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I WOULD LIKE TO PUT A 3RD FLOOR ON MY HOME AND AM LOOKING FOR IDEAS AS TO WHAT WOULD LOOK GOOD ON A TWO-STORY 25X40 EXISTING HOME BUILT CIRCA 1925. ANYONE WITH IDEAS, SOURCES FOR IDEAS-BOOKS ETC WOULD BE GREATFULY NOTED. I HAVE BEEN KICKING AROUND A GAMBREL TYPE ROOF BUT THERE MUST BE OTHER EQUAL ATTRACTIVE SOLUTIONS.
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Hi Brian,
Any way you can post a photo of your home? digital camera or scanned picture?
*Brian, I have been looking through my books for the name of a particular style of roof. It is a gambrel style with the top roof almost flat and the side walls almost vertical. the bottom 2 feet of the lower section kicks out in a modest radius. Most of these I have seen have windows in modified dormers. Several in the area are finished off with machined cedar shakes that are run with a 4-5" course of shingles and then a taller cource (12-16"s). Skip, good luck!
*Skip, I think that is a Mansard roof you're describing? Joe H
*Mansard roof is what you're describing, Skip.
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I think you have the right idea to keep the eave at the top of the 2nd floor and build the 3rd in the roof area. Whether or not a gambrel or mansard is appropriate depends on what architectural style your house is. It might be better to use a 12:12 pitch and have dormer elements create the space for the 3rd floor. You might check "A Field Guide to American Houses" by Virginia & Lee McAlester. There are a number of 3-story houses shown, which might suggest the best way to go.
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Joe and Joseph, thanks for correcting me if I was in error. I think the roof I'm talking about is a modified French or concave mansard, the modification being only a concave in the bottom 25% of the lower roof. Perhaps this style has it's own name? Anyone know it? Thanks Skip
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Brian,
I'll go with John - it depends on the current style of your house. 1925 - rectangular - I'll bet it is a bungalow variant. Medium pitch roof, front gable or hip, exposed rafter tails, big porches, etc. The thing to remember is that a mansard is usually on a taller, narrower, structure. The bungalows have different proportions, which could make a mansard (or saltbox, etc) roof look funky. For the pentultimate bungalow, check out the Gamble House, in Pasadena. (hopefully there is a link below)
Look at the rest of the neighborhood, you will want to be complimentary (which doesn't mean identical) to the surrounding structures. Even if you want to radically change the style of the house - go modern, postmodern, deconstructionist, etc, remember that the _proportions_ of the exsisting house will be a huge factor that must be considered in the design. Otherwise you will just get a tacky remuddling that will have all your neighbors shaking their heads and letting their dogs pee on your lawn....
Just my humble (hah!) opinion, Lisa
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I WOULD LIKE TO PUT A 3RD FLOOR ON MY HOME AND AM LOOKING FOR IDEAS AS TO WHAT WOULD LOOK GOOD ON A TWO-STORY 25X40 EXISTING HOME BUILT CIRCA 1925. ANYONE WITH IDEAS, SOURCES FOR IDEAS-BOOKS ETC WOULD BE GREATFULY NOTED. I HAVE BEEN KICKING AROUND A GAMBREL TYPE ROOF BUT THERE MUST BE OTHER EQUAL ATTRACTIVE SOLUTIONS.