Honestly, dry-fitting shingles always felt like extra work to me. I just eyeball the first few and adjust as I go—never had major alignment issues. Maybe I've just been lucky... or lazy, haha.
"Honestly, dry-fitting shingles always felt like extra work to me. I just eyeball the first few and adjust as I go—never had major alignment issues. Maybe I've just been lucky... or lazy, haha."
I get where you're coming from, and if it's worked for you, that's great. But honestly, when it comes to hip and ridge shingles, a little extra prep can save headaches down the line. Dry-fitting might seem tedious, but it helps catch alignment issues early, especially on tricky angles or uneven rooflines. I've seen plenty of roofs where eyeballing led to subtle misalignments that became obvious halfway through—then you're stuck pulling shingles back up, which is way more frustrating than a quick dry-fit.
One tip that helped me: mark reference lines with chalk or pencil before you start. It doesn't take long, and it gives you a clear visual guide as you go. Might feel like overkill at first, but trust me, it pays off in the end.
I see your point about eyeballing it—sometimes it does feel quicker. But honestly, I've learned the hard way that shortcuts can bite you later. Last summer, I helped redo a roof where the previous installer eyeballed the hip shingles. At first glance, it looked fine, but halfway through we noticed the alignment drifting off. Ended up having to rip out a good chunk and redo it... not fun.
Since then, I've been big on dry-fitting and marking reference lines. It doesn't take as long as you'd think, and it really helps keep things straight, especially on older roofs with uneven surfaces or weird angles. Sure, you might get lucky eyeballing it most of the time—but when you don't, it's a real headache. Just my two cents from experience.
Totally get why you'd prefer marking it out—but honestly, if you're careful, eyeballing isn't always a disaster waiting to happen. I've inspected plenty of roofs where the installer clearly eyeballed but still nailed it (pun intended). The trick is pacing yourself, stepping back often, and checking alignment from multiple angles. Sure, marking lines is safer, but if you've got experience and patience, eyeballing can save you some hassle... and pencil lead.
"The trick is pacing yourself, stepping back often, and checking alignment from multiple angles."
This is exactly what worked for me. First time doing my own roof, I started marking everything out but honestly got frustrated halfway through. Switched to eyeballing, took my time, and it ended up looking pretty good... patience is key.
