Waiting
and
Planning…

We’ve been waiting for several very long weeks for the second version of the elevation drawing of our home to be.  The purpose of this elevation drawing is to show us what the front and sides of our home will look like. Once we agree on the elevation drawing, the construction drawing will be completed and the actual construction on our home will begin. Several weeks ago, we received version one of the  elevation drawing.  There was a small problem, though.  It looked nice; but it wasn’t quiet what we had expected. So it was time for another conference call with our builder. After discussing our concerns, he suggested sending the drawing back for a few changes.  So, we continued the waiting.  I’m usually a patient person; but I’m running out of patience.   My husband who usually thinks and plans for long periods of times before taking action is now ready to get the actual building going, too.

Finally, we received the second version of the elevation drawing.  All the discussed changes have been made.  The front porch is all one width now and the windows have been adjusted.  The problem is that we still aren’t sure about the roof line.  The porch roof just isn’t what I expected.  My husband is concerned with the type of roof and I’m concerned with the visual look of the house.  We’ve spent hours discussing roof lines and looking at photos of many, many houses.  Who knew that choosing the type of roof for our new home would be such a dilemma?

A Learning Curve — What I Didn’t Know

Hubby has tried to explain the different roof types to me; but my visual brain refuses to comprehend the differences.  I finally hit the Google trail to see if I could figure out what he’s trying to tell me.  There’s a great article over at Home Improvement Helper.com that provides good visuals for the different Types of Roofs.   My husband tells me that we’re looking at either a hip or gable roof.  This is what I learned during my roof research.

Hip Roof

The hip roof (or hipped roof) does not have flat sides like the gable roof instead all sides of the roof slope down to meet the walls of the house. Building a hip roof is more involved than a gable roof but building the walls for such a house is actually easier as they are all the same height. (homeimprovementhelper.com)

Advantages of hip roofs

Water drainage is the biggest advantage hip roofs have over other roofing designs. Because all four sides are angled, there is virtually no chance for water to stand anywhere on the surface of the roof. In areas that tend to have a lot of snow, this type of roof is a good choice; its design encourages snow run-off and helps avoid roof collapse. Another advantage a hip-style roof has over a gable roof is that it is less vulnerable to high winds, allowing it to be used in all types of climates.   Also, the roof protects more of the house from elements such as sun, wind and rain which over time can require increased maintenance for the structure. (homeimprovementhelper.com)

Disadvantages of Hip Roofs

As with all roofing designs, there are some disadvantages to the hip-style. One of those is that it is more complex to build than a gabled roof and requires more material as well; you will pay more in materials and in labor than with gables. Another disadvantage is that because there are more seams than a gabled roof, there are more opportunities for leaks. Proper maintenance should prevent any minor issues from becoming major ones. (selfthepandmore.com )

Gable Roof

A gamble roof  has two roof surfaces of the same size, that are pitched at the same angle back to back, making a ridge at the top and forming a triangular roof. Its simple design makes it cheap and easy to build. It effectively sheds water, allows for good ventilation, and typically provides the most ceiling space.  (homeimprovementhelper.com)

Advantages of Gable Roofs

Gable roofs will easily shed water and snow, provide more space for an attic or vaulted ceilings and allow more ventilation. Their simple design make it easy to build them and cheaper than more complex designs.

Disadvantages of Gable Roofs

Gable roofs can be problematic in high wind and hurricane areas. If the frames are not properly constructed with adequate supports, the roof can collapse. 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 roof to detach from the walls.  (roofcostestimator.com)

 

Insert Small Temper Tantrum Here  

Yes, I know I’m an adult.  Yes, I realize now that my vision of our dream home isn’t reasonable.  But, I had a vision for what I thought we were getting and adjusting my vision is difficult.  Yes, I realize that our floor plan partially determines the look of the exterior of our home.  But…  I still want to stamp my foot and pout just a little.  (I’m really not a temper tantrum type person, but sometimes I’d just like to try it.)  I realize now that the biggest problem is that most of the photos of the homes in my dream home file have some form of a wrap around porch.  This makes the roof over the porch large and inviting — which for me makes the beachy cottage look I want.   Even though I know our design doesn’t have a wrap around porch; I somehow thought the roof line would look similar. In my mind the porch was the main focus at the front of the house.   I know that adding a wrap around porch to the our  home design would be cost prohibitive and probably would mean we have to give up something else we really want.  Our design has a large porch — probably 25 foot long; but the roof line stops at the end of the porch (which just doesn’t look the same.)  Yes, I am grateful that we are building our dream home and tomorrow I will be grateful to have this great porch. Today, I need to feel a little regret that it’s not a wrap around porch.   I just need a little time to adjust my dream.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a very visual person. And I’ve had this vision of what our dream home should look like in my mind for a long time. Well before I actually knew that we were really going to build a new home. In my mind, I’ve always envisioned a lake house type cabin or cottage with an open ceiling, a  giant wrap around porch,  and lots of windows as my dream home. Now if you’ve read my other posts, you know that I also thought this home would be in the mountains next to a lake or river or pond. I gave in easily on the location because we’ll be close to our grandsons.  And we all know that grandsons are much better than the mountains.   I’ve adapted my idea of a lake house cabin to a beachy cottage.  I’ve spent hours looking at photos for inspiration in merging  my style with our lot shape and floor plan.  I believe this home will be our dream home and that we will love living at the lake.

 

My husband has the knowledge to make the decision; so I’m letting this one go.   It’s really a no brainer because I know that he wants the house to look as amazing as much I do.  We are getting many of the things on our dream home list.  I can be gracious here; after all, I did get the large porch.
These are some of the photos from my lake house cabin/cottage and my beachy lake house files.  Click on the photo to go the website for more information about the builder and/or floor plan.

Beachy Cottage

 

 

 

 

Beachy Lake House

 

 

 

 

 

Great Windows and Porch

This is actually the back of this home, but I think it’d make a grand statement as the front also.

 

 

Mountain Cabin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These next photos are from my Houzz ideal books.  (houzz.com)

 Craftsman Bungalow with Great Porch

Great Windows

Mountain Cabin With Great Windows