# How to measure Soffit and Fascia off of plans?



## Mitch.Parker (Feb 1, 2010)

Can anyone help me on different ways to do this?


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## knucklehead (Mar 2, 2009)

Just add it all up


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## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

Mitch.Parker said:


> Can anyone help me on different ways to do this?


Scale it


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## Mitch.Parker (Feb 1, 2010)

just add the lineal up? or do you think buying one of those measuring pens would be easier?


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

The plans (through sections, details and notes) should provide most everthing you need. Check elevation drawings too, sometimes they note more tid-bits there. This should be kind of easy actually.


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## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

On the plans it qwill tell you the scale. 1/8 and 1/4 are most common.

Ure a scale or measuring device, measure it and add it up.

By the way, go up to the into section and introduce yourself.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Calculator helps when I run out of pencils.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

The fascia is straight forward. You simply measure it

The soffit (if you are using 12" wide aluminium), works out to these numbers for the two most common sizes, 16" and 24"

If working with 10' pieces, 16" = 7 cut pieces (or 7 running feet) 24" = 5 pieces (or 5 running feet)

If working with 12 pieces, 16" = 9 cut pieces (or 9 running feet) 24" = 6 pieces (or 6 running feet)


If, however, you are working with plywood for your soffit, you will divide the fascia measurement by 8, and rip your sheets according to what is required for the width, minus the screen piece in the middle.

If only putting in the screen-in-a-hole inserts, forget the ripping part.


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## rustyjames (Aug 28, 2008)

unless it's a really simple design I'd be careful with scaling it.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

It's honestly a lot easier to simply pick up the phone and tell your installer you want the house at 1234 Anyplace Street done.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

OK, call me harsh if needed, but the OP (with 2 total posts) has demonstrated that he might "be in over his head". Take-offs and print reading abilities should be a prerequisite to bidding on ANY type of job.

Pretty basic stuff. OP can you give us more info on just where you are stuck?


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

Ron, you are just SO, so "harsh". :blink:


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

Sometimes I wonder why we even have the 'contractor' part attached to the forum name...... :jester: Still waiting for someone to ask why the tape measures have those little red and black marks on them.


*EDIT: *Sorry..................... that was a little harsh too.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Willie T said:


> Sometimes I wonder why we even have the 'contractor' part attached to the forum name...... :jester: Still waiting for someone to ask why the tape measures have those little red and black marks on them.


I'm sure you've had the pleasure of trying to explain why the first stud is only 15-1/4" in too.:laughing:

Trying to make this a "warmer, fuzzier" place for newbies certainly has it's frustrations too.


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## d-rock (Oct 17, 2009)

I'm assuming you haven't done much soffit and fascia. Without seeing the plans, here is a brief step by step, but you have to use your judgement. 1.Scale it for total length. 2.Seek out details in the drawings to figure out the assembly, (plywood,vinyl, aluminum etc) Do the math to figure for materials and labor.


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## NormW (Jun 4, 2009)

rselectric1 said:


> I'm sure you've had the pleasure of trying to explain why the first stud is only 15-1/4" in too.:laughing:
> 
> Trying to make this a "warmer, fuzzier" place for newbies certainly has it's frustrations too.


:laughing: 

I had to leave the job today. After putting in all the specials, I turned to the other carpenter and reminded him about the "15-1/4" (and even explained why too). He says "You know I've built houses before.... right?:blink:" "Yup, and you don't know how many times I've heard that from others and found someone pulled the first off at 16".

When I got back, he saw me eyeballing the walls. He says "Bet your going to whip out a tape measure now"... "Nope!" I whipped out my folding rule and checked em'... He had em' right.

Had to laugh, when I read this post


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

figurin soffit is a pain:sad:


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

I still love the guys who do layout to the actual 'centers'.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

I certainly DO understand the guy who may well be a contractor in a specific discipline not understanding the finer details of another's trade. But, for the life of me, I can't figure out how anyone, in any trade, lacks some of the basics that we all learned as laborers and/or helpers long ago.

Well, perhaps I can. Years ago, we all came up doing most of the jobs on a site. Today, it seems to be mostly specialization. Yet so many never get all that good in their own isolated and esoteric trade. Strange.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Willie T said:


> ...... :jester: Still waiting for someone to ask why the tape measures have those little red and black marks on them.
> 
> 
> *EDIT: *Sorry..................... that was a little harsh too.


It's been covered at *least* once or twice, not recently as I can recall....but I have seen the questions. :blink:

Now that you bring it up......I'm sure they'll come out of the woodwork.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

What's wrong with these people? I had read the complete building code by 19, and passed my C of Q in carpentry by 22. Went to comunity college for residential sidings at 23.Was licensed in roofing and concrete work by 25.

