitted roof becomes the owner's problem at resale.
How do I check a roofing contractor?
License number where the state licenses roofers, a certificate of insurance sent directly by their carrier, current general liability and workers compensation, and manufacturer certification if an extended warranty is promised.
The roofing calculator takes any dimensions you like and hands back the same list.