Quick answer
A hip roof is a roof that slopes down to the walls on all four sides, so every edge of the house has an eave and there are no flat, triangular gable walls at the ends.
The sloping lines where two sides meet are called hips. The shape matters beyond looks: Florida's wind mitigation form scores it as its own roof type for insurance discounts, and it changes the edges, ridge and venting a roofer has to price.
Quick facts
- Shape
- Four sloping sides; the end sides are triangles, the long sides are trapezoids
- Hip
- The outside sloping corner where two roof planes meet
- Hip rafter size (2021 IRC)
- At least 2 inches nominal thick, as deep as the cut end of the rafters 6
- Florida roof geometry rule
- "Hip" only if other roof shapes are no more than 10% of the total roof perimeter 1
- Form valid for
- Up to 5 years if the house has no material changes 1
- Opposite shape
- Gable roof: two slopes and two upright triangle walls
Key takeaways
- A hip roof slopes down on all four sides and has no gable end walls.
- Researchers and storm-loss groups describe hip roofs as more wind-resistant than gable roofs, but a hip roof can still fail if its framing ties are weak.
- Florida's wind mitigation form lists "Hip Roof" as its own roof shape, and a house only counts if other shapes make up no more than 10% of the roof perimeter.
- A hip roof has a shorter ridge and longer eaves than a gable roof over the same house, which changes ridge cap, ridge vent and drip edge on a quote.
- The roof area follows the same pitch math as a gable roof; the hips add cutting, cap and labor, not extra square footage.
The shape in plain words
Picture a gable roof, the kind a child draws, with two slopes and a triangle wall at each end. Now push each triangle wall back so it leans in and becomes a roof slope too.
That is a hip roof. All four sides tilt toward the middle, and the roof meets the walls at the same height all the way around.
In builder's terms, a hip is the outside angle where two roof planes meet and slope down to a corner. The inside angle, where water runs together, is a valley instead.
A plain rectangle house with a hip roof has four hips and one ridge. On a square house the four hips meet at one point, and the roof becomes a pyramid with no ridge at all.
- RidgeThe level top line; short on a hip roof, missing on a pyramid roof
- HipsThe sloping outside corners that run from the ridge down to each corner of the house
- Hip raftersThe framing members under each hip 6
- Jack raftersShorter rafters that run from the wall plate up to a hip rafter
- EavesThe low edges; a hip roof has eaves on all four sides
- Ridge capFolded shingles that cover the ridge and every hip
How a hip roof is framed and why it is stiff
A hip roof is held up by a mix of rafter types. Common rafters run straight from the wall to the ridge. A hip rafter runs at an angle from each corner of the house up to the ridge.
Jack rafters are short rafters that start at the wall and stop where they meet the hip rafter. Many newer homes use factory-built trusses instead, with a stepped set of trusses at each end to make the hip.
The 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) sets the minimum for this framing. Hip and valley rafters must be at least 2 inches nominal thick and no shallower than the cut end of the rafters that meet them.
At the ridge they must be braced down to a bearing wall, or designed to carry the load at that point 6. Where the pitch is below 3/12, ridges, hips and valleys must be designed as beams 6.
Because all four sides lean in and brace each other, the frame has no tall, flat wall at the top of each end. That is the main reason it is described as stiffer in wind. The wind meets sloped roof on every side instead of a flat triangle it can push against.
Sources: [6]
Kinds of hip roofs you will see
| Type | What it looks like | What changes for the roof |
|---|---|---|
| Simple hip | Rectangle house, four slopes, one short ridge | The baseline: four hips, one ridge, eaves on all sides |
| Pyramid hip | Square house, four triangles meeting at a point | No ridge, so no ridge vent; four hips meet at the peak |
| Cross hip | An L, T or U-shaped house with hip ends on each wing | Adds valleys where wings meet, plus more hips |
| Hip with dormers | A hip roof with window boxes poking out of the slope | Each dormer face can be a small gable; on the Florida form those count as non-hip features |
| Dutch hip (gablet) | A hip roof with a small gable near the top of each end | The small gable is a non-hip feature for wind forms |
| Clipped gable (jerkinhead) | A gable with the top corner cut back into a small hip | Mostly a gable; it rarely counts as a hip roof on a wind form |
Worked example: one house, hip roof vs gable roof
Take a plain rectangle house 40 feet long and 28 feet wide, measured at the walls, with a 6/12 pitch on every slope. We ignore overhangs to keep the math clear. The pitch multiplier for 6/12 is 1.118, and on a hip roof the hip line is 1.5 times the run at that pitch.
