Hi-

Can anybody provide a few pointers for a porch roof-to-roof deck transformation that I want to do? I have a screened-in porch off of the kitchen, the roof of which leaks. We are expanding the upstairs up to that point, so I want to take off the roof of the porch, and put a roof deck there, just outside the master bedroom. There’s nothing wrong with the ceiling per se, so I want to keep in intact during construction, if possible, and build on top of it in a way that will keep the ceiling dry, drain water, and allow a deck to sit on top of the whole thing. What I need to know is what I have to watch out for while doing this project, and how exactly the structure should be layered.

Bonus question: does anybody have any experience making belvederes? Resources on this topic are few and far between. Above the hall space at the top of the second floor stairs, I want to build a habitable cupola, about 7 feet square, that has windows all the way around. I want it to have a translucent floor that will have a trap door for access, and may have a ceiling fan built into the thickness of that floor. In the wintertime the area acts as a skylight, in the summer some windows could be opened to draw air out, using the stairwell and the fan to get the stack effect going, and the area would be accessible year round for picnics, stargazing, or sleepovers. But I’m sure I haven’t thought of everything. Can anybody tell me about any surprises that may be awaiting me?

thanks in advance for any help!

-mikey