Rooftop Porches: The Envy of the Neighborhood

Rooftop porches elevate your outdoor living experience – figuratively and literally! There is an enhanced sense of privacy and seclusion, but also of envy-inducing elegance. These upscale features allow you to maximize your space and create an inviting, relaxing, refreshing atmosphere. Whether you love entertaining or soaking up the sun in solitude, a rooftop porch is a perfect addition to your custom home.

The Beauty of Rooftop Porches

Why do we love rooftop porches? DC homeowner Betsy Karmin says, “We use the roof deck far more than we used the backyard at our old house. When we’re on the roof, we’re up so high that there are nice breezes, and even better, no bugs.”

Betsy, you had us at no bugs.

When carefully designed and built, rooftop porches offer several additional benefits, including:

• Enhanced views – sometimes a little change in perspective is just what we need!

• Additional usable space

• Terrific opportunities for rooftop gardening

• Ideal space for entertaining

• A comfortable environment for lounging, listening to music, and blurring the lines between indoor/outdoor spaces

This space can easily accommodate your needs, whether you want to curl up with a good book, catch up with a friend over coffee, host the neighbors for cocktails, or clear the furniture and do a little dancing.

Why Now?

When you build your forever home, you are planning for the future and how your space can evolve to meet your changing needs. Forward thinking empowers you to create a custom home that will always accommodate your lifestyle comfortably and with style. When it comes to rooftop porches, however, it is important to think about installation during the initial construction. Why?

Roofs have a very specific, very important, purpose. They protect your home, and their design (often sloped) allows for proper drainage. In other words, they are not typically intended for walking and lounging on furniture! Retrofitting an existing roof to accommodate a porch is not impossible – but it can be quite complicated and costly.

Thinking about this space from the outset of your project vastly simplifies the process. Doing so ensures that the roof and porch are:

• Structurally sound

• Designed and built for intended use

• In compliance with zoning and fire codes

• Easily accessible via interior staircase

You will also be able to plan for other rooftop elements, such as chimneys, skylights, solar panels, or air conditioning units from the get-go. Removing or rearranging these elements later only adds to the complexity (and cost).

Another benefit of planning for a rooftop porch during your custom build is that you can run electrical and plumbing lines that allow you to install wet bars, kitchenettes, and other useful features. Again, doing this right from the start saves more than a few headaches down the road.

Rooftop Goals

A rooftop porch can not only add value and usable space to your home, but it can also significantly enhance your enjoyment and satisfaction, season after season and year after year. Plan for success from the start.