About Pitch & Span

Pitch & Span is a set of free calculators for roof framing, roofing takeoff, and lumber math — built for contractors, estimators, and DIY builders who need a number fast, on a job site, without signing up for anything.

Who builds this

Pitch & Span is built by a systems engineer who writes management software and calculation tools professionally. This site is not written or reviewed by a licensed structural engineer, and it doesn't pretend otherwise — the calculators here are built on published, cited formulas and reference tables (see the Methodology page), not on personal field authority.

What we bring instead is careful software engineering: every geometric formula has an automated test suite checked against known, verifiable cases before it ships, every material coefficient and span table is traced to a named source, and nothing is published as fact unless it can be cited.

Why this exists

Most roofing and framing calculators online are slow, cluttered with ads above the tool, or give you a single number with no diagram and no way to print what you calculated. Pitch & Span exists to fix that: fast, live-updating tools with a real diagram where geometry is involved, and a printable cut sheet you can take to the job site.

What this site is not

• It is not a substitute for a licensed structural engineer, especially for anything load-bearing beyond standard residential framing.
• It is not a substitute for your local building code or building department.
• It is not a contractor quoting tool — cost calculators here give planning ranges, not bids.
• It does not sell your data, and it does not require an account to use any calculator.

How we keep it accurate

Every calculator page ends with a "How we checked this page" block naming what was verified and against what source, plus a last-reviewed date. See Editorial Standards for the full review process and correction policy.

Get in touch

Found an error, or have a calculator you'd like to see built? See the Contact page.