Purely cosmetic pitched roof "enhancment" to flat

[egamar]

I have an ugly box 2 storey box stuck onto the side of my house. It runs just below the existing hipped roof the depth of the house, water drains back towards the join between the extension and the house into a gulley and away. There is nothing wrong with the flat roof, it's just been replaced, but the whole thing is as ugly as sin.

What I have in mind is to have someone construct a completely false and cosmetic "half height" or “third height” pitched roof to run the three "open sides" of the 'box', with a tile finish to match the existing roof. They distances are about 3.6m x 8m x 3.6m

The roof itself would essentially be just a ‘sloped fascia’ hollow in the middle, although from ground level it would look as if it were a complete sort of pitched roof with a flat top which seemed to have been popular on bungalows and 1 ½ storey houses in the 70s – I hope you know what I’m talking about. The nearest terms I can find to describe what I mean is “gambrel” or “mansard”.

Am I completely barking mad? I know I’ll need planning permission, building regs etc etc but at the moment I just want to know if it’s technically feasible.

If it’s feasible any idea how much? To the nearest £500 will do!

Thanks very much in advance

 

[datarebal]

Perfectly feasable and commonly done, even now.

 

[egamar]

Perfectly feasable and commonly done, even now.

Wow! I'm pleased to hear that. Should I just contact a "normal" roofer and explain in the same words what I need, or is there a 'technical term' for what I'm trying to do?

Ta muchly

 

[datarebal]

Your probably going to need a chippie and a good roofer, Call a roofer first and he'll more than likely know of a chippie he is happy to work together with. The term varies depending on which part of the country you live.. but certainly in the south your looking to construct a mansard.

 

[noseall]

you would be as well to construct the roof with a flat top as opposed to a recessed hollow.

in other words, raise the flat section up so that it will be level with the top of the new mono pitched roof.

this makes it easier to drain and maintain.

the flat top can be felted or leaded as normal and wont be visible from the floor. all you will see is a lead flashing apron around the top course of tiles.

if it were me, and height is not an issue, i would form a complete hipped roof with a ridge. it won't be all that much more work and would certainly be more hassle free.

 

[datarebal]

it wont need lead around the top.. Your roofer should liase with the chippie forming the flat so that a ridge tile can be beded around with a number of outlets built in.. It'll look like a tiled roof from all angles..

 

[egamar]

I'm after the best cosmetic solution at he cheapest price, but obviously long-term maintenance is an issue, so I think it's a question of getting the roofer round!

Thanks for all the input.

 

[vinty]

Why don't you put a hipped roof on the extension cut into the main roof with two valleys and tiles to match the existing ones on the main roof.

 

[egamar]

Why don't you put a hipped roof on the extension cut into the main roof with two valleys and tiles to match the existing ones on the main roof.

I'd have to ask a roofer! Which I plan to do.

It's a hipped (sloping) roof it'd join to - my main roof is like a pyramid - all sides slope to a single point.

 

[vinty]

Is your extension the same width as the main roof? if it is you could put a hip on your extension and extend your main roof across the extension, that would create one roof, retile it with the same tiles.

 

[egamar]

Yes it is actually. It would be a nive elegant looking solution but it sounds REALLY expensive.

I'd also be a bit worried about whether the external walls of the "box" were sufficiently robust to take the weight of a tiled roof (or is that just daft, because the Building Regs people would have made sure it was).

It's an excellent suggestion tho, and I'll take it up with the roofer as a possible solution.

 

[noseall]

the walls should be ok provided the building was constructed 'robustly', i.e. decent returns of masonry from openings. the ceiling joists will prevent spread which is limited with a hipped roof anyhow.

there may be a bit of internal plastering regards bent straps and wall plates. also, the pitch of the roof may require you to either add a course of blocks internally or remove some brickwork externally.

 

[vinty]

Yes it is actually. It would be a nive elegant looking solution but it sounds REALLY expensive.

I'd also be a bit worried about whether the external walls of the "box" were sufficiently robust to take the weight of a tiled roof (or is that just daft, because the Building Regs people would have made sure it was).

It's an excellent suggestion tho, and I'll take it up with the roofer as a possible solution.

If your extension is only 3.6m long it should only be a matter of stripping the existing hip and extending the wall plates ect' then batten felt and retile matching into the main roof using existing tiles you would probably have to get second hand tiles to match existing tiles, but as you say cost could be a factor.

 

[egamar]

If your extension is only 3.6m long it should only be a matter of stripping the existing hip and extending the wall plates ect' then batten felt and retile matching into the main roof using existing tiles you would probably have to get second hand tiles to match existing tiles, but as you say cost could be a factor.[/quote]

It'ds 3.6m wide (ie sticks out 3,6m (more externallY) and is 8m long (i.e. runs the length of the house wall.

I think if I were aiming to get some habitable space in the loft (and I could get two big bedrooms plus two en-suites in the final area!) this would be the way to go. But as I don't even buy lottery tickets, I might have to scale down my ambitions!

Thanks again