Quick answerA roof measurement report has four working parts: a summary page with total area and squares, a diagram page showing facets and edges, a table breaking length and area out by pitch, and a waste table applying an overage percentage. Read the summary first to confirm total squares and predominant pitch, then check the diagram against the property before you import the ESX or XML into your estimate.

What a roof report contains

Every report is built around the same core deliverable: a measured footprint broken into facets, with length, area, and pitch recorded for each one. The report format changes how that data is packaged, ESX for Xactimate®, XML for Symbility®, PDF for the file, but the underlying numbers are the same set.

Most reports are organized as a cover or summary page, a diagram page, one or more measurement tables, and a waste or overage table. Some add a notes or legend page explaining line-length categories such as ridge, hip, valley, rake, and eave.

None of this requires a site visit to produce. The report is generated from the property address and delivered as a file; what matters for your work is reading the numbers correctly and checking them against the roof you can see in photos or from the ground.

The three formats and what each is for

ESX is the file Xactimate® imports directly, carrying facet geometry so the estimate can price roofing line items against measured squares rather than an estimator-entered guess. XML is the equivalent for Symbility®. PDF is the human-readable version: a document you can attach to the claim file, hand to a homeowner, or print for a desk review.

Ordering ESX + PDF together gets you both from one order rather than running two separate requests. If your shop reads Symbility®, order XML instead of ESX; the underlying measurements are the same, only the container differs.

Published formats and coverage are documented on the sponsor's facts page: ESX for Xactimate®, XML for Symbility®, PDF, and Xactimate® Integration ordering for Verisk™ desks.

Walking the report page by page

Page 1, summary. Property address, total roof area in square feet, total squares (area divided by 100), predominant pitch, and a facet count. This is the page to read first; if the total squares look wrong for the structure you're looking at, stop and check the diagram before you build an estimate on it.

Page 2, diagram. A top-down drawing of the roof with each facet labeled and edges color-coded by type: ridge, hip, valley, rake, eave, and sometimes step or parapet where they apply. Compare the facet count and shape here against the actual property, especially on additions, dormers, or a detached garage that may or may not be included.

Page 3 (or more), length and area tables. Every facet's area and every edge category's total linear length, usually grouped by pitch. This is the table an estimator reads to populate roofing line items by pitch group in Xactimate® or Symbility®.

Final page, waste table. The same total area shown at several common overage percentages (typically 10 percent, 12 percent, 15 percent, and up), so you can select the waste factor your estimate calls for without recalculating it by hand.

Reading the pitch and area table

The pitch multiplier converts a flat footprint measurement into actual roof surface area. The formula is: multiplier = square root of (rise squared plus run squared), divided by run. A 4/12 pitch multiplier is 1.054, 6/12 is 1.118, 8/12 is 1.202, and 12/12 is 1.414.

Area is footprint times multiplier. The table below applies that formula to a sample 1,800 square foot footprint at four common pitches, exactly the kind of row you'll see repeated (with the property's actual footprint and pitch) on the report's area table.

PitchMultiplierArea at 1,800 sq ft footprintSquares
4/121.0541,897 sq ft18.97
6/121.1182,012 sq ft20.12
8/121.2022,164 sq ft21.64
12/121.4142,545 sq ft25.45

Squares = area divided by 100. Run this same formula against the report's own footprint and stated pitch to spot-check the area total on the summary page.

Checking a report before you import it

  • Property address on the report matches the loss address exactly, including unit number

    A report built to the wrong parcel or the wrong unit will not match the loss, and the error is easy to miss once the file is imported.

  • Facet count on the diagram matches what you see in photos or from the ground

    Additions, carports, and detached structures are sometimes included or excluded depending on the order instructions; confirm before pricing.

  • Predominant pitch on the summary matches the roof type

    A pitch mismatch usually means a measurement error worth flagging for a revision rather than pricing around.

  • Total squares recalculates correctly from the footprint and pitch shown

    Running the pitch-multiplier formula yourself against the report's own numbers is the fastest independent check available.

  • Waste table shows the percentage your estimate actually needs

    Most reports list several standard overage percentages; picking the wrong one under-orders or over-orders material on the estimate.

Getting a report to walk through

Reports are ordered by property address rather than pulled from a library, so the fastest way to see the full page set on a live example is to place an order and review the delivered file. Order a roof report by address to see the summary, diagram, pitch table, and waste table format described above on a specific property.

Published pricing from the site sponsor: Standard ESX $19, Complex-roof ESX $25, PDF-only $25, ESX + PDF $29, with Symbility® XML priced on the order page. There is no subscription and no minimum order. Once the file arrives, import the ESX via the Sketch import option in Xactimate®, or the XML equivalent in Symbility®; menus vary by version, so verify the exact steps in your build against the vendor's own documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the diagram page and the area table?
The diagram page is a visual top-down drawing showing facet shapes and edge types. The area table is the numeric breakdown: length by edge category and area by facet or pitch group. Use the diagram to confirm the roof shape matches the property, and the table to pull the numbers into the estimate.
Why does the same roof show different totals at different waste percentages?
The waste table applies an overage factor to the same base area to account for cuts, starter courses, and ridge or hip caps. Ten percent, twelve percent, and fifteen percent are common increments; pick the one that matches your estimate's material calculation, not the largest number on the page.
Can I check the report's math without re-measuring the roof?
Yes. Take the footprint area and predominant pitch shown on the summary page, apply the pitch multiplier formula (square root of rise squared plus run squared, divided by run), and confirm the result matches the total squares on the report. This catches most transcription or pitch-entry errors.
Does the report include detached structures like a garage or shed?
Only if they're specified when the report is ordered. Check the diagram page's facet count against the property; if a detached structure is missing or included and shouldn't be, request a correction rather than pricing around it.

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