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How to Read Division 07 for a Commercial Roofing Takeoff
Disclosure: Sharp Pencil sells commercial roofing takeoffs, so we have a stake in this topic.
This is a reading method for takeoffs, not a spec ruling. The project manual you are bidding decides the section numbers and the scope.
Last updated: 2026-10-29. Live facts checked on 2026-10-29.
Which Division 07 sections change a roofing takeoff?
The roofing system section (membrane, panels or shingles), the roof insulation section, sheet metal flashing and trim, roof specialties and accessories, firestopping, and joint sealants. Each one adds a line, sets a quantity basis, or moves a scope line to another trade. Every quantity carries its source sheet and its basis.
Short answer
Read the Division 07 roofing sections before you measure. The membrane or steep slope section sets the system, the attachment and the layers. The insulation sections set board type, thickness and cover board. Sheet metal and roof specialties show who supplies and who installs each flashing. Accessories, firestopping and sealants add lines the roof plan never draws. Write every quantity against the sheet and section that drives it, and turn every conflict into a question.
What Division 07 is and where roofing lives in it
Division 07 is Thermal and Moisture Protection in MasterFormat. Roofing is spread across several sections, not one, and each section can change a different part of the takeoff. The drawing sheets guide covers which sheets to pull. This page covers how to read the spec sections that go with them.
Section numbers vary by MasterFormat edition and by project manual. Use the table below as a map, then check it against the table of contents of the spec book you are bidding. It is not a complete list.
| Section | Title | What it sets on the takeoff |
|---|---|---|
| 07 22 00 (07 21 00 in some project manuals) | Roof and deck insulation (thermal insulation in older or owner manuals) | Board type, layers, thickness, tapered system, cover board |
| 07 31 13 | Asphalt shingles | Shingle, underlayment, ice barrier, starter, ridge |
| 07 41 13 or 07 61 00 | Metal roof panels, or sheet metal roofing | Panel profile, gauge, clips, underlayment, trim |
| 07 51 00 | Built up bituminous roofing | Plies, base sheet, surfacing, flood coat |
| 07 52 00 | Modified bituminous membrane roofing | Base and cap sheets, attachment, granule surfacing |
| 07 53 23 | EPDM roofing | Membrane thickness, attachment, seam tape, flashing |
| 07 54 19 | PVC roofing | Membrane thickness, attachment, welded details |
| 07 54 23 | TPO roofing | Membrane thickness, attachment, welded details |
| 07 62 00 | Sheet metal flashing and trim | Coping, edge, counterflashing, supply vs install |
| 07 71 00 | Roof specialties | Manufactured copings, edges, gutters, downspouts |
| 07 72 00 | Roof accessories | Hatches, curbs, walkway pads, pipe supports |
| 07 84 00 | Firestopping | Penetration firestopping at roof penetrations |
| 07 92 00 | Joint sealants | Sealant types and locations |
Read each section in three parts
Sections in Division 07 follow CSI SectionFormat, three parts: General, Products and Execution. Each part changes the takeoff in a different way, so read all three before you measure.
- Part 1 General. Scope, related sections, submittals, mock-ups, warranty and qualifications. These move lines to other sections or add lines.
- Part 2 Products. Manufacturer, membrane thickness, board type, fasteners and adhesives. These set the material order.
- Part 3 Execution. Attachment pattern, laps, terminations, testing and cleanup. These set the quantity basis and the labor notes.
| Part | Look for | Takeoff effect |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 General | Related sections, mock-ups, warranty type | Adds lines, points to other sections |
| Part 2 Products | Thickness, board type, cover board, accessories | Sets the material order list |
| Part 3 Execution | Attachment, laps, terminations | Sets quantity basis and waste notes |
The membrane or steep slope section sets the system
Name the system and the attachment before you measure anything. The same roof area gives a different material order for a mechanically attached TPO roof and a fully adhered one, so the system section comes first.
- Low slope. TPO, EPDM, PVC, mod bit and BUR. See how to price a TPO roof and the mod bit and BUR takeoff.
- Steep slope. Standing seam and shingle. See the standing seam metal roof takeoff and the asphalt shingle roof takeoff.
- More than one system. When the set mixes systems, read each system section and carry the transitions. See the mixed system takeoff.
