Roof Dormers, an Added Style Element

At Home ReBuilders, we find most clients come to us with a universal goal. They almost always are looking for more space. Sometimes the space needs to be improved on, updated, or modified but most commonly it is all of those things plus “more”. We have seen construction budgets tighten in the past few years and homeowners are considerate of not overbuilding and maintaining value in their home but their goals tend to be the same. They are looking to maximize all of the square footage in their home. They want a new playroom or extra bedroom for family. They would like a master suite with room for a large closet and sitting ares. They are looking for a media room or family room to stretch out in. Adding dormers to a renovation can be a clever way to grant these wishes without adding the expense of a full storey addition.

Simply put, dormers are windows with their own roof that jut out from the larger roof. Dormers are built in a variety of shapes, including flat, shed, gabled, pedimented, hipped,  arched, oval, eyebrow, inset and composite. Because they can be inserted into an existing roof line, they often can provide the head height needed to turn an attic or awkward space into useable real estate.

Eyebrow dormers are characterized by a low upward curve and a lack of vertical sides. It looks much like a sleepy, or half-opened, eye. The eyebrow dormer is often a feature of Shingle style architecture.

Typical in the English Tudor style, gabled dormers have gabled roofs, with two sloping planes that meet in the center.

The hipped dormer has a hipped roof, which is characterized by three sloping planes that meet at the top. Prairie Style and Craftsman architectural styles are the types that typically feature hipped dormers.

Also called recessed dormers, inset dormers, unlike other dormers, are set back into the roof, which gives them a distinctive architectural style.

The simplest form of dormer, shed dormers have a roof with a single sloping plane. This style is found in Arts & Crafts and Colonial Revival architecture.

A shed dormer is a popular addition because it extends living space with height and width. A shed dormer’s eave line is parallel to the eave line of the roof.

A dormer, regardless of style, can add an extra element of charm to any exterior. Start looking around your neighborhood, dormers are everywhere!