How Many Roofing Squares for a 1,500 Sq Ft House?
A 1,500 sq ft single-story house needs about 20.2 roofing squares (61 shingle bundles) at a 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. A new asphalt shingle roof costs roughly $7,081–$11,127. Steeper pitches and hip roofs need more – see the tables below.
Roof squares for a 1,500 sq ft house by pitch
Assumes a rectangular footprint about 45 × 33 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 | 1,734 sq ft | 19.1 | 19.9 | 58 |
| 6/12 | 1.118 | 1,839 sq ft | 20.2 | 21.2 | 61 |
| 8/12 | 1.202 | 1,977 sq ft | 21.7 | 22.7 | 66 |
| 10/12 | 1.302 | 2,141 sq ft | 23.6 | 24.6 | 71 |
Cost to replace the roof on a 1,500 sq ft house
| Roof type (6/12) | Squares | Asphalt shingles | Metal roofing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gable | 20.2 | $7,081–$11,127 | $16,185–$28,323 |
| Hip | 21.2 | $7,403–$11,633 | $16,920–$29,611 |
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 $2,023–$3,035 here).
Materials for a 1,500 sq ft roof (6/12)
- Shingles: 61 bundles for a gable roof, 64 for a hip roof.
- Underlayment: 3 rolls of synthetic underlayment (10 squares each) for gable, 3 for hip.
- Ridge cap: about 45 ft of ridge on a gable roof (2 bundles at ~25 ft each); a hip roof has about 111 ft of ridge and hips (5 bundles).
How it is calculated
(45 + 2) ft × (33 + 2) ft = 1,645 sq ft with overhangs
1,645 × √(1 + (6 ÷ 12)²) = 1,645 × 1.118 = 1,839 sq ft of roof
1,839 ÷ 100 × 1.1 = 20.2 squares (gable) · × 1.15 = 21.2 (hip)
20.2 squares × 3 = 61 bundles
Tips for a 1,500 sq ft house
- A roof this size is usually a one-day tear-off for a 4–5 person crew, and most dumpsters (20 yard) handle the 20 squares of old shingles.
- Two-story homes: a 1,500 sq ft two-story house has only about 750 sq ft of footprint, so its roof is closer to 10.8 squares (6/12 gable) – not 20.2. 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 1,500 sq ft roof?
A 1,500 sq ft single-story house (about 45 × 33 ft) has roughly 20.2 roofing squares at 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. That ranges from 19.1 squares at 4/12 to 23.6 squares at 10/12. A hip roof at 6/12 needs about 21.2 squares.
How much does it cost to replace the roof on a 1,500 sq ft house?
At 6/12 pitch, an asphalt shingle roof on a 1,500 sq ft single-story home typically costs $7,081–$11,127 for a gable roof and $7,403–$11,633 for a hip roof. Metal roofing runs $16,185–$28,323 for a gable roof.
How many bundles of shingles for a 1,500 sq ft house?
Plan on 61 bundles (3 per square) for a 6/12 gable roof with 10% waste, or 64 bundles for a hip roof with 15% waste. Add about 2 bundles of ridge cap shingles for the ridge.