Anyone here know about Porch and Roof Design?

[Scarpozzi]

I may have posted this question before...I need some help designing a replacement back porch cover for my house and don't know where to turn. Here's the background for better understanding:

I bought my house 3 years ago. It's a 1400 sq ft home that was originally 1100 sq ft built in 1958. The front of the house is about 8 feet off the ground from the front lawn with a decent basement with outside access. As you walk up the side of the house, there is an incline....such that over the ~28 or so feet from the front to the back that 8 foot climb to the front door becomes about 1 foot to reach the back door. (the house's foundation was built into a hill)

In 1983, the owners built an in-law suite (apartment) off the back of the house. Because of the hill, the back porch was levelled 10 feet from the back door, concreted and retaining wall was built with cinder blocks. The apartment has a kitchen and bathroom on the lower end of the retaining wall and a few steps to reach the top of the 3 foot wall to open into the livingroom.

Next to the apartment, the installed an aluminum carport-style porch cover. I want to replace this because it is causing some of the wood to rot where it joins the house. It also leaks. I want to build a shingled roof off the house, but because of the gabled roof from the apartment addition, I need ideas.

http://oneweb.utc.edu/~psw478/porch.jpg
http://oneweb.utc.edu/~psw478/porchdrawing.jpg

If anyone knows anyone that specializes in this kind of design or where I should turn. I'm afraid to try building a sloped roof or a gabled roof because of the water runoff issue and I certainly want it to look good. With the markets the way they are, the last thing I want is to add functionality, but decrease the value of my home. Thanks.

 

[waffleironhead]

Can you add a view facing the apartment wing. I'm having a hard time visualizing it

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
Can you add a view facing the apartment wing. I'm having a hard time visualizing it

I'll have to take one when my camera gets back from Canon (being repaired now). The picture I included was taken before I bought the place....

 

[Safeway]

You aren't going to do much better than a new flat roof. Sure, it has to have some slope to keep the water away from house, but too much slope and the roof will be too low at the retaining wall.

This, of course, is the easy way out. You could extend the gable from the rib above the house, but that would be very expensive.

(Architectural Engineer.)

 

[bctbct]

Does the alumium cover currently slope toward the house?

If you demo that structure make sure you sell the scrap

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

The first thing I'd suggest you do is look into the local roofing codes because there's no doubt you'll have to pull a permit for this. Additionally, in many cases whenever you make a change as you're suggesting not only do you have to ensure the addition is up to code, you also have to bring the entire remainder of the roof up to code in the process.

If you know a certified contractor, or have any friends that do, bring them over first to have them give you some options and the lowdown on the local code requirements.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Safeway
You aren't going to do much better than a new flat roof. Sure, it has to have some slope to keep the water away from house, but too much slope and the roof will be too low at the retaining wall.

This, of course, is the easy way out. You could extend the gable from the rib above the house, but that would be very expensive.

(Architectural Engineer.)

He said it.

Unless keeping rain out of that area is essential, I might even go with a slatted roof. It looks dark under there to me.

 

[Gothgar]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
The first thing I'd suggest you do is look into the local roofing codes because there's no doubt you'll have to pull a permit for this. Additionally, in many cases whenever you make a change as you're suggesting not only do you have to ensure the addition is up to code, you also have to bring the entire remainder of the roof up to code in the process.

If you know a certified contractor, or have any friends that do, bring them over first to have them give you some options and the lowdown on the local code requirements.

If you replace the cover with something close to what it currently is, you can claim like for like in most cities, no need for a new permit.

The newer style of aluminum covers are a lot nicer than the old style, and in some cases come with lifetime warranties, I'd look into that if I were you.

