Construction glossary · Envelope and finishes

What is an eave?

The eave is the lower edge of a sloped roof, the line where the roof overhangs or meets the exterior wall along the bottom of the slope. In estimating it is a linear-foot run that organizes the trim, gutter, drip edge, and soffit and fascia scope. You take it off as the perimeter length of the eave condition, not as an area.

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Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the Ruh construction team

Overhang 16 to 24 in typicalLocation Low edge of roofIncludes Fascia + soffit + dripVent area 1/300 of attic sf

The definition

Eave, explained.

An eave is the horizontal lower edge of a pitched roof, where the slope terminates over (or short of) the wall below. It is distinct from the rake, which is the sloped edge at a gable end. For the estimator the eave is a linear-foot control line: it sets the length of drip edge, gutter, eave flashing, ice-and-water shield strip, and the soffit and fascia that close in the overhang. The eave detail in the wall section governs how much of that scope exists: a closed eave with an overhang generates soffit area and fascia run, while a closed-cornice or boxed eave adds returns at the corners. Eave length is read off the roof plan perimeter, but you must separate eave runs from rake runs because they carry different trim. On a gable roof only two sides are eaves; on a hip roof all sides are eaves. Getting that distinction right is what keeps gutter, soffit, and fascia quantities honest.

How it is measured

Eave is measured in linear feet along the lower roof edge, taken from the roof plan and confirmed against the wall and eave-detail sections. Trace the roof perimeter, then mark which segments are eaves (bottom of slope) versus rakes (gable slope) because only eaves carry gutter and the horizontal soffit and fascia. On a hip roof the full perimeter is eave; on a gable roof only the two non-gable sides are eaves. Read the eave detail to see whether there is an overhang (which drives soffit width and fascia) and whether returns occur at corners. The eave linear foot then feeds drip edge, gutter, eave flashing, and the soffit and fascia takeoffs.

What is the eave of a building?

The eave is the lower edge of a sloped roof, the line where the roof meets or overhangs the wall at the bottom of the slope. It is measured in linear feet along that edge, not as an area, and that length is what drives the drip edge, gutter, eave flashing, soffit, and fascia quantities. The sloped edge at a gable end is the rake, and it carries different trim, so the two are separated in the takeoff.

Worked example

A worked roof eave example: hip vs gable

Worked example

Take a simple roof over a 60 ft by 40 ft footprint. If it is a hip roof, the full perimeter is eave: (60 + 40) x 2 = 200 lf of eave, all of which carries gutter, drip edge, and soffit and fascia. If instead it is a gable roof running the long way, only the two 60 ft sides are eaves: 60 + 60 = 120 lf of eave, while the two 40 ft ends are rakes (no gutter, raking trim only). So the same footprint yields 200 lf of eave as a hip versus 120 lf as a gable, a difference that directly changes gutter and soffit quantities. With a 2 ft overhang on the gable case, the eave soffit area is 120 lf x 2 ft = 240 sf. The estimator confirms the roof type from the roof plan before committing the eave length.

How Ruh handles it

How Ruh handles eave.

Ruh reads the roof plan and the eave-detail wall sections, traces the roof perimeter, and separates eave runs from rake runs so only the true eave length feeds gutter, drip edge, soffit, and fascia. It returns eave linear feet by elevation and prices the dependent trim on the contractor's own price book. The estimator confirms the roof type (hip versus gable) and signs off on the eave length.

On this page: What is the eave of a building? · A worked roof eave example: hip vs gable.

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Eave: frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an eave and a rake?+

The eave is the horizontal lower edge of the slope; the rake is the sloped edge at a gable end. Only eaves carry gutters and horizontal soffit and fascia, so you must measure them separately.

Why does roof type change my eave length?+

A hip roof slopes on all sides, so the entire perimeter is eave. A gable roof has eaves on only two sides and rakes on the others, which can cut eave length and gutter quantity substantially.

What is the eave of a roof?+

It is the roof's lower edge, where the slope ends over the wall below. On a pitched roof you have two kinds of edge: the eave along the bottom of the slope, and the rake running up the slope at a gable end. Only the eave carries gutter and the horizontal soffit and fascia, which is why the takeoff separates the two before anything is priced.

What is a home eave?+

The same edge, on a house. The word does not change with building type: it is still the lower edge of the sloped roof where it meets or overhangs the wall, still measured in linear feet, and still the line that sets the gutter, drip edge, soffit, and fascia runs. What changes between projects is the roof type, because a hip roof puts eave on the whole perimeter while a gable roof puts it on only two sides.

What scope keys off the eave linear foot?+

Drip edge, gutter, eave flashing, the ice-and-water strip, and the soffit and fascia that close the overhang all take their length from the eave run, so an accurate eave length anchors several trims.

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Related terms

Soffit Fascia Facade Membrane roofing

Keep going: A worked roof eave example: hip vs gable, read the full guide or explore roofing estimating software.

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