Roofs and slopes

A roof plan shows each roof plane flat, as seen from above. The roof itself is bigger: a plane at 6:12 has about 12% more surface than its plan, and its sloped edges are longer than they look. Give the item its pitch and TakeoffCraft measures along the slope.

Typing a pitch

A pitch is the rise per 12 of run, as on the roof plan's pitch symbols. Type it as 6:12, 6/12 or just 6; another run works too (4:10 is 4.8:12). An angle works with a degree sign: 26.57°. Blank or 0 is flat.

Roof areas

1. Make an area item for the roofing, or open the one you have.
2. In its settings, type the Pitch, such as 6:12.
3. Outline each roof plane on the plan with Area, as usual.

Each plane counts its plan area times the slope factor: √(1 + (rise ÷ 12)²), 1.118 at 6:12 and 1.414 at 12:12. Select a plane to see its Area (on the slope), its Plan area and the Slope factor.

Planes with another pitch: select the plane and type its own Pitch in its panel. Leave it blank to use the item's. The 3D check view, the assemblies (A is the sloped area), the costs and the export all use the sloped area. Back-outs on a pitched plane, such as skylights, come off at the same slope.

The perimeter (P) stays the plan perimeter. Measure eaves, rakes, hips and valleys as runs (below).

Rakes, hips and valleys

1. Make a linear item, such as "Rake edge" or "Hips".
2. Set its Slope to Rake (a sloped edge, like a gable's) or Hip or valley (the line where two planes meet), and type the Pitch of the roof planes.
3. Draw the runs on the plan with Linear.

A rake counts its plan length times the slope factor. A hip or valley runs at 45° across the plan between two planes of the same pitch, so its true length is its plan length times √(1 + (rise ÷ 12)² ÷ 2): 1.061 at 6:12, 1.225 at 12:12.

One run can mix them. Select it: each segment in its panel has a slope list — Item's (the item's setting), Level, Rake or Hip or valley — and its length along the slope. A run's own Pitch in the panel replaces the item's for all its segments. The panel also shows the Plan length, and the labels on the sheet show the lengths along the slope.

Deducts still work: a deducted segment counts nothing, sloped or not.