TryBuildCalcAsphalt Shingle Roofing Calculator (Bundles, Underlayment, Nails & Cost)
Find your shingle bundles and accessories instantly.
🕒 Last updated: September 13, 2026
Inputs
ℹ️The building's ground-floor (or attic floor) plan length, measured wall-to-wall — not including the roof overhang, which is added separately below.
ℹ️The building's plan width, wall-to-wall.
ℹ️How far the roof extends past the wall line on each side — the actual roof footprint is larger than the building's wall-to-wall footprint. A typical residential overhang is 1-2 ft; enter 0 if your building length/width already measure roof edge-to-edge.
ℹ️Rise per 12 in of run — a "6/12" roof rises 6 in for every 12 in of horizontal run. Asphalt shingles require at least 2/12 per IRC R905.2.2; below 4/12, code requires double-layer underlayment. Check your roof's actual pitch, or ask your contractor.
ℹ️Sets the waste allowance added to shingles and underlayment — more hips, valleys, and dormers mean more cutting and trimming waste.
Shingle Product
ℹ️3 bundles per square is standard for most 3-tab and architectural shingles, but some heavier designer/laminate products (e.g. Owens Corning Duration MAX) use 4 or 5 — check your chosen product's wrapper.
ℹ️Used for nail count — most standard shingles use 80 per square, but some products (e.g. GAF Royal Sovereign Metric at 64/square) use fewer, larger shingles. Check your product's wrapper; this is independent of bundles per square above.
Roof Edges
ℹ️Sum of every horizontal roof edge at the bottom of a slope — used for starter strip, drip edge, and (if included) ice & water shield.
ℹ️Sum of every sloped roof edge at a gable end — starter strip and drip edge are also installed along rakes, per current manufacturer instructions. Leave at 0 for a true hip roof, which has no gable rakes.
ℹ️Sum of every ridge (top horizontal peak) and hip (sloped corner) line — leave at 0 for a roof with neither.
ℹ️Sum of every internal valley (where two roof slopes meet at an inward angle) — only used for the optional ice & water shield calculation below. Leave at 0 if your roof has no valleys.
Underlayment & Nailing
ℹ️Synthetic underlayment covers the most area per roll; felt papers cover less and need more rolls for the same roof.
Standard installation uses 4 nails per shingle. High-wind areas or steeper warranty requirements may call for a 6-nail pattern — check your shingle's warranty terms and local code.
Ice & Water Shield
A self-adhered membrane required by many cold-climate codes at eaves (ice dam protection) and valleys (water concentration) — check your local code for the actual required extent, which this calculator only approximates.
Cost
Shingle Bundles Needed
81
3 bundles per square
Roof Area
2441.8 sq ft
50 x 40 ft (+1 ft overhang) x 1.118 pitch factor
Squares (incl. waste)
26.86
Simple Gable (few penetrations) (+10%)
Shingles
Raw squares: 24.42
With 10% waste: 26.86 squares
Bundles to buy: 81
Starter Strip & Ridge Cap
Starter (eaves + rakes): 100 ft → 1 bundle(s)
Ridge/hip cap: 50 ft → 2 bundle(s)
Drip Edge & Underlayment
Drip edge: 100 ft → 10 x 10 ft piece(s)
Synthetic Underlayment: 3 roll(s)
Nails
80 shingles/square x 4 nails/shingle (standard) = 320 nails/square
Total: 8,596 nails (~58 lb)
Assumptions Used
Roof area is either entered directly, or computed in footprint mode as (building length + 2 x overhang) x (building width + 2 x overhang) x pitch factor, where pitch factor = sqrt(rise^2 + 144) / 12 (pure geometry — the roof surface is the hypotenuse of a rise/run triangle), capped at a 20,000 sq ft resulting roof area. The overhang correction matters because a building's wall-to-wall footprint understates actual roof area — the roof extends past the wall line at every eave and rake. Asphalt shingles require a minimum 2/12 pitch per IRC R905.2.2; from 2/12 up to (but below) 4/12, code requires double-layer underlayment — the underlayment quantity below already doubles automatically when this applies, flagged in the warning above. 