Too many roof lines
 

What is with the trend today of building houses with all the changing roof lines???

It just seems that it's not real practical. Looks to me like a 'once funtional box' that has been added on to many times.

I'm looking for functional, simple, cost effective to build at the ranch. The trend nowdays around here is a "look at me" house.

Tom?

My preference is for a simple hip roof. It does away with gables that are hard to maintain and provides nice, shade producing eaves.

Speaking of which, any updated photos of the palace?

Some years ago, a home builder submitted plans for a midwest-style home with a graceful roofline (as opposed to the steep-pitched multi-gabled homes more prevalent here in Texas). The homeowener's association approved the plans, and the house was built.

When the house was built, all of a sudden, the other residents in the neighborhood were up in arms over the look, and wanted the house torn down!!

Despite the total waste of space (and associated heat that resides in that space), it's a mindset that won't change soon...

I have a look/plan in my head yet all my initial drawings look like a$$.
A simple hip roof with a change in pitch for 8 foot+ wide overhangs on all sides. I like the idea of the wall being protected from the elements and shaded during the summer. Maybe less of an overhang on the south wall for some heat gain in the winter.

The idea of masonry walls appeals to me but I am not sure if the thermal mass 'flywheel' will work in this climate.

Wood framing is fast/cost effective so the other option was a 2x6 wall 24"OC. I figure that would offer the least amount of thermal bridging for roughly the same material cost.

I need to get busy with this. Been suffering from analysis paralysis and nothings getting done.

Where, what, how to build... :eek:

Your neck of the woods offers more structures that appeals to me.

Sometimes I think I need to make a move. NTX does have a mindset.

FWIW, the roof on the cabin was #7 in the design continuum. To paraphrase Edison: "I now know 6 ways to design roofs that look like a$$."

I honestly wouldn't worry about designing for heat gain. I know it's a tad colder in north TX than here in Waterloo or BHF but heating isn't the problem.

Shady sanctuaries are the thing for our climates. If you build deep porches and deck those roofs with reflectant barrier you'll be able to spend a lot more time in those spaces throughout the seasons, effectively increasing your living area.

I'm not suggesting a bale house (I wouldn't wish that on anyone) but take a look at some of the bale houses that have been done in and around Tucson, AZ and houses in the Australian outback. Many have deep porches...very attractive.

Make sure your framer isn't a methamphetamine freak and that he knows how to properly frame that pitch change. My ass is in a sling because I wasn't around when the Fabulous Baxter Boys framed mine, making what ins, in essence, a 36' long blind valley. I'm still trying to come up with a solution to that one.

Find yourself a good roofer and get his/her advice. Unfortunately, competent roofers are truly rare commodity. I've had four roofers work on my house. The original roofer did a lousy job and used the wrong materials. The second roofer was even worse. The third roofer was great, but got himself killed in a drug deal gone bad. The fourth one is golden, and knows more about standing seam metal roofing (which is what I have) than anyone I have ever met.

Depends on the house and price point. We build a bunch of cheap raised ranch's, and they have very simple roofs, which are cheap to build. A large colonial can have a more complicated roof due to dormers ect. Depends on the style and price point of the house. Style costs money, building a box is cheap.

I went to a building inspection on a large turn of the century house, it was kind of a federal style. Anyway the roof was complicated as can be and slate. Slate roofs are freaken expensive to replace, at least they last a long time!

They have their upside but there can be a downside. We put a room in the attic of an old house (1907) in Berkeley a few years back and it had hip roof all around. In retrospect, we should have made the backside at least into a gable cause head room is really limited unless you're within about 6 feet of the center of the room. It's about 28' x 16'.

On the tricky roof deal, oh man, I've been on some houses where the labor was double or triple on the roof from what it would have been with a simpler design. People get wide eyed at gimmicks it seems.

Roofs are kindof a special interest for me. They are easily done poorly, and often more complicated than is really a good idea.

I have always been interested in designing with them because they are a way to make visually interesting designs that cost a lot less than doing complicated wall and foundation shapes.

At the same time I am very sensitive to not making basic design mistakes such as the level or nearly level valley, or "flat" roofs when other options are possible.

Tom W

According to FLW, you probably aren't much of an architect. :D

Seriously, I despise flat roofs and hold forth that the architects who design buildings with them should be forced to sign perpetual indemnity agreements.

The plan is to use standing seam metal with an adequate pitch but not so steep that it like a roof with a short house under it.

