Hip Roofs

The basic hip roof is a pitched roof with four sloping sides. However, that’s not the only option available. There are other types of hip roofs. This article will introduce you to six. Each of these six is unique in design and best suited to different types of buildings. So, keep reading to find the right type of flat roof for your building. The Most Common Types of Hip Roofs As promised, here are six types of hip roofs. Standard hip Roof This is the most basic, simple and popular type of hip roof. It’s the type I described in the introduction. The standard, aka simple hip roof, has four sloping sides that meet at the ridge. This type of hip roof is perfect for all sorts of buildings, including contemporary and traditional. Usually, the building is rectangular. Pyramid hip roof A pyramid hip roof usually has four symmetrical sloping sides. This is usually because the building is square. Such a building is usually a cottage, small church or bungalow, gazebo or pavilion. This type of hip roof is also called a pavilion roof. Hip and Valley roof A hip and valley roof comprises two hip roofs with a valley between them. Usually, this is because of house extensions. The secondary hip roof is for the extension. A hip and valley roof can also be used for L-shaped buildings. Cross hip roof A cross hip roof comprises multiple hip roofs crossing each other, usually at right angles. Each wing (of the cross hip roof) is for a different wing of the building. Therefore, this type of hip roof is mainly for L- and T-shaped buildings. Half hip roof A half hip roof is a hybrid with gables. Usually, the gable roof is on top of the hip. This improves headroom (because of the gables) while maintaining sturdiness (because of the hip). This type of hip roof is popular in urban homes, rural cottages and Dutch colonial architecture. It is also known as the Dutch gable. Mansard Roof This is another hybrid type of hip roof. A mansard roof comprises two hipped roofs, one sitting on the other. The lower roof usually has a steeper slope. This design also increases headroom without making the room less sturdy or stable. Mansard roofs are great for urban, contemporary and French architecture. The Main Advantages of Hip Roofs Here are six advantages of hip roofs. Durability Hip roofs are one of the strongest and most durable types of roofs. They can last up to 50 years. Weather resistance Hip roofs are great for locations with severe weather. Those sloping sides protect them from heavy winds, rainfall and snow loads. A self-bracing structure All four sides brace each other. The result is a sturdy, strong roof that doesn’t need additional support structures. Good drainage Water drains along the sloping sides. It can’t settle on the roof. Plus, you can install gutters on all sides, further improving drainage. Curb appeal Hip roofs make buildings look larger, elegant and eye-catching. Even the standard hip roof has a lot of curb appeal. Imagine how the more interesting types (of hip roofs) can beautify your home. Ample loft space Hip roofs create ample loft space that you can use as a storage, living or office space. If you want maximum loft space, consider the half hip or mansard types of hip roofs. What to Consider When Choosing a Hip Roof Each type of hip roof has strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, one type might be perfect for your house, while another isn’t. To choose the right hip roof, consider these five factors. Architectural style What is the design of your building? The roof should complement and fit that design. For example, if you have an L- or T-shaped building, you can use a cross hip roof. The roof should also fit the general aesthetics of the property. Your budget How much will the roof cost? Consider the design and the roofing material. If you choose a complex hip roof and high-quality roofing material, costs will be higher. Weather conditions of your area Hip roofs generally do well in severe weather. However, some types of hip roofs perform better than others. For example, hip and valley hip roofs have valleys that could leak. Cross hip roofs have the same problem. Maintenance and repairs Complex roof designs are usually more high-maintenance and costlier to repair. They also usually cost more to install. So, if you want to reduce installation and maintenance costs, choose a simple type of hip roof. Living space If you want better headroom in the loft, choose mansard and half hip roofs. How to Maintain a Hip Roof Here are four things you can do to care for a hip roof. Clean the roof and gutters regularly Clear debris regularly. Clean the gutters, too, to avoid drainage issues. Inspect the roof regularly This will allow you to spot problems early. When you do find a problem, fix it as soon as possible. Inspect every part of the roof, including the drains, seams and flashings.  