Flat Roofing vs Pitched Roofing: Which is Right for You?

by | Feb 12, 2019 | Home

If you’re interested in building your own home, you’re guaranteed to come across the problem of roofing. Whilst it’s obvious that you need to have a roof, deciding on what type of roof is a little more difficult. With this in mind, it seemed like a sensible idea to put together a post on the topic.

In this post, we’ll be covering the advantages and disadvantages of the two major roofing categories, flat roofing and pitched roofing. Regardless of whether you’re an experienced home builder or you’re doing some research before you start your first project, this short guide is guaranteed to help you out. Let’s get into it.

Pitched Roofing

A pitched roof is what everyone imagines when they think of a traditional house or property. Pitched means ‘to slope downwards’ and this is exactly what pitched roofing involves, typically two different parts that meet in the centre and span the top of the property. The ‘pitch’ of the roof refers to the angle that it slopes at but is pitched roofing right for your home?

Advantages of Pitched Roofing

Pitched roofing is the most common roofing style for conventional houses and properties for multiple different reasons. Firstly, there is the point of aesthetics. People want their house to look ‘homely’ and there is no roofing style more traditional than the pitched form. This is why those living in major cities still have pitched roofs despite flat roofing potentially being more efficient from a space point of view. Pitched roofing in London, for example, is still prominent and popular even though the city is extremely crowded.

Besides the traditional appearance, there are plenty of other advantages, though the key ones are focused on durability. Pitched roofs are specifically designed to be hardy and long-lasting; their sloped nature makes drainage simple and easy, plus the materials that they are made from are usually stronger, resulting in a great level of weather resistance and an increased lifespan.

Disadvantages

Despite these advantages, there are still some cons to consider. Firstly, the sloped nature of pitched roofing limits the attic space available for you. Furthermore, pitched roofs are significantly harder to install and as a result, are much more expensive. Be sure to investigate price options based on your individual project before moving forward.

Flat Roofing

Flat roofs differ from pitched roofs because, as their name suggests, they are flat instead of sloped. Flat roofs are particularly common on large, complex commercial buildings where pitched roofing would be extremely difficult to install as a result of the building’s layout. This doesn’t mean that flat roofing is only appropriate for commercial property though, it’s versatile enough to work with your home too depending on your needs.

Advantages

One of the most prominent advantages of flat roofing is that it is significantly cheaper than pitched roofing. There are a variety of different reasons for this lower price point but the primary ones are the fact that flat roofs are usually made from more affordable materials. This decreases the overall cost of implementing a flat roof. The second point is that flat roofs are easier and safer to install. This reduces the time spent and the labour costs of installation, making the whole process cheaper.

Aside from price, flat roofing has the advantage of being easy to access and in turn, easy to maintain. Plus, the attic space directly beneath the roof isn’t limited by the sloped edges, giving you more space to work with inside.

Disadvantages

Flat roofing has its disadvantages though. Firstly, the materials in use may be cheaper but they also have a lower life expectancy, depending on what material you opt for of course. Furthermore, flat roofs don’t have the natural drainage qualities that pitched roofing offers, though any effective installation should also include some form of drainage system to remove standing water.

Overall, flat roofing and pitched roofing each bring something different to the table. Flat roofs are more affordable and easier to maintain over time but suffer from a shorter lifespan and less effective drainage, whilst pitched roofs are more aesthetically pleasing and long lasting but expensive. What’s right for you depends on your budget and your tastes, so be sure to do your research before moving forward.

Read through our useful guide for more information

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