When reviewing your Hover measurement PDF, you may notice differences in area calculations, especially between trim and siding waste factors. These differences are intentional and based on conventions tailored to the needs of various trades.
Why you may see different numbers
Area-rounding-conventions differ depending on context:
Trim line item Area: At the top left corner of the Summary page, the area of each trim face is rounded rounded individually to the nearest square foot, and then summed to get the total trim area.
In the example image above, it's shown as 156 sq ft.
Waste Factor Area: The total area of all trim faces is added first, then the combined total is rounded once to the nearest square foot.
In the bottom right corner of the Summary page, the total area for siding facades and total area for trim is combined to show the total Zero Waste area measurement.
These two rounding conventions can produce slightly different total values. While that may seem inconsistent, it reflects customer-informed practices. Different trades prefer different conventions depending on their workflow and material ordering needs.
The purpose of waste factor measurements
The waste factor is meant to estimate extra material needed—specifically the area where siding will be applied, even if trim is later applied on top of it.
In some siding projects, there are areas that need to be prepped or redone as part of the siding scope, even though siding won't ultimately be visible (e.g., behind trim). This means:
The waste factor includes surface area coverage for siding, even in areas where only trim will be visible in the final result.
It helps avoid material shortages by accounting for these less-visible but still-critical zones.
Waste factor options in the measurement PDF
Your Hover measurement PDF provides flexibility to suit your project needs with three levels of waste calculations:
Zero Waste: No extra material accounted for—just raw siding and trim measurements.
10% Waste: Adds 10% of the total siding and trim area to help cover cutting and fitting waste.
18% Waste: Adds 18% for more complex jobs or tighter margin needs.
You can also choose whether to include smaller openings (under 20 ft² or 33 ft²) in the area totals, which is clearly marked in each table.
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