1 roofing square = 100 sq ft. 3 bundles covering 100 sq ft is standard for most 3-tab and architectural shingles, but NOT universal — some heavier designer/laminate products use 4 or 5 bundles per square instead (currently set to 3 here), and each option uses that product's own EXACT package coverage rather than assuming every product covers exactly 100 sq ft per square — e.g. Owens Corning Duration MAX's 4 bundles cover 98.4 sq ft, not 100, which this calculator accounts for directly rather than rounding to a nominal figure. A waste allowance (10% simple gable, 15% moderate hip/valley, 18% complex cut-up) is applied to both shingle and underlayment quantities before rounding up to whole bundles/rolls. Starter strip covers both eaves AND rakes (100 ft/bundle, a representative mid-range figure — real products range roughly 50-120 ft/bundle). Ridge/hip cap uses 25 ft/bundle (real products range roughly 20-33 ft/bundle). Drip edge sums eave + rake length in standard 10 ft pieces (rake length may be 0 for a true hip roof). Nails are computed from your entered shingles-per-square figure (default 80, matching most standard products; some products like GAF Royal Sovereign Metric use 64) x 4 (standard) or 6 (high-wind) nails per shingle, converted to pounds at 150 nails/lb (a conservative, fewer-per-lb figure so the computed weight rounds up rather than under-buying). Ice & water shield (optional) is modeled as a simplified 6 ft eave swath plus a 3 ft valley swath at 200 sq ft/roll — a planning simplification, not a substitute for your local code's actual required extent. This calculator computes material quantities only — it does not verify local code compliance, structural roof deck adequacy, or ventilation requirements.
Bill of Materials
Main material: 81 bundles + recommended tools
+−
Bill of Materials
Main material: 81 bundles + recommended tools
Computed items reflect your entered dimensions and choices; consumables below are general recommendations — actual needs vary by product and site conditions.
For Your Job
Shingles
Starter Strip
Ridge / Hip Cap
Drip Edge
Synthetic Underlayment
Roofing Nails
General Tools & Consumables
Roofing nail gun or hammer
Chalk line
Utility knife with roofing hook blades
Flashing (step, chimney, pipe boot)
Roofing cement / plastic roof cement
Roof jacks / roof brackets
Tarps / roof-edge material chutes
Tape measure
Fall protection harness & roofing-rated footwear
Diagram simplified for clarity (not to scale) — roof pitch and layer thicknesses shown schematically.
What Is an Asphalt Shingle Roofing Calculator?
An asphalt shingle roofing calculator finds the shingle bundles, starter strip, ridge/hip cap, drip edge, underlayment, nails, and (optional) ice & water shield needed for a roof — computed from your roof area (entered directly, or from footprint and pitch) and edge lengths, using real installation conventions instead of a single flat coverage guess.
This calculator computes material quantities only. It does not verify local building code compliance, structural roof deck adequacy, attic ventilation sizing, or flashing detailing at penetrations.
Why the details below matter:
- Roof pitch genuinely changes total surface area — a steeper roof over the same footprint needs proportionally more of every material, computed here with the standard geometric pitch factor, and building footprint mode adds your eave overhang before applying it (a wall-to-wall footprint alone understates actual roof area)
- Asphalt shingles require a minimum 2/12 roof pitch per IRC R905.2.2; a lower-slope roof needs a different roofing material, and this calculator will flag it rather than silently producing an estimate for an unsupported roof
- 3 bundles per square is standard for most 3-tab and architectural shingles, but NOT universal — some heavier designer/laminate products use 4 or 5 bundles per square instead, so it's a selectable input here, not a fixed assumption
- Starter strip is calculated for BOTH eaves and rakes, matching current manufacturer instructions — not eaves alone, and rake length can be 0 for a true hip roof with no gable ends
- Roof complexity (simple gable vs. hip/valley vs. cut-up) sets a real waste allowance applied to both shingles and underlayment, not just a cosmetic label
- Nail count is computed from your entered shingles-per-square figure (not a fixed 320/480 assumption), since some products use fewer, larger shingles per square than the 80/square most standard shingles use
- Ice & water shield is a genuinely different, optional material for cold-climate ice-dam and valley protection — this calculator's swath-based figure is a planning simplification, not a code-compliance calculation
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Calculator Formula: How Is It Determined?
Each material is calculated using its own real coverage convention, then combined into one material takeoff.
