Raise the roof, because it’s one of the most fundamental features of any custom home in Toronto. The roof is often a forgotten about element of a home, but it can make a massive impact. The style of roof, the shapes, the color, and the material can all influence the overall style and design of a home. That’s why custom home builders all encourage homeowners to give it some thought.
Here is a breakdown of the most common types of roof styles available:
Gable Roof
Gable roof designs are one of the more simple and common styles when it comes to roofs. The style looks like an inverted V. Sharp gables are commonly used in traditional style building, such as Gothic or classical Greek styles. Today, gable roofs are often used on Farmhouse, Craftsman, Cape Cod, Ranch, Colonial, Tudor and Victorian homes. This style of roof isn’t ideal for every geographical location though. In areas with high winds, these roofs aren’t recommended as they easily catch the wind like a sail, resulting in them peeling off.
Flat Roof
Flat roofs are becoming more common today. They’re often used for commercial buildings, but modern and contemporary homes also utilize the style. Mediterranean and Spanish style homes also sometimes use flat roofs. They’re the simplest roof style to built because they have little to no pitch. A huge positive of flat roofs is that they can be used for gardens, green roofs, or other outdoor living space.
Hip Roof
Hip roofs are a very common style for residential homes. The style is a little more difficult to build than flat or gable roofs because there are more complicated trusses and rafter structures. A hip roof has four sloping sides, with no vertical rooflines or walls. Think of this style as a pyramid. Many styles of homes use hip roofs, but they’re commonly seen on bungalow and cottage homes.
Gambrel Roof
Gambrel roofs can best be described as barn roofs as this style is commonly used on barns. They are used on residential homes too. A huge benefit of this style of roof is that it provides a large amount of space in the attic that can easily be turned into living space.
Dutch Hip Roof
A Dutch hip roof, also known as a Gablet roof or Dutch gable roof, is essentially a hip roof with small gables on either end. This style combines the benefits of both gable and hip roofs. There is more attic space and it protects better against elements like snow, wind, and rain.
Shed Roof
A shed roof, also known as a mono-pitched roof, is basically a flat roof with more pitch. It’s most commonly used for additions to a home, or to compliment other roof styles. This style usually slopes down in one direction, not two. This single slope is what makes it so easy to use for add-ons.
Mansard Roof
A mansard roof is a French style that is more complicated than a hip or gable style. It’s more difficult to construct and features a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof, with two slopes on each side of the lower slope, often with dormer windows. The steep roof creates additional attic space.
Butterfly Roof
This roof style isn’t widely used today, but it provides plenty of light and ventilation to a home. One of its drawbacks though is that it doesn’t drain water well, making it unsuitable for rainy areas. The style looks like a V or an open book, with two roofs sloping down to create a valley in the middle of the roof. Mid-century modern homes are one of the few home styles that use this style of roof.
Winged Gable Roof
A winged gable varies slightly from a traditional gable roof by extended the peak of the roof outwards. This extra feature is often called a “prow” because it resembles the prow of a ship. It provides additional shade or shelter from rain making it a practical feature as well as a stylistic one. Winged gable roofs are most often found on ranch or mid-century modern homes.
A-Frame Roof
A-framed roofs are very popular, even today. The roof acts as both the roof and the walls of the structure. The rooflines are steeply angled and extend to the foundation line. Churches often use this roof style, but they’re also popular on cottages or cabins making them the perfect roof for anyone wanting a rustic style home.
Conclusion
There are tons of other roof styles out there, but these are by far the most commonly used ones on custom homes today. Before selecting a roof style look at things like your home style, your location, your local weather, and your custom home’s layout. The roof style can impact all of these items.
Roofs do more than just keep the elements out of your home. It’s a key feature of any home so make sure you give it the attention it deserves. If you have any questions regarding roofing or want to build a custom home in GTA, please feel free to contact us.
