Shingle Masters Home Flat Roof Conversions

There are many good reasons to have Shingle Masters Roofing & Construction convert a residential home’s flat roof to a pitched or sloped roof. After a Home Flat Roof Conversion has been completed, the pitched roof can add curb appeal and storage or even living space, it can reduce maintenance (in many cases) and it can solve structural problems with an ailing flat roof. A flat roof also can add distinction to a home, making it stand out among the horde of gables and hips in the neighborhood. The point is that the decision to convert a flat roof to a pitched one should be carefully considered. Here, we’ll look at the basics to help you start that process.

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How to Convert a Flat Roof into a Pitched Roof

The typical way is to remove the existing roof and add new framing to the home that creates a pitched roof over the old flat roof area. On houses, new pitched roofs typically are supported by the exterior walls, as with standard sloped-roof construction. Likewise, the structure can be built with engineered wood trusses or traditional rafter framing. If a conversion is not possible, adding tapered insulation to the flat roof will give the flat roof enough pitch to drain effectively without the expense of new framing.

Why Consider Home Flat Roof Conversions?

- - POOR DESIGN – Poor design and/or construction of a flat roof may result in frequent or recurring problems.
  - STRUCTURAL ISSUES – Old roof has structural issues requiring significant repair or renovation. If corrective measures are extensive, the cost of fixing a flat roof may be close to the cost of converting to a pitched roof—or close enough.
  - LONGER LIFE EXPECTNACY – Roofing may last longer. In theory, roofing on flat roofs can last as long as standard materials on sloped roofs, but in reality, roofing on houses with pitched roofs has greater longevity, on average. Again, it’s important to compare the durability of pitched-roof materials (like shingles) with high-quality flat-roof materials (not just tar-and-gravel or torch-down roofing).
  - EFFECIENT INSULATION – Easier to insulate and ventilate. Flat roofs often aren’t (and usually shouldn’t be) ventilated, and their space constraints can make it challenging to achieve high R-values with insulation. Pitched roofs offer more space for insulation and can be ventilated with fewer problems.

MORE SPACE – A pitched roof can create an attic space that can be used for storage, possibly additional living space, or both. How much space depends on the size of the house and the slope and structure of the new roof. Alternatively, a pitched roof can add visual space if the old roof is removed and the new roof structure is designed for a cathedral ceiling.
AESTHETICS – This is a case-by-case matter. A pitched gable roof is the quintessential roof style in most of the Western world. That’s why it’s easy to claim that pitched roofs look better than flat roofs. But of course, it’s not so simple. Flat roofs have been a characteristic architectural feature of Modern home design for many decades — and for centuries before that on various styles of homes. It all depends on the house and the owner’s taste. A run-down midcentury modern house might be beautifully made over by a new pitched roof. At the same time, the midcentury look is so popular these days that new custom houses are being built with flat roofs. In any case, some homeowners make the conversion for nothing other than aesthetics.

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