There is a lot to consider before you choose a new roof for your home. Anything from the roofing cost and your home style to the weather conditions in your location and your personal expectations will play a major role in your decision. There is no doubt that a professional roofing contractor will provide you with the available options among roofing materials, types, and colors. But it wouldn’t hurt if you were just a little bit prepared. To make that happen, we distinguished and offer you the 10 most popular roof types.
Gable
Gable roofs have the shape of an inverted V and have a medium to high pitch. Because of that, they are also known as pitched or peaked roofs. Actually, this type of roof comes in four main variations: front, cross, side and Dutch gable roof styles.
Pros: Due to the pitched sides, water sheds easily eliminating the possibility of leakage. It’s one of the most cost-effective roof types.
Cons: High pitched gable roofs are not ideal for hurricane-prone areas.
Flat
The interesting thing with flat roofs is that they are not entirely flat. They still have a small slope to enable water to run off the roof. Although mainly installed in commercial facilities, they make a nice alternative for homes aiming at modern looks or seeking to create a roof garden.
Pros: Allows for the installation of solar panels and roof gardens.
Cons: Not ideal for areas with heavy rains since water doesn’t have time to shed and there might be leaks.
Hip
Hip roofing types have four equally sized sides that meet to form a ridge. They are as popular as gable roofs and become even more attractive with dormers. They too come out in variations, which include: simple, half, and cross hip roof styles.
Pros: Allow for extra space indoors and are very resistant to winds.
Cons: They are expensive, hard to install, and require good maintenance from a pro roofer so that they won’t leak, especially if there are dormers.
Mansard
This is a very unique and complex style since it features two slopes on each side and there are four sides. The lower slope is highly steeped while the upper one is low pitched. It is known as the French or curb roof style.
Pros: Allows for plenty indoor space while you can add dormers.
Cons: It’s an expensive roof type that becomes even more expensive if the roofing company must waterproof the low pitched sections so that they won’t be leaks.
Gambrel
Gambrel roofs resemble the mansard style with the difference that here there are two sides.
Pros: It’s cost-effective and creates more living space indoors.
Cons: This style is prone to collapsing under the pressure of fierce winds. On top of that, there is need for good ventilation and insulation because ice dams can be easily formed on these types of roofs and thus there will be a possibility for leakage.
Jerkinhead
If you combine the gable and hip roof style, you get a Jerkinhead roof. This style is also known as an English hip or clipped gable roof.
Pros: It’s a very interesting roof design, which also creates more indoor space than the hip style and provides greater stability than gable styles.
Cons: It’s hard to install and expensive.
Shed/Skillion
Imagine a flat roof with a bigger slope attached to one wall of the structure. It also goes as a lean-to roof and as its name implies, it has been broadly used for sheds.
Pros: It’s affordable and allows for easy water runoff.
Cons: If the pitch is high, the indoor space is lower.
Saltbox
What makes saltbox roofs distinguishable is the asymmetrical design. One side has a normal slope while the other is dramatically slanted.
Pros: The high pitch permits quick water runoff while there’s enough indoor space for mezzanines.
Cons: It’s hard to build and install and so the price is high too.
Bonnet
This is a mansard roof reversed. There are four sides where the upper slope is steeper than the lower one.
Pros: Ideal for vaulted ceilings. The lower slope overhangs preventing leaks.
Cons: It’s hard to build while the valleys created between the slopes must be waterproofed and so it’s expensive.
Curved
These types of roofs can be arched or just slightly curved. They make a good choice for contemporary homes.
Pros: They can cover the entire house or only parts of it. This is a unique roof style that gives you the option to select whether you want a low or dramatic curve.
Cons: The price is high and depends on the curve of the roof’s design.