Aside from regular inspection, you should also inspect your hip roof after bad weather. Prune overhanging branches Branches can fall on the roof, damaging it. They can also shed leaves on the roof. Prune overhanging branches to avoid this. Hire a specialist to inspect your room twice a year The specialist will notice things that you can’t. They can also help with roof maintenance and repairs. Summary The main types of hip roofs are standard, pyramid, hip and valley, cross hip, half hip and mansard roofs. They all have four sloping sides. However, they also have design qualities that make them unique. So, one type of hip roof could be perfect for you while another is not. It’s crucial to choose the right roof. It’s even more crucial to hire a qualified and experienced roof specialist to install or repair your roof. So, let me tell you about us. Fixmyroof is a roofing company … Read more

Hip roofs are extremely popular, but they are not perfect. However, their (hip roof) advantages outweigh their disadvantages. That’s why more and more people keep choosing them for their buildings. Still, it’s important to understand what you are getting into. That’s what I always tell our clients. Read about hip roofs. Learn as much as you can before choosing it for your home. What Is a Hip Roof? In its simplest form, a hip roof is a pitched roof that is sloping on all sides. There will be variations. For example, a half-hipped roof is a hybrid with a gable, while a mansard roof is basically one hip roof sitting on another. Other types of hip roofs are standard, pyramid and cross hip roofs. The size and pitch of the roof can also vary as required. However, one thing is constant. All four sides are sloping. That’s the primary characteristic of a hip roof. Now that you know what a hip roof looks like, let’s move on to the main focus of this blog post. Let’s discuss hip roof pros and cons. Advantages of Hip Roofs Here are six amazing hip roof advantages that you need to know. Durable and sturdy Hip roofs are the most sturdy and durable type of roof. Flat and gable roofs don’t even stand a chance. So, if sturdiness and durability are your primary objective, install a hip roof. Ability to withstand severe weather Because of their strength and sturdiness, hip roofs are the best choice for areas with severe weather. So, if your area has strong wind, rain and snow, install a hip roof. There are two reasons that make hip roofs perfect for severe weather. The first is the lack of flat sides. Flat vertical sides catch the wind. Sloping sides don’t. Flat horizontal surfaces allow snow and water to build up. Sloping sides don’t. The second reason is the self-bracing nature of hip roofs. That’s the next hip roof advantage on this list. A self-bracing structure A hip roof is designed to support itself. That’s what makes it so sturdy and strong. Therefore, you don’t have to spend money on extra support. That’s not the case for gable roofs. Good drainage quality Because of the sloping sides, water, snow and debris can’t settle on a hip roof. You can also add gutters on all four sides of the roof. Therefore, drainage is pretty much perfect. Aesthetic appeal A hip roof makes a building look elegant, larger and interesting. It also feels more welcoming because we expect homes to have pitched roofs. Design versatility Hip roofs fit in well with all sorts of houses. So, whether your property is Victorian, Edwardian or contemporary, you can build a hipped roof. That’s more than enough pros. So, let’s move on to the cons of hip roofs. Disadvantages of Hip Roofs As stated earlier, hip roofs are not perfect. They have weaknesses. Here are three hip roof disadvantages. Costly Hip roofs are more expensive than their flat and gable counterparts. This is mainly due to design complexity and supply needs.  It takes skill to build a hip roof. You also need a higher quantity of materials. So, I don’t recommend hip roofs for people on a budget. Propensity to leak Compared to gable roofs, hip roofs are more prone to leaks. This is because hip roofs have more parts. There are more fasteners and seams. Therefore, there are more weak points that could leak.  Reduced headroom in the loft Here is the final main disadvantage of hip roofs. The sloping sides affect the headroom inside the attic. Flat roofs provide the most headroom in an attic. Gable roofs also have headroom issues, but not as much as hip roofs. Headroom is a general problem among pitched roofs. Get Help from Roofing Experts at Fixmyroof Now you know the main advantages and disadvantages of hip roofs. As you can see, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Plus, a skilled roofer can work around those cons. Take Fixmyroof as an example. Hip roofs are one of the most common choices among our clients. Yet, they never have issues. That’s because they chose us. We are experts with several years of experience in the roofing industry. That’s the final and most important advice that I have for you. Hire experts to build or repair your hip roof. We volunteer ourselves for the role, so hire us to build and repair your hip roof.

