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Popular Roofing Styles for Modern Homes

Gable and hipped roofs are very popular among Kenyans.

Updated

Gable roof style
Gable roof style is easy to install. PHOTO | FILE

There are many popular roofing designs and styles to choose from for your house in Kenya; gable-style roofing, gambrel, pyramid, flat, hipped roofs and many others.

Gable and hipped roof styles are the most basic and least expensive to install which makes them very popular among Kenyans especially those with rectangular houses.

Gable roofs are designed in a manner that the two main surfaces of the roof angle upwards and meet each other at the peak, creating an A-frame shaped appearance.

This roof is easy to install because it does not require you to cut and fit the singles in various shapes – you just place them in long rows.

Most economical roof

Since there is minimal cutting and fitting required, gable-style is the most economical roof to construct. It is often combined with other stylish and outstanding roofing materials to add style to your home’s exteriors.

Hipped roofs are also very economical, though a bit pricier than the gable-style roofs because the trusses that hold the roof are difficult to build.

The roofs have angled rafters like those of a gable roof, although in hipped roofs all the four sides of the roof are angled, resulting in a pyramid-like design.

Higher end shingles

Over the years, millions of home-owners have found they could keep the construction and installation costs low by opting for basic roofing styles and using higher end shingles so that their roofs appear more fashionable and high class.

Higher end shingles can transform your ordinary roof style to something fancier and opulent. Although these high end shingles will cost you more than the ordinary shingles, they turn out to be cheaper than the installation of complex roofing styles.

If you happen to be unsure of the roof design and style that best suits your house and are finding it hard to make a choice, you should drive around the estates that have similar homes like yours to see the kind of roofing materials and styles used for the houses.

If you don’t have the time and means to try the above method, I suggest you buy several homes and gardens magazines and learn about different roofing styles. This way you will get an idea of the perfect style for your house.

Joy Makena is a skilled interior designer with a degree from Egerton University. With a keen eye for detail and a natural talent for transforming spaces, she brings a unique perspective to her coverage.