Roof-pitch

A 6/12 pitch means the roof rises 6 inches vertically for every 12 inches of horizontal run — a moderate slope common on residential homes. The first number is rise, the second is always 12 (the run). It works out to a slope multiplier of about 1.118 and a roof angle near 26.6°. You'd multiply the roof's plan footprint by 1.118 to get the true sloped area for your roofing quantities.

Take the rise per 12 of run and compute √(rise² + 12²) ÷ 12. A 4/12 pitch gives √(16 + 144) ÷ 12 ≈ 1.054; a 9/12 gives √(81 + 144) ÷ 12 = 1.25. Multiply your plan (footprint) area by this factor to get sloped area, then divide by 100 for squares. This calculator returns the multiplier directly, and the reference table lists common pitches so you can sanity-check the result.

In Xactimate estimating, roofs at 7/12 and steeper generally carry a steep-slope charge, and pitches above 10/12 or 12/12 often warrant an additional high-slope factor because of the fall-protection and staging the crew needs. Confirm the exact break points against the pricing you're using. Documenting the measured pitch and angle on the file is what makes a steep-slope line item defensible on review.

Set a level horizontally against a rake board or gable end, mark 12 inches out along the level, and measure straight down from that mark to the roofline — that vertical distance in inches is the rise, giving you rise/12. A pitch gauge or a phone level app works too. Whatever you read, capture a photo so the pitch is tied to the field evidence when you scope the slope.