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Discussion Forum

Adding in the “corner”

Oak River Mike | Posted in General Discussion on February 9, 2007 07:33am

Guys,

Looking at a home which the owner wants to add a porch in the “corner”.  House is L shaped with gables on each end and a valley where the porch will go on the inside of the L. 

Any thoughts or pictures of a way to make this look good?

Mike

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  1. User avater
    MikeMicalizzi | Feb 09, 2007 01:07pm | #1

    Mike,

    So the problem is how to design the roof? 

    That's a tough one for a one story house. I've been asked to design something like that for someone but they never had me build it. I'd say, start your deck lower than you normally would. Attach your ledger to the foundation instead of the rim board. Keep the ceiling height low, like 7 feet. Then finish the roof with a super low pitch and install rolled roofing (which is made for shallow pitches).  This keeps the finished roof height of the new porch underneath your existing gutters.

    Hope that helped.

     

    1. Oak River Mike | Feb 09, 2007 02:29pm | #3

      Mike,

      Thanks...good idea.  Its a single story ranch and of course they'd like the ceiling height to be as tall as possible.  Urgh.

      Mike

      1. User avater
        JDRHI | Feb 09, 2007 05:14pm | #6

        ...they'd like the ceiling height to be as tall as possible.

        "Cathedral" ceiling, perhaps?

        J. D. Reynolds

        Home Improvements

         

         

         

      2. User avater
        CapnMac | Feb 09, 2007 07:57pm | #7

        Its a single story ranch and of course they'd like the ceiling height to be as tall as possible.  Urgh

        Peachy.  If you merely match the existing fascia & soffit and "turn" that out to match the new porch roof, the "problem" is not really ciphering up the roof lines, it's supporting that "corner" out there.  Last thing needed with the atypical valley conncetions is to have any difference in foundation movement.

        So, what to do?

        Well, how about doing this as a bit of "pavillion"?  Have the porch free-stand in the inside corner.  Bring the roof in as a four-sided hip, and gutter it right around, tucked just under the exisitng fascia/soffit.  Using a dissimilar roof material will help this.

        Inside corners are a real pain for these things.  You can't really just extend the roof lines out, as that moves the peak right up.  It's tough designing, and the compromises make for tough building, too.  I don't envy you this at all.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

  2. MikeSmith | Feb 09, 2007 01:55pm | #2

    sounds like a great opportunity for a hundred guys to kibbitz..

     if you post two elevation pics of the exterior, i bet you get some good suggestions

    Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
    1. Oak River Mike | Feb 09, 2007 02:30pm | #4

      Mike,

      Good call.  I'm actually going back over to the house later today so will take some to post here.

      Mike

      1. Piffin | Feb 09, 2007 03:18pm | #5

        See ya later then 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  3. JamesPio | Feb 09, 2007 08:14pm | #8

    Struggled with a highly similar situation on my own home.  Had a two-story on the left side of the L, one story on the right, 12/12 roof on each  of them.  Left side had a window in the 2nd floor set too low (1905 build).  It was obvious the previous owner had the same problems, they opted for a flat aluminum roof, ugliest thing ever.  I could not find a decent solution, either.  Finally decided to build the porch with a flat roof (pitched 1/8" per foot), EPDM roofing, made the roof a deck for the master bed room, the too low window becomes a french door, and turned a design problem into a feature. 

    Don't know how this helps you, other than the suggestion, build it flat, put a balustrade on it, and act like it's a balcony.

     

    "If the trout are lost, smash the state."
  4. MJLonigro | Feb 09, 2007 09:06pm | #9

    You could build the roof relatively flat, with an EPDM (or equal) roofing..

    Then detail the porch to look more like a pergola. Exposed rafter tails, etc..

     

  5. MikeSmith | Feb 09, 2007 11:29pm | #10

    mike this is a little rough... basically

    View Image

    add your porch room in the corner , and build an overlay roof, hipped

    then move the back hip up until it forms a level ridge

     you now have two valleys and no dead valleys

    Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore


    Edited 2/9/2007 3:31 pm ET by MikeSmith


    Edited 2/9/2007 3:32 pm ET by MikeSmith



    Edited 2/9/2007 3:35 pm ET by MikeSmith

    1. MikeSmith | Feb 09, 2007 11:38pm | #11

      here's an elevation view

      View Image

      Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

      Edited 2/9/2007 3:39 pm ET by MikeSmith

  6. Framer | Feb 10, 2007 12:42am | #12

    Mike,

    What are the dimensions of the existing building and how far out will the porch come/ Will the porch come out to the end of the house on one side?

    I frame porch roofs like this all the time.I frame a shed roof with a least a 4/12 pitch that hits wherever at the existing roof line. That line carries over to the existing valley. From there you make a NEW valley that continues to the top of the new fascia line where it hits the existing fascia line if they have to meet.

    Sometimes the fascia lines don't line up. If that's the case, wherever the plane of the new shed roof hits the existing roof at the top is where the new valley will start and go op to where the new shed roof intersects with the existing valley.

    Joe Carola
  7. Oak River Mike | Feb 10, 2007 05:17am | #13

    Guys,

    Thanks for the great replies, graphics and all!  Awesome.

    Dimensions yet to be determined based on what the homeowner can afford.  But some excellent desgin concepts to begin with.

    Thanks

    Mike

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