Identifying Roof Types

Read the roof from the street

Before you ever set a ladder, the roof's shape tells you how it handles wind, where water collects and how complex the estimate will be.

Gable

Two slopes forming a triangle at each end. Simple and common, but gable ends are vulnerable to wind uplift.

Hip

Slopes on all four sides meeting at a ridge. Very wind-resistant; more hip and ridge cap footage.

Dutch gable / gablet

A hip roof with a small gable at the top. Combines both detail sets.

Mansard

Four-sided double slope with a steep lower section. Common on older and multi-family buildings.

Gambrel

Barn-style, two slopes per side. Steep lower slope adds steep charges.

Shed / skillion

A single sloped plane. Often on additions and modern homes.

Flat / low-slope

Under 3/12. Uses membranes (TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen), not shingles.

Cut-up / complex

Many facets, dormers and valleys. More waste, more labor, more flashing.

Why it matters

Shape drives waste factor (simple gable ~10%, complex hip 15%+), material lists, and where to look first for wind damage. Windward slopes and edges almost always take the worst of a storm.