Mansard roofs are a good option if you need to make the most out of your space while still keeping it economical. Learn more about the pros and cons as you read below.
What is a mansard roof?
The mansard roof is often confused with the gambrel roof, as they both have double pitched (or curbed) sides where the lower slope is steeper than the upper. The mansard roof is in fact a variation on the hip roof (all of its curbed sides slope down to meet with each of the structure’s walls), whereas a gambrel roof is gabled (the curbed sides only meet with two of the structure’s walls).
Designed in the 17th century, the mansard roof became especially popular in France during the mid-1800s. Its popularity in that country is why the style is often also called a ‘French roof’. Source: Build
PROS
Easier to add on other features
Attic conversions are a great way to add more living space to an existing home without the need for costly masonry supports. Since all four sides of the mansard roof are steeply sloped just like a box, it is super easy to convert the attic into an extra bedroom or living room. The steep slope of the roof can act as a wall so you can easily build an additional floor on top of your existing space.
The advantage of adding more space allows greater flexibility as it eliminates the need to move to a bigger home in the future. This advantage makes mansard roofs ideal for growing families who don’t want to buy a bigger home.
Fits rural or urban settings
Mansard roofs are suitable for rural areas because of their usable design. Aside from seeing this roof in rural places, you will primarily find mansard roofs in large cities as the space can get expanded upwardly not outwardly. Source: Homenish
CONS
Costly installation
After you check out a few illustrations of the Mansard roof, the first thing that will be apparent is the complexity of the design. Naturally, that will lead to a high installation cost. In fact, you will be able to install multiple Gable roofs or Hip roofs for the cost of a single Mansard roof.
Moreover, not many roofing experts will be familiar with this design. Hence, the quality of the Mansard roof might not be up to preferable standards.
More expensive maintenance and repair
A high installation cost would usually point to increased maintenance and repair costs, and that could not be more true in the case of Mansard roofs. In the modern era, not many roofing experts are familiar with the Mansard roof, hence repairing them will not only be a costly affair but finding the right roofing expert will also be a great hassle.
On top of that, the use of dormer windows along the steeply raked bottom slope will push the maintenance and repair costs to new highs. Moreover, there will be a lot of debris collecting on the flatter portion of the roof, which will further increase the maintenance bill. Source: ArchitectureLab
If you can’t decide whether a mansard roof is perfect or not for your dream home, call us and we’ll help you identify the best kind of roofing for your budget and needs.
Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains Ltd.
168 W 71st Ave, Vancouver, BC V5X 4S7
(604) 360-2114
