Our Roof Options

Here we will showcase the variety of roof options available at English Heritage Buildings, designed to meet different tastes and needs. Each option adds a unique touch to your building, whether you’re looking for traditional charm or functional elegance.

gable end roof

Roof Ends – Gable

The term Gable end usually also includes the triangle of wall beneath the roof covering.

Roof Ends – Full Hip

A hip is where the end of the roof is sloped from the eaves level up to the ridge.

full hip
barn hip

Roof Ends – Barn Hip

A barn hip can also be called a half hip, clipped gable or Dutch hip. This is where the top portion of the gable is replaced with a small hip.

Roof Ends – Gablet

A gablet, also called a Dutch gable, is where you have a hip end with a small gable at the top.

gablet
A catslide roof on a 2 bay, oak framed garage

Catslides

A catslide roof is a roof that continues down below the main eaves height and allows you to have a greater depth of building without increasing your ridge height.

Dovecotes

Dovecotes come in two types, functional and non-functional. The only difference between the two is that the function one has internal partitions so that a dove will nest in one of the compartments. Doves will not nest in a non-functional as the wind will just blow right through.

They are made of oak with a lead roof and have 4 openings on each side. Each opening has a small perch for a bird to land on. Each dovecote come with a saddle suitable for the roof it is going on that will need to be leaded, by your roofing contractor, to weather it to your roof covering.

dovecote
clocktower

Clock Tower

Our clock towers are much the same as the Dovecotes except all four sides are boarded and we supply one clock face to be fixed to one of the sides. The clock faces come in a choice of six colours Black, British Racing Green, Navy Blue, Light French Blue, Burgandy and White. You can have extra faces and electric operation at additional cost. You can also fit a weathervane if required as shown in photo.

Dormers

Dormers are a way of getting a window into a roof slope and making a little bit of extra headroom inside. Dormers can be used as means of escape for building regulation purposes.

dormers
rooflight

Rooflights

Rooflights are an easy way to let extra light into your building. The 2 main manufacturers are Velux and The Rooflight Company. Both manufacturers do a conservation range which has a central glazing bar which is more in keeping with our buildings. Most rooflights can be fitted into our buildings, even the balcony ones.

Lanterns

Our oak lanterns are green oak rafters to match the frame that then have glass on top and secured from outside with powder-coated aluminium cappings which makes it virtually maintenance-free.

lantern
Leaded_Finial

Leaded Finial

If your roof comes to a point at the top then one way to finish it off is with a leaded finial.

Guttering

Guttering will be required on most buildings as it is a building regulations requirement that rainwater is taken away from the building. This is usually done using guttering, downpipes, gullies and drainage pipe to a soakaway.

There are several materials that can be used and sometimes these may be specified in your Planning permission or Listed Building consent. Materials that are commonly used are uPVC, Cast Iron, Aluminium and Copper.

Since we do not usually put fascias on our buildings you need to use side hung rafter brackets unless your roof pith is over 45⁰ and then you need to use top hung rafter brackets. These are available for most types of guttering.

gutter