We're having an single story extension on the back of the house and due to cost we're limited with design options.
Due to the need for a 15 degree slope on the planned single pitch roof the architect identified the upper floor window would intere with the butress and has come back with the below design.....I find it a little bizarre as the roofline will come above the window line and potentially overshadow next doors conservatory.
Who'd just get a flat roof? if not, why not?
why not just slope away from the house?
what is the roof covering going to be? - make sure it works with such a low pitch and windows (are they going to open?)
our architect designed for tiles - but they wouldnt guarantee waterproofness for roof lights and the low pitch and even then the veluxes had to go in upstands which ruins the outwardy appearance but looks good inside
fortunately our builder was clued in and we have a funky resin roof instead of tiles
We'd planned for tiles which apparently (our price point) need a 15 degree slope
why not just slope away from the house?
If we slope towards the house (at 15 degrees) the roof would stop 25cm above the window sill, make sense?
Oink, what company did your roof?
before anyone says it, flat roofs are now fine and will last the life of a normal pitched roof *provided there installed properly* suggest you look at the trocal website as ive specc'd several of these and they work well
ensure the architect details the abutment well, as where the lead flashing will be next to the first floor window looks tight
lead flashing is going to clash with your bedroom window frame
are two roof lights actually necessary for the size of extension? maybe cheaper to have one large one instead
25cm above the window sill
drop the garden a bit 
the roof lights are mainly because the extension will reduce natural light in the current room at the rear so we want to minimise this.
Keep the comments coming as their all valuable
IMO it is aesthetically unsatisfactory. Would a V shape pitch running front to rear interfere with the window?
IMO it is aesthetically unsatisfactory.
Exactly
These are the architects comments on flat roofs
"In terms of life cycle costs a pitched roof should certainly work out cheaper in the long run, but initial outlay would probably be cheaper for the flat roof. So no, I don't think there would be a 'significant' cost saving. A pitched roof is more likely to get planning, and another issue with flat is your building insurance (sometimes push up premiums), despite technology being a lot better than the old felt roofs. Also house appreciation is likely to be greater with a traditional pitched roof."
Why would a a pitched roof be more likely to get planning in a back garden?
Which way does the house face? That's a big slab of wall for your neighbour to look at. Is there any scope to go full width but not as far back? Might even fall under permitted development then.
An apex roof could work but its all about the budget
I'd wait and save up a bit more cash.
If I were spending a fair chunk of cash on it I'd want to pleased with the outcome. In 5 years time I'd not remember waiting an extra 6 months but I'd keep being annoyed if there was some aspect of the extension that I knew should have been done differently.
BTW why the balustrade on the exterior wall? It the balustrade's 1100mm then it looks like there's a 450mm drop at most so it's not officially required. And I'd at least push the wall on the back door side out so it's in line with the house wall and increase the width of the path on the back so you can put something on it and still walk past.
An architect proposed that? Are you serious! 
Not knowing what the house layout is....
Can you take the extension out to the full width of the house, create new window on gable end (to compensate for loss of window next to back door. Then ridge of roof can go between the two upstairs windows with hip ends at other end. If that makes sense?
No to a flat roof, at some point it will need replaced.
I'd have made it shallower but the full house width & sloping away from the house. And ditto the above re: flat roofs if it has to be that shape. My neighbours have had their garage done, one big sheet over the whole roof so no seams. Very tidy job.
whats your budget?
It's not clear from your picture, is it a semi? Does the side of the extension abut the boundary.
Parents neighbours tried to get something similar through planning, planning said no chance.
BenHouldsworth - MemberOink, what company did your roof?
It is a semi and while we get on with the neighbours I can see issues with a 10 foot wall overshadowing their conservatory.
The reason we cannot go full width is the angle of the drive next to the house, the extension is to house a kitchen so wider with less depth (while not doable anyway) wouldn't give us the layout we want.
Budget is ideally £30K but that includes the kitchen and also an chimney breast and internal wall knocking out.
Got something very similar (although better looking :lol:) done to ours last year.
My original plans had to be scraped due to new building regs (the 60˚ rule*) meaning I had to alter my plans to suit. Ended up with moving the extension to a similar place to yours, which required knocking through the old kitchen and budgeting for a new one (which in turn meant the size had to be reduced to fall within budget). Ours lines up with the right hand edge in your pic with a V shaped vaulted ceiling with 2 skylights. Size 15'x12'. Budget was 20k and this included a new kitchen + fitting. Came in under (due to paying cash) and shopping about. Some quotes were almost twice what we paid.
* 60 degree rule: draw an imaginary 60˚ line from the middle your neighbours closest window. Where this crosses your property is the furthest you can extend. Worked out to be something like 5' in my case.
