The roofing & contracting glossary.

A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof area. It's the standard unit for ordering shingles, underlayment, and most roofing materials.

The pitch multiplier converts a building's flat footprint area into the actual sloped roof surface area. A 6/12 pitch has a multiplier of about 1.118, meaning the sloped roof is 11.8% larger than the footprint.

The waste factor is the percentage of extra material you order to account for cuts, mis-laps, and complex roof geometry. Standard is 10–12% for simple roofs and 15–20% for hips, valleys, and dormers.

Tear-off is the removal of an existing roof down to the deck before installing a new roof. It typically adds $1.00–$1.75 per sq ft per layer to the total job cost.

A roof valley is the inward-angled intersection where two roof slopes meet. Valleys concentrate water flow and are the most common source of roof leaks if not properly flashed.

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof, preventing melting snow from draining off. Backed-up water can leak under shingles and into walls and ceilings.

Attic ventilation balance is the ratio of intake (soffit) to exhaust (ridge) vents. Code requires roughly 50/50 balance for proper airflow that protects shingles and prevents ice dams.

Tear-off removes the existing roof down to the deck before installing new shingles. Overlay (also called re-roof or layover) installs new shingles directly over the old ones, which is allowed in some codes but reduces roof life.

Roof pitch is the angle of a roof, expressed as rise over 12 inches of run. 4/12 is shallow, 6/12 is most common, 12/12 is a 45° angle. Pitch affects material choice, install cost, and walkability.

Speed-to-lead is how fast you respond to an inbound lead. Contractors who respond within 5 minutes close 4–9× more jobs than those who wait an hour.

A lead magnet is something you give website visitors in exchange for their contact information. For contractors, an instant-quote widget is the highest-converting lead magnet available.

An embedded widget is a piece of third-party software that runs inside your website. SatelliteQuotes' instant-quote widget loads with one script tag and one div — no developer needed.

White-label software lets you brand a product as your own. SatelliteQuotes is fully white-label — your logo, colors, and company name appear everywhere, and customers never see ours.

A roofing permit is a building department authorization required for most re-roof projects. Permits typically cost $150-$500 and require post-install inspection. Unpermitted work voids warranties and complicates home sales.

Minimum project price is the floor price you'll quote for any job, regardless of size. It covers your fixed costs of dispatch, crew mobilization, and overhead.

A complexity multiplier increases your base price for jobs that take longer due to layout — multiple peaks, valleys, dormers, or steep pitch. Typically 1.0× for simple, 1.15× for moderate, 1.3× for complex.

Underlayment is the water-resistant or waterproof layer installed directly on the roof deck, under the shingles. Synthetic underlayment is now standard; older homes used felt paper.

Ridge cap is the row of shingles that covers the peak (ridge) of a roof, sealing the seam where two roof planes meet. It's sold separately from field shingles, in linear feet.

Soffit is the horizontal underside of a roof overhang. Fascia is the vertical board at the edge of the overhang where gutters attach. Both protect the roof structure and house from weather damage.

Drip edge is the L-shaped metal flashing installed along roof edges that directs water away from the fascia and into the gutter. It's required by code in most US states.

Step flashing is small, L-shaped pieces of metal installed where a roof slope meets a vertical wall (like a chimney or dormer). Each piece overlaps the next, creating a watertight seal.

Shingle warranties cover defects in manufacturing for 20-50 years depending on product tier. Most cover material only; extended workmanship warranties require installation by manufacturer-certified contractors.