Quick answerPull pitch and story count straight from the roof report rather than re-measuring from a ladder: the facet-level pitch table and footprint area are already in the file. On a steep or high roof, keep the report as the record of why a remote measurement replaced a rooftop walk, and attach the same pitch and facet breakdown to support any steep or high-roof charge lines entered in Xactimate® or Symbility®. Match the format to the desk: ESX drops into Xactimate® ($19 standard, $25 complex-roof), XML into Symbility®, PDF for the claim file.

Why pitch and story count need their own paper trail

Steep pitch and additional stories both carry separate charge lines in Xactimate® and Symbility®, and both get a second look more often than the base roofing quantities because they add cost without adding visible square footage. If the file only shows a total squares figure with no facet-level pitch and no stated story count, a reviewer has nothing to check the charge against.

The fix is procedural, not narrative: document the number, not the impression. A facet table that lists pitch per plane, a stated story count, and the report the numbers came from is a stronger support for a steep or high-roof line than a note saying the roof looked steep from the ground.

The pitch multiplier: the math behind the number in the report

Every pitch multiplier follows one formula: multiplier = square root of (rise squared + run squared), divided by run. One roofing square equals 100 square feet, and facet area equals footprint area multiplied by the pitch multiplier for that facet.

The table below is generated from that formula so you can check any pitch a report lists, not just the common ones.

Pitch (rise/12)MultiplierHow it was derived
3/121.031sqrt(3² + 12²) / 12
4/121.054sqrt(4² + 12²) / 12
5/121.083sqrt(5² + 12²) / 12
6/121.118sqrt(6² + 12²) / 12
7/121.158sqrt(7² + 12²) / 12
8/121.202sqrt(8² + 12²) / 12
9/121.250sqrt(9² + 12²) / 12
10/121.302sqrt(10² + 12²) / 12
12/121.414sqrt(12² + 12²) / 12

Multiply the footprint area for a facet by its multiplier to get facet area, then divide by 100 to get squares. Once pitch passes into the range your desk treats as steep, that facet is the one to isolate in the file rather than blending it into an average roof pitch.

Turning the report into your pitch and story documentation

  1. Order the report by address

    Request the report for the property before scheduling any physical inspection. See the sponsor's Sketch My Roof roof measurement reports for the ESX, XML, and PDF formats available by address.

  2. Read the facet-level pitch table, not just the summary

    Locate the section that lists pitch by facet rather than a single blended pitch for the whole roof. A hip roof with one steep dormer and a low-slope main plane needs both numbers on record separately.

  3. Record the story count and any stated eave or ridge heights

    Note the building's story count as shown in the report, plus eave height if the report states it. This is the figure a high-roof charge line references.

  4. Attach the report to the estimate file

    Save the PDF and the ESX or XML into the claim folder alongside the estimate, so the pitch and story figures used in the charge lines trace back to a dated document rather than a field note.

  5. Cite the figures in your estimate notes

    When you add a steep or high-roof line in Xactimate® or Symbility®, reference the report in the line note (via the Sketch import option or manual entry, menus vary by version; verify in your build) so a reviewer can find the source in one step.

Safety-driven remote documentation: what replaces the roof walk

On a steep or multi-story roof, the safest documentation choice is often to not put anyone on the roof at all and rely on the measurement report for the figures a physical walk would otherwise produce. The report is ordered by property address and delivered the same calendar day for orders placed before the 6 PM Eastern cutoff, which keeps the file moving without a scheduled site climb.

  • Facet-by-facet pitch, not a single average

    Steep and high charge lines apply to specific facets in most estimating platforms, and an averaged pitch understates the ones that qualify.

  • Total footprint area per facet

    Facet area is footprint times multiplier; without the footprint you cannot check the squares the report reports.

  • Story count for the structure

    High-roof and additional-story charges are usually keyed to story count, and it needs to be stated somewhere other than a field guess.

  • Any detached structures named or excluded on purpose

    A garage or shed at a different pitch or height should be a deliberate inclusion or exclusion, documented at order time.

  • Ground-level exterior photos for context

    Photos support the claim narrative and show the structure the report corresponds to, even though they are not the source of the measurements themselves.

Supporting steep and high-roof charge lines in the estimate

Xactimate® and Symbility® both carry additional charge categories for steep pitch and additional stories, separate from the base roofing quantities. The specific pitch thresholds and rate structures for those charges are set and updated by the platform, so verify current definitions in the vendor's own help documentation rather than relying on memory or a prior claim.

What belongs in your file is the support for using the charge at all: the facet pitch that crosses the threshold, the story count that triggers the height charge, and the report those numbers came from. That is the difference between a steep or high-roof line that survives review and one that gets stripped out for lack of backup.

For Verisk™ desks running Xactimate® Integration, the same report can be ordered directly into that workflow; see Xactimate® Integration for the ordering path.

Matching the report format to a steep or complex roof

A roof with many facets, valleys, and pitch changes is exactly the case the complex-roof ESX tier exists for. Published rates from the site sponsor: Standard ESX $19, Complex-roof ESX $25, PDF-only report $25, ESX + PDF $29. Symbility® XML is available; check the order page for current pricing.

For a steep or high roof headed into a file that will need to defend its charge lines, order ESX + PDF so the estimate has the facet data and the claim folder has the exhibit from the same order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What pitch counts as steep for documentation purposes?
The threshold that triggers a steep-charge line is set by the estimating platform and can change between versions, so confirm the current definition in Xactimate® or Symbility® help documentation rather than assuming a fixed number. Document the facet's actual pitch and let the platform apply its own threshold.
Do I still need photos if I already have a measurement report?
Yes. The report supplies pitch, footprint, and facet dimensions; photos supply the visual condition record and confirm the structure matches the report. Neither replaces the other in the file.
How do I document story count for a high-roof charge?
Record the story count as stated in the measurement report and keep the report attached to the estimate. If the report does not state it, note the source you used and keep that source in the file as well.
Can a roof report really replace a physical roof walk on a steep house?
The report supplies the pitch, facet, and area figures an adjuster would otherwise collect on the roof. Whether a walk is still needed for condition assessment (damage, wear, prior repairs) is a separate decision from where the measurements come from.
Which format should I order for a steep, multi-facet roof?
Complex-roof ESX ($25) is built for many-facet roofs and drops directly into Xactimate®. Add the PDF (ESX + PDF, $29) if the claim file also needs a standalone exhibit.

Sources