Instant Roof Pro (now often referred to as Instant Roof Nui) is a powerful SketchUp extension developed by Chuck Vali of Vali Architects. It is designed to automate the often tedious process of modeling complex roof structures, converting simple faces into detailed, professional-grade architectural elements in seconds. Core Functionality & Automation
The plugin allows users to generate a wide variety of roof types by simply selecting a face or specific edges within SketchUp.
Automatic Generation: Select a face to create a hip roof by default, or select specific edges to define gables, sheds, or Dutch gables.
Broad Roof Support: Includes styles for hips, gables, sheds, mansards, gambrels, plantations, and open trellises. Instant Roof Pro Sketchup Plugin
Parametric Precision: Every element—from the pitch and overhang to the fascia and rafter settings—is adjustable through editable parameters. High-Level Features for Professionals
Detailed Framing: The Pro version can generate full roof framing, including rafters, hips, beams, and even decorative trusses.
Roof Details & Materials: Beyond basic geometry, it adds realistic 3D details such as mission tiles, standing seam metal, shingles, and gutters with customizable profiles. Instant Roof Pro (now often referred to as
Style Management: Users can choose from a library of preset "Roof Styles" or save their own customized parameter sets for future projects.
Take-off Logs: A built-in feature tracks quantities and provides a takeoff log, aiding in material estimation for construction.
CAD Fixer: It includes a tool to repair problematic geometry from imported CAD files, ensuring a clean base for roof generation. Installation & Pricing INSTANT ROOFS IN SKETCHUP with Instant Roof NUI Use Layers: Put your generated roof on a
To appreciate the plugin’s value, one must contrast it with the native workflow.
Native SketchUp Roofing requires the user to draw a rectangle for the building, manually pull a ridge line using the Move tool, intersect faces with context clicks, and manually erase the lower extrusions. For a complex L-shaped or T-shaped plan, this results in intersecting solids that create "internal faces" and reversed normals, requiring extensive manual repair with the Eraser and Flip tools.
Instant Roof Pro automates the "Intersect Faces" and "Cleanup" stages entirely. When a user selects a complex polygonal perimeter (e.g., a hexagonal bay window attached to a rectangle), the plugin calculates the "valley" lines where the two roof planes meet. Furthermore, the "Pro" version includes automatic dormer cutting and fascia/soffit generation. This transforms the roof from a conceptual mass into a buildable assembly of components.
Select your wall loop or interior floor polygon, click the "Instant Roof" icon, and the plugin reads the edges. It automatically distinguishes between eaves, gables, and hips. You don't need to tell it which side is which; the algorithm analyzes the geometry.