The roof you choose for your house says a lot about the kind of personality you have. Despite the roof being among the not-so-obvious things in a house, best believe that a good one will make a statement, and a good statement for that matter. Gone are the days when all you had was a bland, haggard looking ‘mabati’ that had seen better days. Today, there is a wide variety of options that are cool and architecturally interesting. For something that takes up to six per cent of the total construction cost, picking out your roof deserves some meticulous considerations.
They come in all manner of colours, shapes and designs. Others boast of versatility whilst others have waterproofing qualities. Today, it is not enough to simply have a “roof over your head”, every home buyer is looking for a roofing style that makes a statement. Technological advancements have seen the roofing industry produce roofs that bring out a sense of elegance and sophistication.
You may sit and think, “I have already bought this unit and I have to accept to shape of the roof I found this house with.” On the contrary, you can renovate and choose between a gable-style roof and a hipped roof which are the most popular designs being adopted in Nairobi today.
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Gable style roofing
Ask a child to draw a picture of a house and s/he will likely draw one with a gable roof. This perhaps explains the basic nature of this roofing style. If your house is rectangular-shaped, this is the most popular Kenyan design currently being used. It is affordable and easy to install.
The gable style roofing has two sides that extend from a central ridge to form an “A” shape. The actual gables are the triangular insets on each end of house. On account of that, this roof is easy to install because it does not require you to cut and fit the singles in various shapes. You just place them in long rectangular rows. This ultimately cuts down on construction costs.
You can embellish it with a decorative frame to make it stylish and modern. Despite its versatility, it is not ideal for home owners in high-wind counties.
If the frames are not properly constructed with adequate supports, the roof can collapse due to strong winds. High winds can also cause materials to peel away from gable roofs. If there is too much of an overhang, winds can create an uplift underneath and cause the roofing to detach from the walls.
Hipped roof
Slowly gaining popularity in the real estate industry of Kenya, a hipped roofing style has angled slopes on all four sides. The sides are all equal length and come together at the top to form the ridge that has a pyramid-like design. A Hip roof is equally economical but slightly pricier than a gable roof because the trusses that hold the roof are difficult to build.
One of the key advantages a hip roofing style has over a gable roofing style is stability and sturdiness. The inward slope of all four sides is what makes it durable and as such, is highly recommended for windy and rainy areas.
For this roof to last a long time, the construction has to meet the highest standards in the industry. Its complex design needs a highly skilled fundi and a lot of building materials.
Both roofs can be covered by almost any type of building material ranging from shingles, metal, slates, decra or tiles.