Builder says gable "too tall"... wants to do a hip roof instead?

10 years ago

Hey guys,

Just a very quick Q. Our builder -- who in every other way seems to be quite competent and very helpful -- today came to us to request that we make a change to the rear elevation of our home.

The back of the house is a walkout basement with a two story great room in the middle. The gable on top of that room is supposedly 40 ft. high -- and he requests that we make it a hip roof for safety reasons.

My question is this: is this something uncommon? Is it really that big of a deal? We prefer the look of the gable, but is there any advantage to doing a hip roof?

Finally, if we do agree, shouldn't a hip roof be cheaper than a gable I think?

Thanks so much for your input in advance. Learning as we go! :-) Pretty nerve-wracking process at times this is.

-Steve

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Comments (7)

othersteve
Original Author
10 years ago
Forgot to mention that the plans show a gable roof and we had already agreed on it. He is asking we consider the change after the fact.
worthy
10 years ago
I worked once with a carpenter who gave advice on changing all sorts of things in the plan. Some made sense, others didn't. The advice struck me mostly as a display of frustrated architect syndrome.
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palimpsest
10 years ago
I don't understand the "safety" angle: safer when, during construction?

I think a Gable would be cheaper, it's simpler construction than a hip.
ontariomom
10 years ago
Why don't you go back to your architect and get his take on it (assuming you have an architect)? Also, if you post the proposed elevation pictures perhaps the experts on this board would be able to weigh in as to whether the hip would look as good as a gable. Unless you get someone with a good design eye to agree with the change I would proceed with caution. The builder's job is not aesthetics.

Carol
Kimbunny
10 years ago
Sounds like the roof will be quite tall either way. I don't see how a tall roof is unsafe, unless you're walking on it! A gable is almost always cheaper (trusses vs. hand-framing).
othersteve
Original Author
10 years ago
Everyone,

Thanks very much for all the input. I took this feedback to him and he eventually agreed it might look better with a gable roof (I really truly think it does). Even though it is supposedly cheaper we do have brick all the way up the back -- and he was referring to the safety of his bricklayer. Regardless, it will now be a gable.

Thank you again, I really appreciate the help! :-)

-Steve

This post was edited by othersteve on Tue, May 14, 13 at 9:30
renovator8
10 years ago
If he follows the OSHA safety rules there should be no problem but he might not have included the cost of scaffolding and brick lifting in his bid.

40 ft is an unusual height for residential brick veneer. The usual height limit above a foundation is 30 ft to the top of a wall or 38 ft to the top of a gable.

Make sure the brick doesn't need to be supported on an intermediate shelf angle.