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Square footage of a simple ranch home would be Base (length of the roof) x Height.
Obviously roofs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes but if you remember base x height and you cut up complicated roofs into sections (triangle shaped sections found on dormers are base x height divided by 2) you will be fine. I don't actually measure roofs when estimating roof cleaning in Cleveland and Columbus Ohio, I usually bring up a photo of their home on the internet and I can usaully get a good enough Idea from that what I need to charge ( I was a roofing contractor for several years so Im pretty good at guesstamating) unless its a HUGE job. I do measure once I get there to kind of keep track of how much chemical I use for x amount of squares.

-- Edited by mmcgue at 09:12, 2009-02-16

Larry wrote:

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Normally I always check the sq footage of their home on the local property appraisers web site. there should be a site like this for every town. Here is the one for Pinellas County Florida where I am. It is all public record. I also do a live map search or google map search and go into birds eye viewing to see what I'm in for before actuall giving the final price for a Roof Cleanng. I don't much care for surprises when Cleaning Roofs. I've given a price before from the front yard and gotten the job only to find out that they had a huge addition put on. OUCH!

-- Edited by Larry at 21:17, 2009-02-06

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I do the exact same thing For estimating Cleveland and Columbus Ohio roof cleaning. Luckily no surprises so far.


-- Edited by mmcgue at 09:15, 2009-02-16

I know what you mean Chris. My older customers are the worst. Like over 80 years old. They expect everything to be the same cost as stuff was back in the 50's. I had one retired old feller insult me, saying I was highway robbery! LOL! And he could do it himself or call his colored jackleg to get his roof cleaned for $100! My price was $300.

Mike Sullivan wrote:

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I know what you mean Chris. My older customers are the worst. Like over 80 years old. They expect everything to be the same cost as stuff was back in the 50's. I had one retired old feller insult me, saying I was highway robbery! LOL! And he could do it himself or call his colored jackleg to get his roof cleaned for $100! My price was $300.

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    Same here. The elderly have been around for a long time and know every trick in the book to try to get you to lower your price.  Even if you tell them your price is firm and suggest looking elsewhere they still want to keep negotiating.

Im a former property appraiser gone washer LOL. The best way to get the true sq.ftg. of a roof is to multiply the home ftg. by 1.25. I did some math and multiplied the home sq.ftg. by .18, which gets you .15 cents a foot on the roof. I know it sounds cheap but its a quick way to give an estimate and keeps the HO from calling the next guy on the list. I used to break the numbers down and charge .25 cents a sq.ft. but were in hard times right now and a quick honest estimate gets the job. I always use the local county appraisal site for the ftg. The numbers are never right but in the math you'll only gain or lose a few bucks. Just make sure you are aware of the type of roof (tile, shingle, flat, age, stories, and steepness). These are just my oppinions, but its workin for me quite well so far, as a rookie that is :) If all else fails ask CHRIS.