Insulation and cover board: the costly line to miss
Read the layers, the thickness, any tapered requirement, and whether a cover board is called. The cover board can sit in the insulation section, the membrane section, or both, so check both and write it as its own line.
For tapered systems, see the tapered insulation takeoff and tapered insulation R-value.
Sheet metal: who supplies and who installs
Sheet metal flashing and trim and roof specialties can split coping and edge metal between trades, or say nothing about the split. Write each flashing line with supply and install noted separately, and put any unclear split on the Questions tab.
See the edge metal takeoff and the parapet membrane takeoff.
Accessories, firestopping and sealants: lines the roof plan never draws
These lines live in the spec and on other trades' sheets, so a roof plan count alone will miss them.
- Roof accessories. Hatches, curbs, walkway pads and pipe supports come from the accessories section and the mechanical sheets.
- Firestopping. Firestopping at roof penetrations may sit in the firestopping section and be shown on other trades' sheets.
- Joint sealants. The sealants section can name roofing locations and sealant types.
| Line | Where it hides | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Cover board | Insulation or membrane section | Board, thickness, area basis |
| Coping and edge supply | 07 62 00 vs 07 71 00 | Supply and install as two lines |
| Walkway pads | 07 72 00 and roof plan notes | Count and length basis |
| Penetration firestopping | 07 84 00 and MEP sheets | Count by penetration, or a question |
| Mock-ups | Part 1 of the system section | Line or question |
| Sealants at roofing joints | 07 92 00 | Linear basis by location |
Warranty driven quantities have their own guide. See warranty requirements on the takeoff.
When the spec and the drawings disagree
Write the conflict as a question, not a guess. Note the section and the sheet on both sides of the conflict, so whoever answers can see both. See when the roof plan and details disagree and the roofing RFI register.
What a spec driven takeoff should hand back
Every quantity carries its source sheet and its basis.
Four files: START HERE, marked-up drawings PDF, Takeoff.xlsx with a Questions tab, and the material order list.
Pricing is optional. Send your cost data and we apply your prices to the quantities. Any line you have not priced comes back marked UNPRICED. See the commercial roofing takeoff checklist and takeoff to material order.
FAQ
Is Division 07 the only place roofing scope lives?
No. Division 07 holds the roofing system, insulation, flashing and accessories, but Division 01 and the mechanical, plumbing and structural sheets can add roofing lines. Read the related sections list in Part 1 of each roofing section. See roofing bid items not on the roof plan.
Which section should I read first?
Read the roofing system section first, because the system and attachment set how every other quantity is counted. Then read insulation, sheet metal, accessories, firestopping and sealants.
Where is the cover board usually specified?
It can be in the roof insulation section, the membrane section, or both. Check each one and write the cover board as its own line with its thickness and area basis.
How do I handle flashing that one section supplies and another installs?
Write supply and install as separate lines and note the section for each. If the split is unclear, put it on the Questions tab.
Do the section numbers match on every job?
Not always. Numbering depends on the MasterFormat edition and the project manual. Use the numbers in the table of contents of the spec book you are bidding.
What does Sharp Pencil send back on a takeoff?
Four files: START HERE, marked-up drawings PDF, Takeoff.xlsx with a Questions tab, and the material order list. Every quantity carries its source sheet and its basis. Usually within one business day. Delivered within 48 hours*.
*Clock starts once any questions we send you are answered.
Why send it to us
- We read the plan set and the Division 07 sections together, for steep slope (standing seam, shingle) and commercial low slope (TPO, EPDM, PVC, mod bit, BUR).
- Every quantity carries its source sheet and its basis.
- Four files: START HERE, marked-up drawings PDF, Takeoff.xlsx with a Questions tab, and the material order list.
- Usually within one business day. Delivered within 48 hours*.
- A plan set you send us will never be used to compete with you, and plan sets are deleted whenever you ask.
- First takeoff free, one per contractor, on a job you're bidding or quoting.
Residential is not our focus today, but ask if you have a job in mind.
*Clock starts once any questions we send you are answered.
Try it on a job you are bidding
Get your first takeoff free · $395 per takeoff · See a sample takeoff
The Sharp Pencil team