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Have you ever noticed that when three different people measure a given rooftop for material take-off purposes or for other reasons, the results will likely be completely different? The reason why is simple, everybody has a different method of measuring a roof. By taking a few relatively simple steps one can consistently achieve accurate roof measurements and obtain lay-outs suitable for reconstruction or evaluation purposes.
Concise and accurate roof maps or lay-outs are critical for depicting locations of features and equipment as well as for quantifying materials; therefore the following steps should be considered:
- Initial survey or walk-about. Prior to collecting any information or data, do an initial rooftop survey looking for safety aspects as well as features or conditions pertinent to your scope. In the interest of safety you may want to consider conducting rooftop surveys with two people; walking backwards off a roof with Stanley tape measure in hand will ruin your day.
- Generate sketch or ‘footprint’ of the rooftop. This may be obtained from satellite photographs, building plans, property survey, or just hand sketching from the rooftop. Initially the accuracy of the sketch is not as important as pre-planning the measurements to be taken.
- Obtain measurements. The shape and complexity of the rooftop will likely determine the method and measuring device(s) utilized for gathering measurements. Naturally the old-fashioned tape measure whether steel or cloth remains the most accurate and dependable, again two people may be necessary. Measuring wheels should not be used on uneven surfaces, particularly on tile roofs. Of course reliance upon old fashioned ‘eyeballing’ is unacceptable. Pitched roofs require basic geometry and math. Use a pitch meter, and measure hips, ridges, eves, and rakes.
- Take photographs. Pictures of the roof may save your butt later when you miss something on your diagram or lay-out. Always take photos in a systematic manner or by dividing the rooftop in sections or quadrants.
Remember, relatively detailed mappings with measurements will not likely be discredited or discounted as being unrepresentative of the rooftop.
If you would like additional information on roof assessments, our building envelope group is ready to assist you. Please contact Steve Towne at stowne@brackenengineering.com.
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