Make sure you replace the fascia board after that old aluminum cover is gone (which will probably scrap out for 150-200)

Edit: another option would be to do a free standing cover there, you would have two posts (maybe 3) at the house and then the same out at the end of the cover, this way you could raise the cover higher up, then just install gutters on the fascia , for any water run off from the house.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Gothgar

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
The first thing I'd suggest you do is look into the local roofing codes because there's no doubt you'll have to pull a permit for this. Additionally, in many cases whenever you make a change as you're suggesting not only do you have to ensure the addition is up to code, you also have to bring the entire remainder of the roof up to code in the process.

If you know a certified contractor, or have any friends that do, bring them over first to have them give you some options and the lowdown on the local code requirements.

If you replace the cover with something close to what it currently is, you can claim like for like in most cities, no need for a new permit.

Agreed, but he's talking about building a shingled roof off of the house. That means he'll have to modify the existing roof and in that case a permit will more than likely be required.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Safeway
You aren't going to do much better than a new flat roof. Sure, it has to have some slope to keep the water away from house, but too much slope and the roof will be too low at the retaining wall.

This, of course, is the easy way out. You could extend the gable from the rib above the house, but that would be very expensive.

(Architectural Engineer.)

Definitely he needs to figure out how much money he wants to throw at this and what type of roof.

The cheap fix is to redo the flat roof and grade it a bit so the water flows off it properly. A gutter could get that water then away from the porch.

The wood rot is more than likely due to not being maintained and possibly a poor build causing standing water there.

 

[Greenman]

A very low gable might work, with the peak meeting the existing roof about where that first vent pipe is. You'd need to be careful not to make it appear to massive, then frame a cricket against the apartment wall. That might not work if you're in snow country though.
A flat roof would be a lot cheaper.

 

[DrPizza]

I agree that it looks pretty dark on your deck - too much shadow. It took a little searching, but I found an old archived thread. I have the pictures from this thread saved because I loved the look (building a patio here sooner or later.)

from this robphelan thread

Here are the two pictures. I think something like this, but perhaps in white, might work for your location. It'd certainly give you more sunlight on the patio.
pic1
pic2

 

[Scarpozzi]

I had thought of the laticed roof. It is somewhat dark under the roof, but that's nice in the summer when it's 100+ degrees here... What you can't see in the picture is that there's a breezeway between the house and apartment. They share utilities and are under the same roof, but there's about 3 feet between them.

The patio currently has a wooden picnic table and a wooden glider bench... The metal roof leaks where it meets the house in one corner. Ultimately, I think it would be nice if the new roof did provide adequate rain protection... I'm going to have to re-roof the house this year or next anyhow, so it won't cost much extra for me to throw a few more squares up there...I just have to figure out the pesky design.

I'm going to get a contractor to come out in a few weeks and will be sure to post back whatever design I come up with. If I get my camera back in the next week or so, I'll take some more pictures.

 

[Darwin333]

I am a project manager/estimator for a commercial roofing contractor in the south. The vast majority of my expertise is on the commercial side but here is my take.

First of all, it appears the support of the metal roof is failing. It appears to be leaning to the right (away from the house). If the flashing along the apartment is surface mounted (which I am 90% sure it is) the leaning could easily pull the flashing away causing the water intrusion. I would personally go back with a similar roof system with a better framing system. I would probably use a double locked 2" standing seam system such as this:

http://www.berridge.com/zeelock.htm

Its a structural panel, has a relatively high seam and most impartantly it is mechanically "double lock" seamed which means that you could damn near submerge the seams for extended periods of time without getting water into the system (outstanding for a 'water shedding system')

If light is really a concern you can go with a metal 'R' panel with a few translucent panels. The slope is a bit low for an 'R' panel roof in my area but depending on your conditions it could work.

I would not even consider sloping it back towards the house and creating an internal gutter. Internal gutters are extremely prone to failure, just like most gutter. However, when an internal gutter fails it leaks and sometimes pours water into your house instead of in your lawn with external gutters. They are also high maintenance and very difficult and expensive to fix when they do fail. If you go with an internal gutter I would advise you to use stainless steel and solder the joints. A piece of gutter tape on top of the soldered joints is also a good idea.