Hip roofs are one of the three main types of roofing solutions that we use in the UK. They are sturdy, aesthetically pleasing, versatile and good with drainage. That’s why so many people choose them. That’s why you are on the internet, trying to learn about hip roofs. I will tell you everything you need to know in this article. This includes vital information like types, advantages and disadvantages of hip roofs. I will even tell you how hip roofs compare to flat and gable roofs, the other two most common roofing solutions. What Is a Hip Roof? A hip roof is a roof with four sloping sides. The slopes rise from the base of the roof (at the top of the wall) and intersect at the ridge. This is what the standard hip roof looks like. However, there are other versions. We will discuss five different types of hip roofs in this article. They are all slightly different from each other. However, the sloping sides are universal. All the sides of a hip roof are inclined, not flat. Types of Hip Roof Here are the five types of hip roofs. Standard or simple Hip Roof This is the basic type of hipped roof. It’s what people imagine when trying to describe what a hip roof looks like. So, some people also call this the traditional hip roof. The standard/simple Hip roof has four sloped sides. All four sides connect at the ridge. This type of hip roof is usually used for rectangular buildings. On the short sides, the roof looks like a triangle. On the long sides, it looks like a polygon. Pyramid hip roof The major difference between a pyramid and a standard hip roof is the shape of the building involved. The latter is used for rectangular buildings, while the former is used for square buildings. So, that’s what a pyramid hip roof is? It is a hipped roof on a square building. Because all four sides are equal, the roof looks like a pyramid. This is where the name comes from. Some people also call it the pavilion hip roof. A pyramid hip roof looks like a triangle on all four sides. Cross hip roof This type of hipped roof has two different wings/sections.  Consider an L-shaped building as an example. It needs a roof that has two different wings. These two wings will cross each other at some point. That’s when you have a cross-hip roof.  That’s where the name comes from. It means two or more hip roofs crossing each other. The cross hip roof Is also known as the hip and valley roof. Half hip roof This type of hip roof also has a gable on it. Actually, that’s exactly what this hip roof looks like. It is like a hipped roof with a gable roof sitting on it. It’s a hybrid of the hip and the gable roofs. The half hip roof is also known as the Dutch gable roof. Mansard Roof The mansard hip roof looks like one hipped roof sitting on another. The upper roof is usually steeper than the lower one. So, there are two different levels of steepness. What Are the Benefits of a Hip Roof? Here are four main benefits of hipped roofs. Good drainage Because all the sides are sloping, water can drain off the roof. Snow and debris can’t build up either. Plus, you can add a gutter to all four sides of the roof. Sturdy and stable A Hip roof is very sturdy and secure. The structure can support itself. You also don’t have to worry about wind because the roof doesn’t have a flat side. Versatile design You can use a hip roof for most types of houses. From Victorian to classical and modern buildings, hipped roofs suit them all. Aesthetic appeal A hip roof is elegant and eye-catching. It will increase the aesthetic appeal and property value of your home. What Are the Disadvantages of a Hip Roof? Here are three main disadvantages of hip roofs Relatively expensive A hip roof is more expensive than the two other options available. Flat roofs are the cheapest, while gable roofs are also very affordable. Complicated to build The structure is relatively more complex than that of a gable roof. It needs skilled labour and more work hours. Material costs are also higher. Leaks This is mainly a problem for poorly installed and maintained roofs. However, it’s still something to keep in mind. That is why you need a roof specialist like Fix my roof. A shoddy job will cost you more money in the long run. So, hire the best. Conclusion Once again, a hip roof has four sloping sides. That’s its major characteristic. It has many benefits, including sturdiness, drainage, snow load, aesthetic appeal, and versatility. There are disadvantages, too. After all, nothing is perfect. Either way, a well-installed hip roof is an incredible addition to any property. So, let’s talk about how Fixmyroof can help you build one. We can also hire us to repair your current roof.