Choosing the right roof for your house

The phrase ‘a roof over your head’ is usually used in reference to housing as a basic human right. Which gets you wondering; why not ‘walls around your ribs’ or ‘floor under your feet’? The answer could point to the seminal importance of the roof as a physical part of any house. Whether as an item of functionality or aesthetics, the roof really is the make-or-break.

In contemporary Ugandan homes, the roof tends to be extravagant and elaborate because they usually have high perimeter wall fences that conceal most of the house leaving only the roofs visible to the onlooker. According to experts, a roof should not be chosen solely for what it looks like but some factors should be put into consideration.

Considerations
The biggest and most important consideration is always the budget expectations, according to Fred Kangwagye, a construction in engineer from Frespe Construction Ltd.

“Everything hinges on the budget, really. The second most important consideration is usually the outlook and feel of the house. People travel and see styles abroad and get inspired. They come to us with that image in mind,” he remarks.

He adds, “But image goes beyond that. For instance, if the houses in the neighbourhood are all roofed with roofing tiles, more often than not, someone will consider using tiles on their new house.”

Tight spaces
Jean Christophe Cartier is a Frenchman who has been living in Uganda for more than 20 years. He lives in Bukasa, Muyenga. He explains why he decided to choose a flat roof.

“I had to use the flat roof on my house because my plot was very small. Though it is in a very nice location with the view of the lake, it is less than 50ft X50ft. Since I knew that there would be no space for a compound after constructing a house on the plot, I decided my compound would be on the roof,” he says.
Cartier’s house is a four-bedroom storied home that almost runs from one end to the other end of the plot, save for a small parking space right behind the sliding gate. The flat roof not only affords him ample space to entertain his friends and family, it also gives him a beautiful 360-degree view.

According to Simon Peter Kazibwe, an architectural designer, “The flat roof keeps the house cool because it is made from a concrete slab. It is also very functional because you can use it as a place for entertainment and family time.”

He adds that the flat roof works best in less rainfall-prone places because it has the capability to hold water after the rain.

“All precaution must be taken to waterproof the roof and provide effective drainage channels, otherwise waterlogging can weaken the structure,” Kazibwe advises.

While modern technology can afford you a light and solid slab, a flat roofed house still demands for very strong walls.

Windy areas
The hidden roof is the best choice for a windy area, probably on a hillside, according to Kazibwe.

“If the topography of the neighbourhood is hilly and windy, one would be on a safe side to consider constructing the hidden roof, rather than the gable or the hipped roof. This is because a hidden roof leaves no chance for the wind to blow it away,” says Kazibwe.

The cost
Roofing materials are not cheap. Whether it is the concrete slab, or the roofing tiles or iron sheets the cost is steep.

According to Cissy Namaganda, a property trader based in Nsambya, Kampala, roofing can easily become the most expensive part of a bungalow if one does not plan properly.

“The cost of the roof starts with the cost of the materials. And depending on what kind of style of roof you decide on, the cost can be astronomical. If you want to reduce the cost to the bare minimum, the cheapest roof is the hidden roof. It uses minimal timber, minimal iron sheets and minimal labour costs,” she says.

An average three bedroom bangalow costs between Shs18m and Shs22m to roof with iron sheets.

Super eco iron sheets with a box-like design cost between Shs33,000 to Shs42,000. Eco tile and Roman tile cost Shs78,000. Super tile costs Shs58,000 while the rough type goes for Shs78,000. Ordinary gauge 30 iron sheets, cost Shs33,000 while gauge 28 costs Shs42,000.

Ridges and valleys; used to cover gaps left between the iron sheets when roofing or connect iron sheets range between Shs15,000 to Shs28,000.

On the contrary, the most expensive is the flat roof, compounded by the concrete slab and the thick walls needed to hold the heavy roof up.

The aesthetics
For those who want to make a statement with their roofs, the best choice is the hipped roof. The hipped roof gives one endless opportunities to get complex. A multi-hipped roof tends to give the house an appearance of grandeur and spaciousness.

Roofing tiles will go a long way to compound the beauty of this style. “But you must remember that this is a very expensive style. Roofing tiles demand for more timber and generally more building materials. But the heart wants what the heart wants,” says John Okello, a roofing expert based in Gayaza.

Types of roofs
The types of roofs are as many as the types of houses. However, in Uganda, there about five main types of roofs. While they each serve different purposes, there are instances where a crossover happens. And every once in a while, a style of roof rises in popularity over others.

Hipped roof
Almost every bungalow in the country comes with this style of roof. It is cone-shaped with an elongated edge at the top, and slopes towards the veranda at all ends. The simple variation to this style has only four slopes, and fits on a house with a simple rectangular shape. But this kind of simplicity is out of fashion.

The complex variation (multi-hipped roof) has several sloping ends and fits on a house with complex walling, with rectangle of differing sizes placed side-by-side. This is the most popular kind of roof today.

Gable roof
A gable roof was once popular. It is a simple roof that only slopes on two ends; at the front and back of the house. The sides of the house rise into triangles to meet the roof at a sharp point on top.

This type of roof gives you an opportunity to indulge in some wall ornamentation. The high triangular sides can be seen from afar and any paint work or styling applied here will make the house attractive.

Lean-to roof
One sloping sheet of roofing from one end of the house to the other end. Picture the old-school roadside shop and you know what a lean-to roof is. While this style of roof is usually used in simple constructions like animal pens and car sheds, and of course the roadside shop, some people have reinvented it and turned it into a hidden roof.

Hidden roof
A hidden roof is a lean-to roof surrounded by a brick parapet that completely hides it from view. This roof gives a house a very simple but classy boxy look. It offers endless opportunities for one to get very creative with wall moldings and interesting paintwork.

Kangwagye says, “Hidden roofs take minimal building materials; less timber, less iron sheets, and less everything. However, the drainage must be done very well or the water will overflow and damage the house.”

The flat roof
This is the rarest roof in Uganda. It is a concrete slab on top of a house. One major reason as to why this roof is so rare is because it is the most expensive. Expensive because it requires extra strong walling and columns to hold its weight.

And that is before you get to the cost of the actual roof; concrete specially designed to be completely waterproof.

Kangwangye says, “The flat roof is good in many ways. If someone is not resource constrained, it is the best roof. You save money in that the roof is the ceiling at the same time. It affords you fresh air to breath, since it is elevated and can be used for relaxation. On the downside, it is very heavy and the structure must be engineered for extra strength from the foundation. This makes it the most costly.”