How Many Roofing Squares for a 1,600 Sq Ft House?
A 1,600 sq ft single-story house needs about 21.7 roofing squares (66 shingle bundles) at a 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. A new asphalt shingle roof costs roughly $7,593–$11,932. Steeper pitches and hip roofs need more – see the tables below.
Roof squares for a 1,600 sq ft house by pitch
Assumes a rectangular footprint about 47 × 34 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 | 1,859 sq ft | 20.5 | 21.4 | 62 |
| 6/12 | 1.118 | 1,972 sq ft | 21.7 | 22.7 | 66 |
| 8/12 | 1.202 | 2,120 sq ft | 23.3 | 24.4 | 70 |
| 10/12 | 1.302 | 2,296 sq ft | 25.3 | 26.4 | 76 |
Cost to replace the roof on a 1,600 sq ft house
| Roof type (6/12) | Squares | Asphalt shingles | Metal roofing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gable | 21.7 | $7,593–$11,932 | $17,355–$30,372 |
| Hip | 22.7 | $7,938–$12,474 | $18,144–$31,753 |
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 $2,169–$3,254 here).
Materials for a 1,600 sq ft roof (6/12)
- Shingles: 66 bundles for a gable roof, 69 for a hip roof.
- Underlayment: 3 rolls of synthetic underlayment (10 squares each) for gable, 3 for hip.
- Ridge cap: about 47 ft of ridge on a gable roof (2 bundles at ~25 ft each); a hip roof has about 115 ft of ridge and hips (5 bundles).
How it is calculated
(47 + 2) ft × (34 + 2) ft = 1,764 sq ft with overhangs
1,764 × √(1 + (6 ÷ 12)²) = 1,764 × 1.118 = 1,972 sq ft of roof
1,972 ÷ 100 × 1.1 = 21.7 squares (gable) · × 1.15 = 22.7 (hip)
21.7 squares × 3 = 66 bundles
Tips for a 1,600 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 22 squares of old shingles.
- Two-story homes: a 1,600 sq ft two-story house has only about 800 sq ft of footprint, so its roof is closer to 11.2 squares (6/12 gable) – not 21.7. 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 1,600 sq ft roof?
A 1,600 sq ft single-story house (about 47 × 34 ft) has roughly 21.7 roofing squares at 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. That ranges from 20.5 squares at 4/12 to 25.3 squares at 10/12. A hip roof at 6/12 needs about 22.7 squares.
How much does it cost to replace the roof on a 1,600 sq ft house?
At 6/12 pitch, an asphalt shingle roof on a 1,600 sq ft single-story home typically costs $7,593–$11,932 for a gable roof and $7,938–$12,474 for a hip roof. Metal roofing runs $17,355–$30,372 for a gable roof.
How many bundles of shingles for a 1,600 sq ft house?
Plan on 66 bundles (3 per square) for a 6/12 gable roof with 10% waste, or 69 bundles for a hip roof with 15% waste. Add about 2 bundles of ridge cap shingles for the ridge.