Take off for soffit? Give me a break. Open a book, learn something !!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the rant, but I'm getting tired of lazy people who expect it to just drop into their lap.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

katoman said:


> What's wrong with these people? I had read the complete building code by 19, and passed my C of Q in carpentry by 22. Went to comunity college for residential sidings at 23.Was licensed in roofing and concrete work by 25.
> 
> Take off for soffit? Give me a break. Open a book, learn something !!!!!!!!!
> 
> Sorry for the rant, but I'm getting tired of lazy people who expect it to just drop into their lap.


I think you just hit on one big difference, Kato.

Remember how exciting it was to pore over the code book? When I was studying for my GC license, I sat fascinated for hours, reading - from cover to cover - all the concrete and steel manuals. Today, I still can while away hours reading the various industry magazines, or articles online.

This business is interesting to me. And I love to learn more about it whenever I can. I've told Basswood (one of the posters on this family of forums) that I would love to volunteer to work for him, gratis, because there is so much to learn from someone like him. Unfortunately, I gotta stay here and pay all my bills.

But that attitude just doesn't seem to be found anymore in many of today's young people... in any business.


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

Willie T said:


> Sometimes I wonder why we even have the 'contractor' part attached to the forum name...... :jester: Still waiting for someone to ask why the tape measures have those little red and black marks on them.
> 
> 
> *EDIT: *Sorry..................... that was a little harsh too.


I had a guy tell me he had to figure the movement of the foot on the end of the tape measure, when I explained to him how they worked, he was quite surprised.

It is amazing how many guys with 10-15 years or more experience still can't read a tape measure, and don't think it is important to use a level when installing studs, one guy was shocked I expected him to use a level on every stud to make sure they were plumb.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

bwalley said:


> I had a guy tell me he had to figure the movement of the foot on the end of the tape measure, when I explained to him how they worked, he was quite surprised.
> 
> It is amazing how many guys with 10-15 years or more experience still can't read a tape measure, and don't think it is important to use a level when installing studs, one guy was shocked I expected him to use a level on every stud to make sure they were plumb.


I don't think anything tops the guy who soldered the "loose" tip of his tape. Seriously!


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

hey thats a great idea, thanks Willie:thumbsup: every tape i ever brought was loose,will plumbers solder work?


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

bwalley said:


> I had a guy tell me he had to figure the movement of the foot on the end of the tape measure, when I explained to him how they worked, he was quite surprised.
> 
> It is amazing how many guys with 10-15 years or more experience still can't read a tape measure, and don't think it is important to use a level when installing studs, one guy was shocked I expected him to use a level on every stud to make sure they were plumb.


Level every stud? Can you elaborate on that. We usually laser plumb the ends of walls and string them straight. For basements, I laser the first stud to layout and pull measurementas from there.


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## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

Warren said:


> Level every stud? Can you elaborate on that. We usually laser plumb the ends of walls and string them straight. For basements, I laser the first stud to layout and pull measurementas from there.


 
I have noticed before how anal bwally is!:thumbsup:


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Framer53 said:


> I have noticed before how anal bwally is!:thumbsup:


Anal is one thing, redundant is another. There is no good reason to level every stud!


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## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

Warren said:


> Anal is one thing, redundant is another. There is no good reason to level every stud!


 
I agree, but I was trying to be nice!:thumbsup:


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## Cjeff (Dec 14, 2009)

Willie T said:


> Sometimes I wonder why we even have the 'contractor' part attached to the forum name...... :jester: Still waiting for someone to ask why the tape measures have those little red and black marks on them.
> 
> 
> *EDIT: *Sorry..................... that was a little harsh too.


Are those dots there to help with the fascia?:jester:


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

tomstruble said:


> hey thats a great idea, thanks Willie:thumbsup: every tape i ever brought was loose,will plumbers solder work?


Tom, save yourself from plumber's wrath. Just hammer the rivet tight. :thumbsup:


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## CharlesD (Feb 12, 2007)

Willie T said:


> I don't think anything tops the guy who soldered the "loose" tip of his tape. Seriously!


Years ago I went to work for a home builder who required all his carpenters to use folding rules because, according to him, those new fangled retractable tapes weren't accurate. He'd give me long measurements by saying how many ruler lengths plus the feet past that.
8 ft would be one rule plus 2 feet. 12 ft would be two rules.
I'd just bought a new 12 ft. Lufkin and wasn't about to quit using it. Back then, that was the longest one available that I knew of.
He laid me off after a couple weeks.


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## Joe Carola (Jun 15, 2004)

bwalley said:


> one guy was shocked I expected him to *use a level on every stud to make sure they were plumb.*


Can you explain that please?


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Seriously, if you're building a wall in place plumb up the first stud, or a stud. Nail it, then pull layout on the plates from that stud and install the rest of the studs. I'm anal, but plumbing every stud is a waste of time and unnecessary. Plumb king studs for windows and doors if you must but not every one.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I don't like scaling off of plans because it seems I can get up to 2" of difference depending on how thick the line is printed. Whenever I can I get a cad file and open it on the computer. Then I can pull dimensions way easier. But for getting a take off for trim materials, you can scale. Just remember where your rafters are if you aren't using a tail header. And you'll need a trim detail elevation and section so you know what is going on.


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