Roof is a roof, door is a door, window is a window … right? Well, maybe to some people. To others, though, who take the aesthetics of their home very seriously, the roof in an essential aspect of the overall look and feel of the house.

It’s not simply a case of finding any way of keeping the rain off, maybe with a bit of a slope so it doesn’t all collapse after a heavy downpour. Far from it – your property’s roof is a defining feature, and really sets the tone for the building itself.

Here, AJ Scutchings and Son look at three different types of roof available, and explain why you might choose one over the other.

1) Gable roof

The gable roof is probably the most common for residential properties. Its sloped nature makes for efficient drainage, while its classical appearance makes it an appropriate choice for just about any style of home. They’re relatively easy to build, too, due to their uncomplicated design.

The only potential problem comes in areas liable to high winds and hurricanes; if the wind gets underneath the overhang, it can cause significant damage and, in some cases, take the roof off the building.

2) Hip roof

The hip roof is a variation on the gable style, in many ways. Often seen as an upgrade, the hip roof is also made up of multiple slopes, but these meet at the top to form a flat centre. The main difference between the hip and gable roofs is the price – for the simple reason that the former is slightly more complicated, it is generally a bit more expensive.

Choose this type of roof if you want a gable roof with a little more glamour. Hip roofs are also a little more solid than their cousins, but correct maintenance and installation are both of paramount importance to avoid issues.

3) Flat roof

In a move away from our previous two closely-related styles, we present you the flat roof. Generally, it’s more common to see this style on non-residential buildings, but there are definitely exceptions and there’s no reason why a flat roof couldn’t work on a home. They’re better kept away from areas with high rainfall volumes, despite the slight gradient they still put to use. The one major plus point of these is that you can actually use your roof for living space.

Provided a good enough job is done, and there is the required amount of support, you can use a flat roof for a patio, or even an extension of your actual garden. The flat design also lends itself to having solar panels installed, which makes this type of roof perfect for anyone eager to become more energy efficient.

Now for something completely different

We haven’t covered every style of roof out there in this short blog post, unsurprisingly. Some roofs are curved, while others seek to emulate the pyramids of ancient Egypt – occasionally, you’ll see a roof featuring multiple different styles in the form of a combination roof. Rather than attempt to cover all of these styles here, however, we hope we’ve given you a starting point and reminded you just how important your property’s roof is.

If you’d like to contact the roofing specialists here at AJ Scutchings and Son, give us a call on 07778 188 952, or fill out our online contact form.