Dormer Windows & Your Roof | Roofmaster Ottawa

Home is where the heart is, and because we spend most of our time under this roof, we do our best to make it look excellent. Whether through simple landscaping, general cleaning, or maybe a total makeover, we improve our home from time to time.

With home renovations on the rise, one beautiful house addition has gone under the radar of many homeowners. And despite its potential to add not only appeal but also value to properties, it’s made us feel obligated to shed light on this seemingly forgotten piece of architecture.

So, what is this beautiful home addition you’ve been missing out? 

The answer is dormer windows. Those beautiful extensions complement your house design and add overall detail. You see these same dormers in movies that let the characters get to the roof and spend the night gazing upon the stars with the love of their life.

Now, let’s find out just what makes dormer windows so amazing.

Interior Functionality

First off, the number one reason you’d definitely want to consider adding a dormer window to your home is the functionality you can get out of it. In most use-cases, dormers can turn an unused attic that’s been filling up with dust into a beautiful guest room with a great view of outside.

Not only that, but dormers can also double down by helping with bathroom space. It gives you the option to reform an unlikely bedroom and bath into a master suite. With all that said, you can expect these benefits from using dormer windows:

  • Natural Light: Any window companies can guarantee the significance of natural light in a home. And when it comes to dormers, they work best at brightening up dimly lit rooms. 
  • Increases Space: Especially if you’re dealing with a cramped up room or relatively small home, dormers are life-savers. Apart from extending the usable space, you also get the added benefit of extra headroom.
  • Better Airflow: Ventilation can get really tricky with unused rooms, but dormer windows make the best solution. Just setting the window open allows for much better airflow and renders any space more livable and comfortable.

Exterior Beauty

Just take a look at some of these beautiful houses in New York and try to spot what they all have in common. Nearly all of these luxury homes boast at least one type of dormer window, which gives them that extra oomph needed to complete the overall architectural masterpiece.

That right there is the second reason that makes dormer windows a must-have addition, they add flavor and style to your home like never before. In fact, you might even catch more people turning heads as they pass by your gorgeous abode. With that said, here are some ways dormers accentuate the exterior beauty of your property:

  • Stands Out: With the advent of block-styled modern homes and the rising popularity of pairing them with balconies, dormers have become quite a unique sight. Besides historic and traditional homes, adding a dormer will let the beauty of your house stand out.
  • Increases Value: If your goal is to increase the equity and property value of your home, then a dormer is an excellent investment. Both looks and functional purposes aid in the overall appeal, and by adding one, you can expect a high return.

Vast Selection of Designs

Another significant aspect of dormer windows is customization; there exists a vast selection of design you can tweak and optimize to get your desired look. From the most complex projects to simple extensions, you can bet there’s plenty you can do with a dormer with the right amount of effort and budget

So, to name a few of the most common dormer window designs, here are some you can check out:

  • Gabled Dormer: The simplest and most common out of all, these gabled dormers work best with more traditionally styled homes. It features a pitched triangular roof (gable) over a window, achieving a cozy look.
  • Shed Dormer: If you’re looking to extend quite a bit of space, then shed dormers might be your best option. They slant in the same direction of your roof but a shallower angle, providing more headroom on a broader space.
  • Flat Roof Dormer: Taking after the shed dormer, we also have the flat roof dormer, which can actually function well with more modern houses

Take note that we’ve only mentioned but the tip of the iceberg. When it comes to dormers, you can go for eyebrows, hips, walls, and more. So, take your time to do some additional research before you settle with one.

Before You Go

Before you head off and plan out a dormer window for your home, understand that this project can get pretty expensive. On top of that, we don’t advise you to do it on your own, so please enlist the help of skilled construction planners and professional architects.

You will also want to check with your state guidelines, just like this one for Portland. In doing so, you can better understand the rules you need to abide by and your limitations in design.

We never said it was going to be an easy job, but beauty does come with its fair share of sacrifices. So, gear up, prepare accordingly, and we wish you good luck in your home improvement journey!

Meta title: Home Makeovers: Why You Need a Dormer Window

Meta description: Home design and improvement can get pretty tricky, with so many options to choose from. Anyone would find it difficult. Learn why you should consider adding a dormer window.