Step 1 — Roof Area & Squares
Pitch Factor = sqrt(Rise^2 + 144) / 12
Footprint Area = (Length + 2 x Overhang) x (Width + 2 x Overhang)
Roof Area = Footprint Area x Pitch Factor (or entered directly, capped at 20,000 sq ft)
Squares (with waste) = (Roof Area / 100) x (1 + Waste%)
Pitch factor is pure geometry — the roof surface is the hypotenuse of a rise/run right triangle with run fixed at 12. Overhang is added to each side before applying the pitch factor, since a building's wall-to-wall footprint understates actual roof area. Asphalt shingles require a minimum 2/12 pitch per IRC R905.2.2 — footprint mode rejects anything lower, and flags 2/12 up to (but below) 4/12 as requiring double-layer underlayment (baked into Step 3's underlayment quantity, not just a warning). The RESULTING roof area is checked against the same 20,000 sq ft cap as Direct Area mode, not just each individual dimension — an oversized length/width/overhang/pitch combination is rejected even if each field looks reasonable alone. Waste is 10% for a simple gable roof, 15% for a moderate hip/valley roof, or 18% for a complex cut-up roof — applied to both shingles and underlayment below.
Step 2 — Shingles, Starter Strip & Ridge Cap
Shingle Bundles = ceil((Squares (with waste) x 100 / Package Coverage) x Bundles per Package)
Starter Bundles = ceil((Eave + Rake Length) / 100 ft per bundle)
Ridge Cap Bundles = ceil(Ridge + Hip Length / 25 ft per bundle)
3 bundles covering 100 sq ft is standard for most 3-tab and architectural shingles, but some heavier designer/laminate products use 4 or 5 bundles instead — AND may cover a different exact area than a nominal 100 sq ft. Owens Corning Duration MAX, for example, publishes 4 bundles covering 98.4 sq ft, not 100 — this calculator uses each option's own real package coverage rather than assuming every product hits exactly 100 sq ft, so a 2,000 sq ft roof at 10% waste needs 90 Duration MAX bundles, not a nominally-rounded 88. Starter strip and ridge cap coverage-per-bundle figures are representative mid-range planning values — real products vary (starter: roughly 50-120 ft/bundle; ridge cap: roughly 20-33 ft/bundle) — confirm your chosen product's actual spec. Rake length may be 0 for a true hip roof.
Step 3 — Drip Edge, Underlayment & Nails
Drip Edge Pieces = ceil((Eave + Rake Length) / 10 ft per piece)
Underlayment Rolls = ceil((Squares (with waste) x 100 x Layers) / Coverage per Roll)
Nails = Squares (with waste) x Shingles per Square x (4 standard or 6 high-wind)
Underlayment uses the same waste-adjusted area as shingles, at your selected product's coverage rate — Layers is 2 (not the standard 1) whenever the Step 1 low-slope flag applies, so the ordered quantity itself reflects the IRC-required second layer, not just a separate warning. Nail count is derived from your entered shingles-per-square figure (default 80, matching most standard products) — NOT a fixed 320/480 constant, since some products (e.g. GAF Royal Sovereign Metric at 64/square) use fewer, larger shingles per square. Converts to pounds at 150 nails/lb (a conservative figure, so the computed weight rounds up).
Step 4 — Ice & Water Shield (Optional)
Coverage = (Eave Length x 6 ft) + (Valley Length x 3 ft)
Rolls = ceil(Coverage / 200 sq ft per roll)
A simplified planning swath, off by default — real local code requirements are typically stated as a distance inside the interior wall line, driven by slope and rafter run, not a flat linear-ft swath. Always confirm your actual code requirement separately.
Worked Example
This example walks through your current inputs above, using the same steps as the Formula section.
