How Many Roofing Squares for a 3,500 Sq Ft House?
A 3,500 sq ft single-story house needs about 46 roofing squares (139 shingle bundles) at a 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. A new asphalt shingle roof costs roughly $16,116–$25,325. Steeper pitches and hip roofs need more – see the tables below.
Roof squares for a 3,500 sq ft house by pitch
Assumes a rectangular footprint about 70 × 50 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 | 3,947 sq ft | 43.4 | 45.4 | 131 |
| 6/12 | 1.118 | 4,186 sq ft | 46 | 48.1 | 139 |
| 8/12 | 1.202 | 4,500 sq ft | 49.5 | 51.7 | 149 |
| 10/12 | 1.302 | 4,874 sq ft | 53.6 | 56 | 161 |
Cost to replace the roof on a 3,500 sq ft house
| Roof type (6/12) | Squares | Asphalt shingles | Metal roofing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gable | 46 | $16,116–$25,325 | $36,836–$64,463 |
| Hip | 48.1 | $16,848–$26,476 | $38,510–$67,393 |
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 $4,605–$6,907 here).
Materials for a 3,500 sq ft roof (6/12)
- Shingles: 139 bundles for a gable roof, 145 for a hip roof.
- Underlayment: 5 rolls of synthetic underlayment (10 squares each) for gable, 5 for hip.
- Ridge cap: about 70 ft of ridge on a gable roof (3 bundles at ~25 ft each); a hip roof has about 170 ft of ridge and hips (7 bundles).
How it is calculated
(70 + 2) ft × (50 + 2) ft = 3,744 sq ft with overhangs
3,744 × √(1 + (6 ÷ 12)²) = 3,744 × 1.118 = 4,186 sq ft of roof
4,186 ÷ 100 × 1.1 = 46 squares (gable) · × 1.15 = 48.1 (hip)
46 squares × 3 = 139 bundles
Tips for a 3,500 sq ft house
- With 46+ squares, ask for a 30-yard dumpster and get quotes on a per-square basis – larger jobs often earn a lower rate.
- Two-story homes: a 3,500 sq ft two-story house has only about 1,750 sq ft of footprint, so its roof is closer to 23.7 squares (6/12 gable) – not 46. 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 3,500 sq ft roof?
A 3,500 sq ft single-story house (about 70 × 50 ft) has roughly 46 roofing squares at 6/12 pitch with 12-inch overhangs and 10% waste. That ranges from 43.4 squares at 4/12 to 53.6 squares at 10/12. A hip roof at 6/12 needs about 48.1 squares.
How much does it cost to replace the roof on a 3,500 sq ft house?
At 6/12 pitch, an asphalt shingle roof on a 3,500 sq ft single-story home typically costs $16,116–$25,325 for a gable roof and $16,848–$26,476 for a hip roof. Metal roofing runs $36,836–$64,463 for a gable roof.
How many bundles of shingles for a 3,500 sq ft house?
Plan on 139 bundles (3 per square) for a 6/12 gable roof with 10% waste, or 145 bundles for a hip roof with 15% waste. Add about 3 bundles of ridge cap shingles for the ridge.