| Line item | Hip roof | Gable roof |
|---|---|---|
| Roof surface | 1,120 × 1.118 = 1,252 sq ft | 1,120 × 1.118 = 1,252 sq ft |
| Roofing squares | 12.5 | 12.5 |
| Ridge length | 40 − 28 = 12 ft | 40 ft |
| Hip length | 4 hips × 21 ft = 84 ft | None |
| Ridge cap needed (ridge + hips) | 96 linear ft | 40 linear ft |
| Eave edge | 136 ft (all four sides) | 80 ft (two long sides) |
| Rake edge (sloped gable edges) | None | 4 × 15.7 ft = 62.6 ft |
| Room for ridge vent | 12 ft of ridge | 40 ft of ridge |
The roof surface is the same: when every plane has the same pitch, the sloped area is the flat area times the pitch multiplier, whatever the shape. What changes is the edges.
The hip roof needs more than twice the ridge cap and all-eave edging, and has far less ridge for a ridge vent. Illustrative house; the figures are exact geometry. See how the multiplier works on our roof pitch page.
Where the hip shape shows up on paper
The first place is a wind mitigation inspection report. In Florida, the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802) asks the inspector, "What is the roof shape?"
There are three answers: Hip Roof, Flat Roof and Other Roof 1.
Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts, credits or other rate differences for homes built with features shown to reduce windstorm losses 2.
The form is how those features are recorded, and the inspector needs at least one photo for each item marked 1.
The second place is a roofing quote. A hip roof adds line items a gable roof lacks or has less of: hip and ridge cap by the linear foot, extra cutting at each hip, and drip edge along every eave. Our page on ridge cap shingles explains how that line is priced.
The third place is a roof measurement report. It lists the length of ridges, hips, valleys, eaves and rakes separately. On a hip roof the hip and eave numbers are large and the rake number is small or zero.
Benefits and trade-offs of a hip roof
What a hip roof does well
What it costs you
- More hips, more cutting and more ridge cap than a gable roof
- Short ridge leaves less room for a ridge vent
- Less attic space; the sloped ends cut into the usable volume
- Harder to add a room or vaulted ceiling later
Limits of the hip shape
- It is not storm-proof. A 2018 study of tornado damage found hip roofs can suffer partial failure of the framing itself, and named toe-nailed roof-to-wall connections as the likely weakest link 3.
- Shape is one item of many. The Florida form also scores roof covering, deck attachment, roof-to-wall attachment, secondary water resistance and opening protection 1. A hip roof with weak nailing still scores weak on those items.
- Small gables can disqualify it. Dormer faces, a gabled porch or a garage gable count as non-hip features. If they add up to more than 10% of the roof perimeter, the form marks the roof "Other" 1.
- Less attic room. The sloped ends reduce storage and make attic ducts, insulation and access tighter near the corners.
What drives the cost of roofing a hip roof
A hip roof does not have more roof surface than a gable roof of the same footprint and pitch, as the example above shows. Cost differences come from the details.
Each hip has to be cut along its full length, and every cut shingle is a little waste. Each hip also needs ridge cap, which is sold and priced by the linear foot. More corners and edges mean more time on the roof.
Other drivers are the same as on any roof: the pitch, the number of valleys, dormers and penetrations, the covering you choose, tear-off layers and local labor rates. A cross hip on an L-shaped house adds valleys, and each valley needs its own lining.
We do not publish a single price here, because a fair number needs real local quotes. Use our roof cost calculator for a starting range and read our roofing cost guides to see what moves the number.
How a roofer re-covers a hip roof
A licensed roofer does this work. The order below is the usual sequence; the shingle maker's instructions decide the details.
- The roofer measures the roof, including hip and ridge length, and pulls a permit where the local building department requires one.
- The old covering comes off and the deck is checked. Corners and hips take a lot of foot traffic and wind, so soft spots there are common.
- Drip edge goes along the eaves on all four sides, followed by underlayment and any required ice barrier.
- Shingles go on each plane and are trimmed along each hip line, leaving a tight joint.
- Hip cap shingles are installed up each hip, then the ridge cap. Most makers want the hips done before the ridge so the ridge cap laps over the hip tops.