Input Values Used
| Input | Value | Why it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Roof Area | 50 x 40 ft (+1 ft overhang) x 1.118 pitch factor (6/12) | Sets total roof surface area |
| Roof Complexity | Simple Gable (few penetrations) (+10%) | Sets waste allowance for shingles and underlayment |
| Shingle Product | 3 bundles/square, 80 shingles/square | Sets bundle count and nail count |
| Edges | Eave 60 ft, Rake (in starter/drip edge), Ridge/Hip 50 ft, Valley 0 ft | Sets starter, ridge cap, drip edge, and ice & water shield quantities |
| Underlayment / Nailing | Synthetic Underlayment, standard (4-nail) | Sets underlayment roll count and nail count |
Step 1 — Roof Area & Squares
| Calculation | Result |
|---|---|
| Roof area | 2441.8 sq ft |
| Raw squares = 2441.8 / 100 | 24.42 squares |
| Squares with 10% waste | 26.86 squares |
Step 2 — Shingles, Starter Strip & Ridge Cap
| Calculation | Result |
|---|---|
| Shingle bundles = ceil((26.86 x 100 / 100) x 3) | 81 bundles |
| Starter = ceil(100 / 100) | 1 bundle(s) |
| Ridge/hip cap = ceil(50 / 25) | 2 bundle(s) |
Step 3 — Drip Edge, Underlayment & Nails
| Calculation | Result |
|---|---|
| Drip edge = ceil(100 / 10) | 10 piece(s) |
| Underlayment = ceil(2686 / 1000) | 3 roll(s) |
| Nails = 26.86 x 320/square | 8,596 nails (58 lb) |
Therefore, this 2441.8 sq ft roof needs approximately 81 bundles of shingles, 1 bundle(s) of starter strip, 2 bundle(s) of ridge cap, 10 piece(s) of drip edge, 3 roll(s) of underlayment, and 58 lb of nails.
Essential Checklist+−
Complete these critical checks before approving the work or proceeding to the next construction stage.
✓Layout & Material Selection Inputs+-
- Roof area (or footprint and actual pitch) confirmed from a field measurement, satellite measurement tool, or roofer's report, not a guess
- Entered roof pitch (rise/12) matches the roof's actual measured pitch, not an assumed default
- Roof Complexity selection genuinely matches the roof's actual shape (simple gable vs. hip/valley vs. multiple dormers), not defaulted to Simple to save on waste
- Roof pitch confirmed at or above 2/12 (IRC R905.2.2's minimum for asphalt shingles) — and if between 2/12 and 4/12, that the calculator's automatically-doubled underlayment quantity actually matches your local code and manufacturer's specific application method
- Local building code and wind zone requirements checked for required nailing pattern, underlayment type, and ice & water shield extent
✓Underlayment & Ice & Water Shield Preparation+-
- Roof deck inspected for soundness (no soft/rotted sheathing, proper nailing pattern) before any underlayment goes down
- Ice & water shield (if required) actually installed to the LOCAL CODE-REQUIRED extent at eaves and valleys, not just this calculator's simplified 6 ft eave / 3 ft valley planning swath
✓Shingle & Flashing Installation+-
- Starter strip installed along BOTH eaves and rakes (not eaves alone), with the correct adhesive-strip orientation toward the roof edge
- Actual nailing pattern installed (4-nail standard or 6-nail high-wind) matches what this takeoff assumed, in the correct nail placement zone per the shingle's nail line
✓Ridge, Ventilation & Final Walkthrough+-
- Ridge vent slot (if a ventilated ridge is used) cut to the manufacturer's specified width BEFORE ridge cap installation, not skipped or oversized
Full QC Checklist+−
Verification checklist for asphalt shingle roofing material takeoffs — covering layout/material inputs, underlayment and ice & water shield preparation, shingle and flashing installation, and ridge/ventilation and final sign-off. Use the Essential Checklist for critical checks before finalizing, expand to Full QC Checklist for complete verification.
