Hip Roof Addition Mistakes to Avoid

Hip roof additions are slightly more complicated to fit than other types of additions. A hipped roof is where all the edges of the roof slope down and meet each other at approximately the same height. There are a number of common mistakes people make when planning and building hip roof additions. It's important to work out exactly what these are so you can avoid the same problems yourself. This is more complicated to construct than a gable roof but creates a much more rounded look for your home.

1. Not Planning Correctly

Quite often people don't put enough effort into planning their hip roof before making a start on it. Hip roofs are more complicated than a gable roof but this doesn't make them impossible to build. Before starting any project planning is essential. This planning will help you to make sure all of the rafters are cut to the correct lengths and the roof will be built correctly. A hip roof has a complex shape and it's simply not possible to build one unless you first draw up detailed plans deciding on the angles and various other aspects of the project.

2. Overhang

An overhang is important as it helps to keep water from running down the walls, however, if the overhang is too large then it can cause a potential uplift problem that could rip the roof right off the house.

3. Angles

The angles of the roof trusses are very important when building a hip roof addition. The hip rafters need an angle of 45 degrees between the corner of the building for the hip roof to be effective and work properly.

4. Buying Substandard Materials

Whenever you start any building project you will be interested in trying to minimize the costs as much as possible. However never resort to buying poor quality materials to make this possible. You should always buy the best quality and most reliable products you can afford so the project is a success.

Using poor quality materials will be a false economy because it simply means the hip roof will need to be fixed quicker than normal. Try to differentiate between the poor quality and the high-quality materials so you can make an informed decision.

5. Ventilation

A house needs to be able to breathe and a hip roof doesn't change that. Use a vent in the roof space to ensure your roof doesn't sweat or suffer from excess moisture. A vent will help to get rid of moisture before it has a chance to condense and cause any harm.

6. Insulation

Insulation is required to help reduce your heating bills by as much as possible. Heating costs are increasing every year and insulation is a great way to keep this under control. Insulation should never be overlooked and it should be applied in between the rafters on the inside of the roof.