Dormer Roof

Due to the benefits of dormers, they are most commonly found on residential buildings, built into the roof where the attic space is being optimised for living conditions as the dormer helps in providing additional space, ventilation and natural light through former windows. Another main usage of roof dormers is only single floor properties, such as leisure homes or bungalows which are popular in the UK, as a dormer extension can provide a porch to the building, creating additional space that is built into the roof.

Different styles of roof dormers:

Like with all different roof designs, dormers are often installed in different shapes to suit the requirements of the building and client demands.

• Mono-pitch dormer: Often referred to as a shed roof, this is a single sloping pitch often utilised on porches or roofs with low-pitches where it is easier to install a singular sloping pitch.
• Gable Ended Dormer: The most common dormer type with an apex roof design of two roof faces meeting at a centralised ridge to leave a gable end. The gable ended dormers offer superior water drainage and provide a larger front face often utilised for windows, allowing for more natural light into the roof space.
• Hipped Dormer: Often found on buildings with existing hipped roofs to suit in with the design of the rest of the building. These dormers have three sloping faces with two hips that meet the ridge to form a Y-shaped junction.
• Flat Roof Dormer: Typically the most cost effective as they utilise headroom the best and are easy to install, but much less aesthetically striking and have poor water drainage and may require more maintenance. Also found on porches, garages and simple extensions.

Why do properties need dormers on roofs?

The main benefit of incorporating dormers into roofs is the practicality of them to homeowners. Dormers can transform roof spaces and are required for adding additional roof space to make them livable year round. But other than maximising the space in your home, what other benefits can roof dormers provide?

• Enhanced Natural Light: As dormer windows sit vertically, they allow for more consistent natural sunlight into the property. Additionally, a dormer provides combined benefits of the additional space and openable roof windows whereas most skylights are fixed and built into the existing roof.
• Better Roof Ventilation: Incorporating openable roof windows into the roof structure allows for much better airflow throughout the roof space, not only helping to regulate temperatures better but also reducing the risks of damp or condensation caused by insufficient ventilation on the roof. Utilising sufficient eaves and ridge ventilation, as recommended with lightweight roofing systems like Metrotile will ensure that these issues don’t occur.
• Enhanced Kerb Appeal: Roof dormers nicely break up large sections of pitched roofs and add character and depth to both traditional and modern architectural properties. Metrotile’s lightweight roof tiles have the versatility to use multiple roofing materials on the dormer roofs and also the vertical faces to match the required aesthetics and boost the striking visuals of any pitched roof.
• Added Property Value: Having a roof dormer often means that the roof space is capable of being lived in, maximising the properties capacity for living space. The ability to add another bedroom or living room can increase property value by up to 20%!

Adding a dormer to an existing roof

If you’re interested in converting your loft into a year-round living space and wish to add a dormer, there’s firstly a few things to consider before undertaking the project.

• Cost: Dormer roof extensions cost an average of £20,000-£40,000 in the UK.
• Planning Permission: Does the extension require planning permission to be built?
• Building Regulations: Ensure the planned dormer meets UK building regulations with correct roof structure, insulation, ventilation and building materials.

In terms of the process for installing a new dormer into an existing roof, the first major step is the design and structural works required for changing the roof shape to implement the extended dormer. Often new structural supports and beams are required to handle the additional weight on the roof, this is why lightweight roofing materials such as Metrotile’s lightweight steel tiles are often the perfect choice due to their durability but lightweight nature as to not overbear the roof structure with additional weight.

Another key consideration is the stripping of existing roofing materials, and matching in and installing new ones. Dormers often involve valleys that need to be formed and a new ridge and roof pitches, so having a roofing material that is easy to install and has good weather resistance is always a must