No real snow loads here to speak of but it happens.

One huge hold up at the site is a couple of old oaks that will dictate the structure placement too near the edge of the hill to the west. Unless, I take them out. Something I'm not real keen on doing.

Are you looking for 'Prairie style' hip roof? In the Midwest it looks great on most any structure. Frank L. Wright was a genius in design & pleasing scale ratios.

Ice is our problem in Texas. Be sure to frame and flash pitch changes/valleys so that if you do get an ice dam, the melt is sure to stay on the outside.

Is this to be a primary residence or a retreat?

Primary.

I built a small cedar house up there a few yrs ago that has been the retreat. I sometimes worry that the novelty will wear thin if I'm there full time.

The house here in town about 30 miles south of the ranch is temp. I bought it six yrs ago to flip but somehow got distracted and have been living in/maintaining it too long. I've a few more things to do here but my interest is nil. It's time to get serious about the new place.

I have been researching putting a 'lodge' on a relatives land in hunting guide service venture. We all started with the premise that we weren't going to use a log cabin kit because we wanted to be different. Well, the goal is to have a place that pays for itself that we can use as our own hunting camp, so price was a heavy consideration for the structure. After speaking to many contractors and going to some national hunting shows over the past 18 mos. or so, we have settled on a log cabin kit:D. 3K sq. feet, metal hip roof, loft and wide porch on three sides. No snow to worry about where it is going but high winds possible and price @ 1/3 completed vs. having the place custom built.

Probably wouldn't have gone that route if it were to be my primary residence.

Just wait.

"Just wait," for what?!

I've been in Texas 30 years...... when is your roof ice dam event taking place in East Texas?!

We're NOT in Minnesota!

You must have just moved in from California.

Nah, he's been doing business in Laffayette, La. for 34 years so he can't be from Cali unless its Bakersfield:rolleyes:

I don't spend a lot of time in Texas, but in (Iirc) '04 we got stuck in a major ice storm near Abilene that was so severe it shut down I-20. On another hunting trip to Burnet (I guess that is near you) before that we ran into a pretty good one in that area that knocked power out for a day or two.

I've dealt with it twice in a year: This past Easter and one time early last December.

You have to remember the mentality of the builder on new houses:

How cheaply can we build it, and get people to pay the most for it. It is a business afterall.

The buyers care about:

1. How large? Raw square footage trumps everything. People will pay for total POS houses as long as they are 3ksf or larger.
2. Granite counters and stainless appliances.
3. How much?
4. How big are the bathrooms, can I play baseball in the master?
5. Is the walk in closet large enough to house an African family.:rolleyes:


With spec houses most buyers don't care or don't know anything about how they are built. Thats why most spec houses these days are built out of saw dust and held together with wood glue.:rolleyes: If putting a fancy roof on a house will sell it a builder will do it, with the cheapest possible shingles, partical board wood, and joists that are spread as far apart as the code will allow.:D

With houses you get what you pay for. Out of all the builders in town I only know one who builds spec houses to a very high standard.

Hatt, my reading of the thread is that Mr. Whiskey will likely be the GC and the structure involved will be the opposite of a spec house;)

Thats the best way to do it.:2thumbsup

Yes, Maybe the framer and trim guy as well...


Ice in Texas??? Well, we have to point the stage lights at the shed roof at least once every winter to keep it from sagging the large open span.

I also have a large cedar shaped like an inverted "J" from a pretty severe ice storm several yrs ago. We lost several nice trees.
Same yr it took power lines down. No tricity for a week.

What do ice storms have to do with your non-existent ice dams on a roof, in Texas?!

There are no "roof ice dam problems" in Texas.......

Troll.

Quite possible, I suspect that he is JimmyL, just with another ID.


Just can't prove it.

Ladies, gentlemen, we have a winner.

Their IP's are similer, I need to look into this further after class.

Whats throwing me is that he seems to have different cars and a different personality than JimmyL. However since he showed up JimmyL hasn't been around much, if at all.

They both have the same IP's, and both are on dial up from the same area of Texas. However dial up is a PITA, since you get a different IP every time. Everyone here on dial up has probably shared the same/similer IP at some point.

I'm pretty sure its not JimmyL.

Troll.

Show me a Texas ice dam on a roof, ANY roof.....ya troll.

Yes, yes we do..........."Texas Ice Dam Leo." LMAO!

Dial-up is it's own punishment.

:rolleyes:Throwing chairs?

Looks like I was mistaken, sorry about that.