CSLB C-39 Roofing ContractorEstimating and PlanningHard
A concrete tile roof has a slope length of 32 feet from eave to ridge, with battens installed at a 13-inch weather exposure per course. The roof width along the eave is 40 feet, and one continuous batten row runs the full width at each course. How many total linear feet of batten material are required?
- A1,320 linear feet
- B1,240 linear feet
- C1,080 linear feet
- D1,160 linear feet
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 1,240 linear feet
Converting slope length to inches: 32 ft × 12 = 384 inches. Dividing by exposure: 384 ÷ 13 = 29.5, rounded up to 30 courses, plus 1 additional course at the ridge gives 31 total courses. Multiplying by the 40-foot roof width: 31 × 40 = 1,240 linear feet of batten.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect: overestimates beyond the correctly calculated course count.
- C. Incorrect: undercounts the number of batten courses needed.
- D. Incorrect: does not add the required extra course at the ridge.
Tile Roof Batten Takeoff
Batten linear footage is calculated by determining the number of courses from slope length and exposure, then multiplying by the roof width for each course.
- Number of courses = (slope length ÷ exposure), rounded up, plus 1 for the ridge course
- Each course requires a full row of batten across the roof width
- Total batten footage equals course count multiplied by roof width
Memory trick: Count the courses, then multiply across the roof.