- Exhaust vents go in, and the job is inspected where the permit calls for it.
- MeasureRidge, hip, eave and valley lengths are measured, not guessed
- Tear off and check the deckSoft sheathing at the hips and corners is replaced
- Edges and underlaymentDrip edge at every eave, then underlayment over the deck
- Field shinglesShingles run up each plane and are cut along each hip
- Hip cap, then ridge capHips are capped first, from the eave up, then the ridge
- Vents and inspectionRidge or other exhaust vents installed; permit inspection where required
For a Florida home, ask the roofer for photos of the deck nailing and any sealed roof deck work. A wind mitigation inspector may need that proof later.
Looking after a hip roof
The hips are the roof's exposed corners. Wind lifts the cap shingles there first, and they take the most sun along the top. After a big storm, look at each hip line from the ground with binoculars. Missing or flapping cap pieces, or bare lines of nails, are signs to call a roofer.
Because a hip roof has gutters on all four sides, there is more gutter to keep clear. Clogged gutters can push water back under the eave shingles.
Keep soffit vents clear of insulation inside the attic too; a hip roof often depends on them for intake air. Our soffit vent page shows what those look like.
Venting problems and other risks on a hip roof
The short ridge is the hip roof's main weak spot for attic airflow.
The 2021 IRC asks for vent area of 1/150 of the attic floor, or 1/300 when 40 to 50 percent of the vent area sits high, no more than 3 feet below the ridge or highest point 7.
On a hip roof with only 12 feet of ridge, a ridge vent alone may not give enough upper vent area.
Roofers then add box vents or other exhaust vents near the top, or use vents made for hips. Our attic ventilation calculator works out the area you need.
Other warning signs to watch for: stains on the ceiling near the outside corners of the house, which can mean a leak at a hip; daylight at the top of a hip seen from the attic; and frost or damp on the attic side of the sheathing in winter, a sign of weak venting.
Any of these is a reason to have a roofer look.
In wind, the risk moves from the roof shape to its connections. The 2018 tornado study found that toe-nailed rafter-to-wall joints are likely the weakest part of a wood hip roof 3. Straps or clips at that joint matter as much as the shape.
Safety and risk
Do not climb a roof to check hips or vents. Look from the ground, a window or the attic, and leave roof work to a licensed roofer.
Code and insurance rules that name the hip shape
Model codes are adopted state by state and city by city, often with changes. Check the edition your building department uses.
| Rule | What it says about hip roofs | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 IRC R802.4.3 Hips and valleys | Hip rafters at least 2 in nominal thick and as deep as the cut end of the rafters; braced at the ridge to a bearing wall or designed for the load | 6 |
| 2021 IRC R802.4.4 Rafter supports | Below 3/12 pitch, hips must be designed as beams | 6 |
| 2021 IRC R806.2 Minimum vent area | Upper vents within 3 ft of the ridge or highest point when using the 1/300 rule | 7 |
| 2021 IRC R905.2.2 Asphalt shingles | Shingles only at 2/12 or steeper, on hips and every other plane | 8 |
| Florida OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 01/12), item 5 | Hip Roof: no other roof shapes greater than 10% of the total roof system perimeter | 1 |
| Florida Statutes 627.0629 | Insurers must offer discounts, credits or rate differences for features shown to reduce windstorm loss | 2 |
| FORTIFIED Home GEB3-HWH form (Silver) | Bracing must be documented for each gable end wall taller than 4 ft | 5 |
How the Florida 10% roof geometry rule works
The inspector writes down two numbers: the total length of non-hip features and the total roof system perimeter 1. If the non-hip part is 10% or less, the roof is a hip roof for the form.
A roof on a building of five or more units can be "Flat" if at least 90% of the main roof is below 2/12; anything else is "Other" 1.
Here is an illustrative case. A hip-roofed house has a roof perimeter of 160 feet. A gabled garage wing adds a 20-foot gable edge.
20 ÷ 160 is 12.5%, more than 10%, so the form would mark the roof "Other" even though most of it is hipped.
The same house with a 12-foot gable over the entry would be 7.5% and could still count as a hip roof.
The form is valid for up to five years if no material changes are made to the house 1. Florida has revised the form over time, so ask your inspector which version your insurer accepts.