✓Layout & Material Selection Inputs+-
- Roof area (or footprint and actual pitch) confirmed from a field measurement, satellite measurement tool, or roofer's report, not a guess
- Entered roof pitch (rise/12) matches the roof's actual measured pitch, not an assumed default
- Roof Complexity selection genuinely matches the roof's actual shape (simple gable vs. hip/valley vs. multiple dormers), not defaulted to Simple to save on waste
- Roof pitch confirmed at or above 2/12 (IRC R905.2.2's minimum for asphalt shingles) — and if between 2/12 and 4/12, that the calculator's automatically-doubled underlayment quantity actually matches your local code and manufacturer's specific application method
- Local building code and wind zone requirements checked for required nailing pattern, underlayment type, and ice & water shield extent
- Chosen shingle product's actual bundles-per-square, shingles-per-square, starter strip, and ridge cap coverage-per-bundle confirmed against the product wrapper, not left at this calculator's default assumptions
✓Underlayment & Ice & Water Shield Preparation+-
- Roof deck inspected for soundness (no soft/rotted sheathing, proper nailing pattern) before any underlayment goes down
- Ice & water shield (if required) actually installed to the LOCAL CODE-REQUIRED extent at eaves and valleys, not just this calculator's simplified 6 ft eave / 3 ft valley planning swath
- Underlayment courses overlapped per the product's minimum spec (commonly at least 2 in side laps, 4 in end laps) and shingled correctly (upper course over lower), not butted or reversed
- Drip edge installed UNDER underlayment at eaves and OVER underlayment at rakes, per standard sequencing, not the same way on all four edges
- Step flashing, chimney flashing, and pipe boot flashing planned for every wall intersection, chimney, and roof penetration — not assumed covered by shingles and underlayment alone
✓Shingle & Flashing Installation+-
- Starter strip installed along BOTH eaves and rakes (not eaves alone), with the correct adhesive-strip orientation toward the roof edge
- Actual nailing pattern installed (4-nail standard or 6-nail high-wind) matches what this takeoff assumed, in the correct nail placement zone per the shingle's nail line
- Shingle courses kept straight (chalk-lined) with cutouts/joints properly offset course-to-course per the manufacturer's stagger pattern
- Valley installation method (open metal valley, closed-cut, or woven) confirmed and consistently applied — not mixed mid-valley
- Installation timing/temperature considered for the shingle's self-sealing adhesive strip to properly activate (or hand-sealed if installed in cold weather)
✓Ridge, Ventilation & Final Walkthrough+-
- Ridge vent slot (if a ventilated ridge is used) cut to the manufacturer's specified width BEFORE ridge cap installation, not skipped or oversized
- Ridge cap nails long enough to fully penetrate both the cap shingle and the roof deck at the ridge, not sized the same as field-shingle nails by default
- Roofing debris (old shingles, nails, granules) cleared from gutters, downspouts, and the ground perimeter before job completion
- Attic checked for leaks or daylight after the first significant rain following installation, not assumed watertight from the ground-level appearance alone
- Manufacturer warranty registration completed (if offered) with the actual installed product, nailing pattern, and installer information on file
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Reference Tables
Typical coverage rates, waste allowances, and nailing patterns.
| Material | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shingles (most 3-tab/architectural) | 3 bundles = 1 square (100 sq ft) | NOT universal — some heavier designer/laminate products use 4-5 bundles/square instead |
| Starter strip | ~100 ft/bundle (representative) | Real products vary roughly 50-120 ft/bundle — installed at eaves AND rakes |
| Ridge/hip cap | ~25 ft/bundle (representative) | Real products vary roughly 20-33 ft/bundle |
| Drip edge | 10 ft pieces | Installed at eaves and rakes |
| Synthetic underlayment | ~1,000 sq ft/roll (representative) | Covers the most area per roll of the 3 options |
| #15 felt underlayment | ~400 sq ft/roll | Traditional, lower cost per roll, more seams |
| #30 felt underlayment | ~200 sq ft/roll | Heavier per roll, but covers less area — needs MORE rolls than #15 felt for the same coverage |
| Ice & water shield | ~200 sq ft/roll (representative) | Real rolls commonly run 195-225 sq ft |
Roof Complexity & Waste Allowance
| Complexity | Waste % | Typical Roof |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Gable | 10% | Few penetrations, straightforward two-slope roof |
| Moderate Hip/Valley | 15% | Hip roof, one or more valleys |
| Complex Cut-Up | 18% | Multiple dormers, valleys, or an irregular footprint |
Nailing Pattern (at the default 80 shingles/square)
Nails per square scales with your entered shingles-per-square figure — the totals below assume the default of 80/square, matching most standard products. A product with fewer, larger shingles per square (e.g. 64) needs proportionally fewer nails per square.
| Pattern | Nails per Shingle | Nails per Square (at 80 shingles/square) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 4 | 320 |
| High-Wind | 6 | 480 |
When should you use this asphalt shingle roofing calculator?
- Planning shingle, underlayment, and accessory quantities before ordering material for a full roof replacement or new roof.
- Comparing material needs between a simple gable roof and a more complex hip/valley layout before finalizing a design.
