Dormers act like small rooms that project from a home’s roof. Once installed, they provide additional light and space on the top floor, even if it is an attic. Additionally, dormers add value to your home. As architecture styles and preferences have evolved, builders have created several ways to add this asset.
How Many Different Types of Dormers Are There?
Although you can find blog posts and pages discussing about a dozen or more different dormer types, there are five basic designs you’ll find on homes today.
Each type provides a different way of letting more light into a room or adding space to an attic. Some homes use them in living spaces or bonus areas to create nooks for reading, storage, and other needs.
5 Types of Dormers on Houses
Several options are available to consider if you’re interested in having a dormer incorporated into your home’s design.
1. Gable Dormers
These house dormers use a peak at the top with a roof design sloping downward on both sides. This option is the most common type found today because it works with virtually any style. Many incorporate a window that often leads to the roof while adding more space.
It is a highly beneficial option when building codes don’t allow for a second story. Homes receive an extra dimension while staying within the rules.
2. Hip Roof Dormers
Hipped dormers have the roof slanting back as it rises. You can see this design on the home's sides or front. Although it's most common on houses with a hip roof, you can also find it on many shingle-style homes.
3. Eyebrow Dormers
This dormer type provides a curved roof profile with some flare at both ends. They frame views from homes designed in several different styles, although they tend to be most popular in coastal communities, along lakes, and other bodies of water.
An eyebrow dormer typically works well when the roofing shingles need to be curved around the eaves to create a thatch-like look.
4. Pedimented Dormers
A pedimented dormer looks similar to the gable design, but takes a more classical approach to the plan. Ancient human civilizations often built columns to support buildings in the front, holding up a horizontal beam that supported a triangular wall called a "pediment."
This dormer design emphasizes the same shape while incorporating vertical molding on the sides of each window as a callback to those ancient columns.
5. Barrel Dormers
This dormer option comes with a rounded top and a square base. Most designs use a flange all around to secure it to the roofing structure. Some manufacturers offer laser-cut metal options that simplify the installation process.
The half-circle shaping works well for homes that have similar curves incorporated into their architecture
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Dormer Installation with Kitchen Pros Inc.
Kitchen Pros Inc works with you to find the best solution for your new dormers. Our Wantagh Dormer Contractors work with new construction projects or roof renovations when a change is needed. We work around your schedule whenever possible to ensure minimal disruptions to your daily routine.
Contact us today at (516) 455-9470