Non-hip share = total length of non-hip features ÷ total roof system perimeter
non-hip features- Edges of gables, gablets and other non-hip shapes, in feet 1
roof perimeter- The total edge length of the whole roof system, in feet 1
result- 10% or less: Hip Roof. More than 10%: Other Roof (unless it meets the flat roof rule) 1
Porch and carport roofs attached only to the fascia or wall over open space are left out of the perimeter 1.
Sources: [1]
Hip roof vs gable, mansard and pyramid roofs
| Hip roof | Gable roof | Mansard roof | Pyramid hip | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sloped sides | 4 | 2 | 4, each with two slopes | 4 triangles |
| Upright end walls | None | Two gable triangles | None | None |
| Ridge | Short | Full length | Flat or low top | None, a point |
| Wind notes | Generally seen as more resilient than gable 3 | Unbraced gable ends often damaged in hurricanes 4 | Steep lower slopes | Same hip geometry |
| Attic or upper space | Less | Most simple attic space | Nearly a full upper floor | Least |
| Florida form answer | Hip Roof if non-hip features ≤10% 1 | Other Roof | Depends on features | Hip Roof |
Short versions of these shapes live on our glossary page: gable roof and mansard roof. A dormer on any of them adds small walls and roof edges of its own.
Why gable ends are the weak point a hip roof avoids
FLASH, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, reports that homes with unreinforced gable ends were damaged in nearly every hurricane from Andrew in 1992 to Michael in 2018 4.
The large flat face of a gable takes the wind's full push, and the taller the triangle, the higher the risk 4.
FLASH lists three common failures: roof sheathing lost along the top edge of the gable, a weak joint between the gable and the wall below, and broken gable framing 4.
The FORTIFIED Home program from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) treats this as a must-fix at its Silver level.
Its gable end bracing form asks for bracing records for every gable end wall taller than 4 feet, signed by a licensed contractor, architect, engineer or code official 5. A full hip roof has no gable end walls, so that item has nothing to document.
A hip roof with tall dormer gables or a gabled wing may still need it.
Common myths about hip roofs
- Myth A hip roof cannot blow off.
- Reality Hip roofs are generally seen as more resilient, but a 2018 study of tornado damage found hip roofs whose framing partly failed, with weak toe-nailed connections to the walls 3.
- Myth A hip roof needs more shingles because it has more sides.
- Reality At the same pitch, the sloped area is the same as a gable roof over the same footprint. The extra is in cutting waste and ridge cap, not square footage.
- Myth Any house with a hip roof gets the Florida hip credit.
- Reality Only if non-hip features are 10% or less of the roof perimeter, and the inspector has to record and photograph it 1.
- Myth Shape is the only thing insurers look at.
- Reality Florida's form also scores the covering, deck attachment, roof-to-wall attachment, secondary water resistance and opening protection 1.
- Myth A hip and a valley are the same thing.
- Reality A hip is an outside corner that sheds water away. A valley is an inside corner where water runs together and needs a lining.
Where the hip shape matters most locally
The roof geometry item on this page is from Florida's form, and it applies to Florida policies. Other coastal states run their own mitigation and discount programs with their own forms, and some do not score roof shape at all.
Ask your insurer or your state's insurance department which form they use and whether shape is on it. Our Florida roofing market study covers the state's roofing picture in more depth.
Framing and venting rules come from the IRC, a model code. Your city or county adopts an edition and may amend it. The local building department can tell you which edition applies and whether a permit is needed to re-roof.
When the hip shape matters to you
It matters at three moments. When you buy insurance in Florida, a wind mitigation inspection may record your roof as a hip roof, and that can lower your premium; ask for one if your file has none.
When you compare roofing quotes, check that each one lists hip and ridge cap length and drip edge for all four eaves, because those lines are larger on a hip roof.
And when you plan an addition, remember that a new gabled wing can push the non-hip share past 10%.
A good next step is to measure your roof from a report or plan, then run the numbers through our calculators before you call for quotes. For wind-specific work, read about hurricane roofing and wind uplift.
Keep going
- Hip roof vs gableWind, attic space and a verdict by home type
- Roofing calculatorFootprint and pitch into squares
- Roof pitch calculatorRise to degrees and the area multiplier
- Storm damage and insuranceHow wind claims and policies work
- Roof replacementHow a full reroof is scoped and priced
Questions about hip roof
What is the difference between a hip roof and a gable roof?
