How Many Roofing Squares for a 1,200 Sq Ft House?
A 1,200 sq ft single-story house needs about 16.4 roofing squares (50 shingle bundles) at a 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. A new asphalt shingle roof costs roughly $5,738–$9,017. Steeper pitches and hip roofs need more – see the tables below.
Roof squares for a 1,200 sq ft house by pitch
Assumes a rectangular footprint about 41 × 29 ft (length = 1.4 × width) with 12-inch overhangs.
| Pitch | Multiplier | Roof area | Squares (gable, +10%) | Squares (hip, +15%) | Bundles (gable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/12 | 1.054 | 1,405 sq ft | 15.5 | 16.2 | 47 |
| 6/12 | 1.118 | 1,490 sq ft | 16.4 | 17.1 | 50 |
| 8/12 | 1.202 | 1,602 sq ft | 17.6 | 18.4 | 53 |
| 10/12 | 1.302 | 1,735 sq ft | 19.1 | 20 | 58 |
Cost to replace the roof on a 1,200 sq ft house
| Roof type (6/12) | Squares | Asphalt shingles | Metal roofing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gable | 16.4 | $5,738–$9,017 | $13,115–$22,951 |
| Hip | 17.1 | $5,999–$9,426 | $13,711–$23,994 |
Installed prices: asphalt $350–$550 per square, metal $800–$1400 per square. Tear-off of an old layer usually adds $100–$150 per square (about $1,639–$2,459 here).
Materials for a 1,200 sq ft roof (6/12)
- Shingles: 50 bundles for a gable roof, 52 for a hip roof.
- Underlayment: 2 rolls of synthetic underlayment (10 squares each) for gable, 2 for hip.
- Ridge cap: about 41 ft of ridge on a gable roof (2 bundles at ~25 ft each); a hip roof has about 99 ft of ridge and hips (4 bundles).
How it is calculated
(41 + 2) ft × (29 + 2) ft = 1,333 sq ft with overhangs
1,333 × √(1 + (6 ÷ 12)²) = 1,333 × 1.118 = 1,490 sq ft of roof
1,490 ÷ 100 × 1.1 = 16.4 squares (gable) · × 1.15 = 17.1 (hip)
16.4 squares × 3 = 50 bundles
Tips for a 1,200 sq ft house
- At under 20 squares, a small roof often hits the roofer's minimum charge, so the per-square price can land at the high end of the range.
- Two-story homes: a 1,200 sq ft two-story house has only about 600 sq ft of footprint, so its roof is closer to 8.8 squares (6/12 gable) – not 16.4. Measure the footprint, not the living area.
- Garages, porches and dormers add squares that are not counted in living area – measure them separately.
Frequently asked questions
How many squares is a 1,200 sq ft roof?
A 1,200 sq ft single-story house (about 41 × 29 ft) has roughly 16.4 roofing squares at 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. That ranges from 15.5 squares at 4/12 to 19.1 squares at 10/12. A hip roof at 6/12 needs about 17.1 squares.
How much does it cost to replace the roof on a 1,200 sq ft house?
At 6/12 pitch, an asphalt shingle roof on a 1,200 sq ft single-story home typically costs $5,738–$9,017 for a gable roof and $5,999–$9,426 for a hip roof. Metal roofing runs $13,115–$22,951 for a gable roof.
How many bundles of shingles for a 1,200 sq ft house?
Plan on 50 bundles (3 per square) for a 6/12 gable roof with 10% waste, or 52 bundles for a hip roof with 15% waste. Add about 2 bundles of ridge cap shingles for the ridge.