Can this be fixed?!

Question

I just came across the attached home, Does anyone have experience fixing/(reframing) a similar ugly roofline like this?  I would like to convert to a 'normal' pitch.  Thanks!

Robert Valenti · Answer

This is an extremely quick and dirty rendering of going modern with it.

Mike Hibbs · Answer

Thanks @Masaki Furukawa and @Adam Anderson

I agree, anything can be fixed with enough money.  Since the original post I went inside this home, and the walls on the second floor are vertical not sloped and the remaining roof is flat.

After further inspection, the home appears to have several other issues (foundation) and the SOW will be more than I'm willing to take on...Unless I held for 20-40 years in hopes the Mansard roof style will come back. :)

Adam Anderson · Answer

Anything can be fixed if you throw enough money at it.

Like @Masaki Furukawa said if there are second floor stud walls that align with the first floor exterior walls it would be a relatively  inexpensive conversion.

When you are inside on the second floor are the exterior walls vertical, or are they sloped at the same pitch as the roof?

Another option is holding on to it for 20-40 years and hope that Mansard roof come back in style.

Masaki Furukawa · Answer

This is Mansard roof.  It is hard to tell without drawings or visiting the inside of the house,  but it looks like the Mansard roof pitches back only to the extended line of the first floor exterior wall.  So I guess there is the second floor wall studs aligned to the first floor exterior wall.  If this is the case, you just demolish Mansard roof, place plywood sheathing to the remaining wall studs, and clad with siding or other finish materials.  There may be plywood sheathing over the studs already (structurally make sense in this way)

It is hard to tell what the remaining of the roof is (flat or pitched).  If flat and in a good condition you may keep it flat and it may look more like contemporary style.  If you want more like traditional style, you can overbuild roof framing.

In anyway, you may want to consult a licensed architect (like me :-) and/or structural engineer in your area.  Structural integrity and how to avoid leak are the very important aspects for this.