If you went for a single ply membrane flat roof it gives a 30-40 year guarantee- got to be a better solution than that effort- you will regret it if you go with that I would suggest- alternatively cant you just raise the window cill a smidge to achieve the roof falling from the building?
s the roofline will come above the window line and potentially overshadow next doors conservatory.
Some good comments above, and whilst not wanting to pass comment on a fellow professional, this is not a great effort.
For that sort of money you could be getting something more elegant, with more generosity, a modern aesthetic and better daylight.
I'd be looking at a good flat roof system contained by a low parapet, with a single, generous rooflight, opening up one wall with sliding glazed doors onto a deck.
We had similar neighbour concerns and a wish for a lot of light.
So we had a clearstory window and offset pitched roof. Suggested by our architect.
The setting sun comes through beautifully leaving orange patterns on the wall.
I can fully recommedn our architect if you are not happy with yours
Oh yeah, the 60 degree (aka 45degree) rule is a funny one, doesn't get applied in our borough although other odd polanning regs do.
PLanning departments are a funny bunch, make sure your architect will work with them.
Garden Room by Evil Goat, on Flickr
clearstory and velux by Evil Goat, on Flickr
I hope it was a year out student doing that. Looks horrendous. You could pitch towards the house but you would need something like a leaded flat section under the window which would look equally pap. Can't quite tell if you have a neighbour but why does it need to be mono pitch? Can't it be duo pitch and use the full height of the roof space internally? What is the room for? Kitchen? Dining? Do you have any views down the garden? If you went duo pitch you could put in a larger window going into the apex and get rid of the velux's. Is cost a major driver? If you want mono pitch then use alternative roof materials like zinc standing seam. You could go to 10degree and avoid the window etc.
not ideal but given that a connie will be behind it i cant see an option ( i have seen connies built 4 inches apart recently..
light is king so for me i'd add another window beside the extension door and have the kitchen and wall units etc alongside the connie facing wall this would create space and light base units could be then used under both windows leaving those wall free.
i assume that the wall taking down will be the wall between the extension and house? if so building works to first fix would be 12k max
block work is minimal and simple layout, services water electricity waste should be no issue.. where is the gas supply?
build so internal dimensions are suitable to fit std kitchen base and wall unit sizes to minimise costs further and no probs. it might even encourage next door to have thier connie down and build similar back to back with you.
Not a great solution, in my opinion.
Isn't the mimimum angle for a tiled roof more than 20 degrees, rather than the 15 specified? Too low and water can get in.
Aesthetically your drawings look a bit of a state, tbh, and I don't think your neighbours will be overly impressed either. It may even fall foul of planning, given the full-length height of the ridge.
We faced the same problem - too hard to get the necessary angle on a pitched roof without either having a very sharp double pitch or a weird wedge like in your picture. Our solution was a very low angled green roof sloping away from the rear wall. Effectively it's a flat roof construction, lower profile, but with the advantage that it doesn't interfere with the upstairs windows, present an ugly block to the neighbours, and also catches more light through the rooflights because they're not entirely level.
Could do better.
An image to show the impact on the next door conservatory would have been useful as indeed would a compass.
have you got the floor plans so I can see whats going on internally and see where your boundary/next door is? For 30k I think you could achieve something a lot more asthetically pleasing than that but need to understand your requirements first and see how it ties in with existing
If I spent £30k and ended up with that I'd be more than disappointed !
Utterly terrible looking. Form and function have their place. I'd get another architect on board.
Not everyone's taste, I know, but I like this mix of old and new.
Have a Google for extension designs, find a concept you like, then get a architect or surveyor to draw up the plans to your budget.
Floor plans above.
The extension will sit where we currently have a conseratory (3x3) and will be approx 4x4.
The adjoining neighbours conservatory has privacy glass on the boundary side and the sun travels east to west over the house, the site of the extension losing sunlight at around 3 pm; there would be no shadowing caused by the build but like everyone says the current design F*****G awful.
I spoke to the project manager this morning and it turns out the architect is actually an architectural technologist ????? from the preacticem, hence the lack of imagination.
We've paid no money or sign no contracts yet so not overly concerned at this point.
Aside from the neighbours upper bedroom window and the other neighbours shared drive it will not be overlooked by anyone.
Budget is an issue and as there will be internal remodelling going on that is limiting the spend on the roof design.
oh right next door's boundry is a lot closer than the first image suggested. The house is a bit smaller than I anticipated too. I think the proportions of the 3D image is also missleading which would make it look worse than it is. I think you could squeeze in a dual pitched roof at around 30 degrees but you may have to reduce height of the eaves. I dont think thats the complete solution although it's a start.
A more modern design as above could also be an option
The design you currently have is terrible, is there any way you could afford something like supersessions9-2? With a design like that you could push the outside wall to run up the outside wall of the house without blocking out too much light from the neighbiurs.
That current design looks like the architect couldn't give a monkies.
You must log in to post.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