A hip roof slopes down on all four sides, while a gable roof slopes on two sides and has a flat triangle wall at each end.
That means a hip roof has eaves all the way around and a shorter ridge. A gable roof has a long ridge, two sloped rake edges at each end, and more simple attic space.
Is a hip roof better in high winds?
Generally yes, but it is not storm-proof. Researchers describe hip roofs as commonly understood to be more resilient than gable roofs, and storm-loss groups point to unbraced gable ends as a frequent hurricane failure.
Still, a 2018 study of tornado damage found hip roofs whose framing partly failed, often at toe-nailed joints between rafters and walls. Strong connections matter as much as shape.
Does a hip roof lower my home insurance in Florida?
It can. Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts or credits for features that reduce windstorm loss, and the state's wind mitigation form records roof shape as Hip, Flat or Other. How much a hip answer saves depends on your insurer and the rest of the form. Ask your agent before you book an inspection.
What counts as a hip roof on a wind mitigation inspection?
On Florida's form OIR-B1-1802, a hip roof is one where other roof shapes make up no more than 10% of the total roof perimeter.
The inspector records the length of non-hip features and the total perimeter.
Porch and carport roofs that attach only to the fascia or wall over open space are left out of the count.
Does a hip roof cost more to re-roof than a gable roof?
Often a little more for the same house, but not because of extra surface. At the same pitch, both shapes have the same roof area.
The difference is in the details: cutting shingles along each hip, more linear feet of hip and ridge cap, drip edge on all four eaves, and slower work at the corners. Get itemized quotes to compare.
Can you put a ridge vent on a hip roof?
Yes, but the short ridge limits how much vent it can provide. The 2021 IRC asks for 40 to 50 percent of the vent area to sit near the top when using its lower 1/300 vent rule.
On a hip roof, roofers often add box vents or other exhaust vents near the top to make up the rest. Ask your roofer to show the vent math.
What is a hip on a roof?
A hip is the sloping outside corner where two roof planes meet and run down to a corner of the house.
It sheds water away from itself, unlike a valley, which is an inside corner that collects water.
Hips are covered with cap shingles, and the framing underneath is a hip rafter or a set of hip trusses.
What is a pyramid hip roof?
A pyramid hip roof is a hip roof on a square plan, where all four sloped sides are triangles that meet at a single point. It has four hips and no ridge.
Because there is no ridge, it cannot use a standard ridge vent, so upper attic venting comes from other exhaust vents near the peak.
Do dormers stop a hip roof from counting as a hip roof?
They can on a wind mitigation form. Gable-faced dormers add non-hip features, and Florida's form counts their length against the total roof perimeter. If all the non-hip features add up to more than 10% of the perimeter, the roof is marked Other. A few small dormers on a large roof may stay under the limit.
Are hip roofs harder to vent and insulate?
They can be. The sloped ends make the attic low near the corners, so getting insulation and baffles to the eaves takes care. The short ridge also limits ridge venting. None of this is a problem when a roofer and an insulation installer plan the soffit intake and the upper exhaust together.
Sources
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 01/12), adopted by Rule 69O-170.0155 (copy hosted by the Florida Division of Emergency Management), retrieved .
- Florida Statutes §627.0629, Residential property insurance; rate filings (windstorm mitigation discounts), retrieved .
- Stevenson, Kopp and El Ansary, "Framing Failures in Wood-Frame Hip Roofs under Extreme Wind Loads", Frontiers in Built Environment, 2018, retrieved .
- Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), Brace Gable End Walls, retrieved .
- IBHS FORTIFIED Home, GEB3-HWH Gable End Bracing Compliance Form (Silver designation requirement), retrieved .
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 8 Roof-Ceiling Construction, R802.4.3–R802.4.4 (Maryland adoption, read at UpCodes), retrieved .
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code §R806.2 Minimum vent area (read at UpCodes), retrieved .
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 9 Roof Assemblies (Maryland adoption, read at UpCodes), retrieved .
Expert review
Written by the HyreRoof editorial team. Not yet reviewed by an outside expert. We say so rather than imply a review that has not happened; see our editorial policy.
How the numbers were checked: Roof geometry rule read in Florida form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 01/12); framing and venting rules read in the 2021 IRC at UpCodes; worked example calculated from plan dimensions and pitch.
Suggest a correction. We fix errors and say what changed.