ᐅ Gable Roof Used as Usable Space

Hello everyone,

On our plot, three full floors are allowed, with the third floor needing to be within the roof space and having a pitch of at least 32 degrees.

We want to build a house with two full stories, no basement, and a gable roof, so that we can maximize usable space in the gable roof area.

We are now wondering how to design the roof in the best way (also considering cost) so that we can possibly place a shelf or similar there.

We have already had a few discussions with construction companies. The most cost-effective option was always a gable roof with a wooden truss roof because no additional support wall is needed. In addition, we were advised to choose only the legally required minimum pitch of 32 degrees. Adding a knee wall in the roof area was also discouraged.

Can you generally recommend this approach, or might other roof types be more suitable?

Thanks

Since you won’t really be using that space for storage anyway, the solution is fine.
Should the floor be accessible by a regular staircase or a retractable attic ladder?

Our original plan was to access the attic via the regular staircase. However, we were advised against this. The companies recommend placing insulation over the ceiling below and not insulating the sloped roof. We were advised to install a retractable attic ladder instead. This way, the usable area would be thermally separated, making everything more cost-effective (more efficient heating, lower costs for converting the attic, etc.).

Initially, we intended to prepare everything so that we could eventually convert part of the attic into living space. However, this option turned out to be quite expensive – so we have decided to focus on the usable storage space instead.

Why do you think we won’t use the attic area as storage space?

Because no one will haul anything to the highest point of the house through a retractable attic ladder from below... it’s just annoying – and it’s also not great for the building structure, especially in winter, when warm, relatively moist air constantly rises into the freezing cold attic.

Expanding later on is not so simple – if you are considering it, do it right away and, of course, not with wooden trusses.

I hadn’t considered that yet. Okay. Then the entire roof would need to be insulated, connections to the stairwell taken into account, as well as the additional roof area factored into the heating system.

And then you have to ask yourselves if it is worth it... it costs money, and the gain with a 32° roof pitch and no knee wall is rather small – you have about 2 meters (6.5 feet) of usable room height at around 3.3 meters (11 feet) from the wall, so the position of the stairs is not straightforward either.
I would go for the wooden truss option to keep costs down and then build a shed attached to the garage or carport. That way, everything is on the ground floor level.

Alternatively, if your plot is small and therefore very expensive: build three full stories or design the attic so that it can be used properly – with electrical wiring, heating, and insulation in the roof planes.