Roof Design – 10 Types of Design And Their Pros & Cons

Are you after a new roof for your building, but you don’t know the perfect roof design for you? Worry no more!

This post will cover the top ten types of roof design and their pros and cons.

Let’s get started!

1. Gable Roof

Go for the gable roof if you’re after a traditional-looking house. This roof also works well with all styles, including the modern ones.

Pros

• Appealing aesthetic
• Allows more ventilation by adding height to vaulted/attic ceilings
• The best option areas that receive an excellent amount of precipitation
• The slanted angle allows easy removal of snow and water

Cons

• The materials may break off because of high winds

2. Hipped Roof

The hipped roof features four slopes of equal length. These four sides meet at the top to form a ridge.

Pros

• It’s more stable and much more robust than the gable roofs
• The stable/sloppy design makes it the perfect option for use in high wind areas

Cons

• The intricate design makes it hard to build this roof

3. The Flat Roof

The flat roof features slight pitches to get rid of the water. It’s the most preferred roof design for commercial/industrial buildings.

Pros

• It’s easy to build
• An affordable roofing option
• It makes it easy to install solar panels
• It offers additional living room on the roof for a garden, patio, or partial enclose

Cons

• It’s more susceptible to leakages because of the low pitch

4. Dormer Roof

A dormer is a sub-division of a building roof structure. This roofed structure protrudes vertically up from the roof’s plane.

Pros

• Increased property curb appeal
• Provide natural light in upstairs spaces and attics spaces
• Increased airflow
• Creates additional space

Cons

• Expensive to install

5. Curved Roof

When building the curved roof, you bend the metal to produce various shapes, such as a cloud, simple curve, arch, or shell.

Pros

• Create a unique and clean look because of the roof’s unique, irregular shapes
• Avoids height limitations by curving

Cons

• It’s expensive to install compared to the traditional roofing system

6. Butterfly Roof

The buttery roof features a V shape design similar to the butterfly’s open wings.

Pros

• Room for high windows, hence allowing large amounts of light to come in
• Enough space and great lighting for solar panels

Cons

• The design’s complexity comes at a high price

7. Bonnet Roof

The bonnet roof refers to a double sloped roof whose lower slope is at a lesser angle (when compared with the higher slope). It’s the perfect option for buildings with large open porch areas.

Pros

• Excellent design option for water run-off
• Creation of dormers
• Spacious attic

Cons

• Water can accumulate the valleys and cause leakages/damages
• Complex construction

8. Gambrel Roof

The gambrel roof features two different slopes, as for the case of bonnet and mansard roofs. They are the most used for farm barns, farmhouses, Georgian houses, and Dutch Colonial houses.

Pros

• Reasonably priced
• Easy to access attic space

Cons

• Need maintenance from time to time

9. Mansard Roof

The mansard roof features four slopes, with the lower slope featuring a higher steep than the upper one.

Pros

• It allows future renovations
• Feature attic space

Cons

• It can be costly to build
• It’s challenging to build this roof

10. Pyramid Roof

The pyramid roof features four symmetrical sloping sides.

Pros

• It allows future renovations
• Simple construction
• Wind resistant

Cons

• It’s not a funky design option

Final Thoughts

Finally, depending on the roof design you go for, you may be required to consider the cost for extra construction and the regional weather conditions. Also, consider the roof slope and the geographic area relation to the wind patterns and ocean.