Welcome to AppliCad's Roof Wizard software - your complete roof and wall cladding estimation and 3D modelling solution. This guide explains the software's core approach and gets you started with the essential workflow.
🧾 How Roof Wizard Works
Roof Wizard is built on one fundamental principle: accurate roof geometry creates accurate estimates. The software creates a precise 3D model of your roof at full size, then extracts areas, quantities, and material requirements from this model.
The user simulates how roof materials will be applied to the 3D model, ensuring that material quantities account for real-world installation requirements.
Important: If your roof geometry isn't modelled correctly, your estimate won't be accurate. While you can create client proposals without the 3D model, you lose the built-in accuracy checks that ensure reliable results.
🔧 The Five-Step Process
Every roof project in Roof Wizard follows this proven workflow:
Define the roof geometry
Check the roof geometry
Select the roof covering material
Quantify and cost the roof
Print client proposal
🛠 Building Your First Roof
Most roofs start with a basic hip and valley configuration where the pitch and eave height are consistent around the perimeter. From this foundation, you can add architectural features including:
Dormers
Atriums
Gables
Verandahs
Other custom features
Note: Specialised shapes like barrel vaulted roofs, flat roofs, or simple single-slope roofs use separate workflows.
💡 Understanding '3D Roof Shorthand'
Roof Wizard uses an efficient approach called '3D roof shorthand' rather than creating fully detailed 3D models. Here's how it works:
Instead of drawing every component (fascia, gutter, clips, screws) in full CAD detail, Roof Wizard uses single lines with intelligent 'tags' or attributes. These tags define all the components and installation requirements for that roof element.
For example, a single line representing a roof edge contains all the rules defining what fascia, gutters, clips, and screws are needed - plus how they're installed and the labour costs associated with the installation.
🧾 Report Templates
Roof Wizard includes standard report templates so you can start creating professional proposals immediately. These templates can be customised anytime to match your business requirements.
🔧 What's Next
Ready to start? Here are your next steps:
Learn how to create a new job
Understand the different types of areas and linear items
Practice checking your 3D models for accuracy
Explore the File Menu options