- Sizing starter strip, ridge cap, drip edge, and nails alongside the field shingles themselves.
- Estimating whether ice & water shield is worth budgeting for in a cold-climate project.
- Cross-checking a roofing contractor's material quote against an independent estimate.
Quick Asphalt Shingle Roofing Tips
- Always round up to whole bundles and rolls — a partial bundle still means buying the full bundle.
- Order 1 extra bundle beyond this calculator's figure for a small project, so a mid-job shortfall doesn't force a same-day supplier run.
- Match roof complexity honestly to your actual roof shape — under-selecting it is one of the most common real material shortfalls.
- Check your shingle's nail line placement carefully — nailing above the line is a common defect that can void warranty coverage.
- Confirm your local code's actual ice & water shield requirement before finalizing that material's quantity — this calculator's figure is a simplified planning estimate.
- Keep starter strip and ridge cap as separate purchases from field shingles — their per-bundle coverage is different and shouldn't be estimated from field-shingle bundle count alone.
Common Mistakes
- Leaving Bundles per Square at the default 3 for a heavier designer/laminate product (some use 4 or 5), silently undercounting shingle bundles by a large margin.
- Entering the building's wall-to-wall footprint without adding eave overhang, understating actual roof area — this is why footprint mode asks for length, width, and overhang separately rather than one flat area figure.
- Selecting Simple roof complexity for a roof that actually has hips, valleys, or dormers, under-estimating waste and risking a shortfall.
- Skipping starter strip at rake edges, leaving gable ends more vulnerable to wind blow-off.
- Nailing shingles above the manufacturer's marked nail line instead of directly on it, which can void warranty coverage.
- Reversing drip edge installation sequence (over underlayment at eaves, under at rakes) instead of the correct opposite sequence.
- Assuming this calculator's ice & water shield figure satisfies local code, instead of confirming the actual required extent separately.
- Not staggering shingle cutouts course-to-course, creating a direct water path through the shingle layer.
- Treating roofing nail count as a rough guess instead of using a real per-square figure, risking running short mid-installation.
Limitations
- The IRC R905.2.2 minimum-pitch check only applies in Building Footprint & Pitch mode, where pitch is actually collected. Roof Area (Direct) mode has no pitch input, so a user entering area directly must independently confirm their roof meets the 2/12 minimum and know whether double-layer underlayment is required.
- Footprint mode models the building as one rectangle with a uniform overhang on all sides — an L-shaped, T-shaped, or irregular footprint, or a building with different overhangs on different sides, needs separate calculation or a single blended estimate.
- Bundles per square and shingles per square are independent, user-set inputs — this calculator does not look up either figure for a specific named product; always confirm both against your chosen product's actual bundle wrapper. The 4-bundle option uses Owens Corning Duration MAX's published exact coverage (98.4 sq ft per 4 bundles); the 5-bundle option has no specific named product behind it and uses a nominal 100 sq ft figure.
- The low-slope double-underlayment quantity assumes a straightforward doubling of material — it does not model the specific application method (e.g. a single wide starter course vs. two full separate layers) that your local code or manufacturer instructions may require.
- Starter strip (100 ft/bundle) and ridge cap (25 ft/bundle) coverage figures are representative mid-range planning values — real products vary (roughly 50-120 ft/bundle and 20-33 ft/bundle respectively); confirm your chosen product's actual spec.
- Ice & water shield uses a simplified flat linear-ft swath (6 ft at eaves, 3 ft at valleys) — real code requirements are typically stated as a distance inside the interior wall line, driven by slope and rafter run, not modeled here.
- Does not compute flashing (step, chimney, pipe boot) quantities — these are highly site-specific and need separate measurement.
- Does not verify local building code compliance beyond the IRC R905.2.2 minimum-pitch check above, structural roof deck adequacy, or attic ventilation sizing.
- Nail weight uses a conservative 150 nails/lb conversion — actual nails-per-lb varies roughly 150-233 depending on the specific product.
- Cost estimation covers shingles, starter strip, ridge cap, drip edge, underlayment, nails, and ice & water shield material only — tear-off, disposal, and installation labor are not included.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides approximate results for planning and estimation purposes only. Actual requirements may vary based on site conditions, materials, workmanship, and local building regulations. Always consult a qualified engineer, architect, or construction professional before making final decisions.