Residents of the post-Soviet space steadfastly associate a flat roof with multi-storey typical houses. Modern architectural thought does not stand still, and now there are many solutions for private houses and cottages with a flat roof that look no less interesting than pitched structures.
Peculiarities
The one-story flat-roofed house has a stylish and modern look. Basically, such designs are stylized in a special way, choosing the direction of minimalism or hi-tech. Traditional styles for buildings with such a roof will not work, since such roofs have been properly beaten quite recently, therefore, any of the classic directions will look ridiculous here.
Of particular interest is how exactly the roof will be used: either for its intended purpose, or as an additional open tier-terrace. It is necessary to determine this issue in advance in order to correctly draw up a project plan.
materials
For the construction of 1-storey flat-roofed cottages, various materials are used, but it should be borne in mind that not all of them are suitable for the Russian climate. In winter, a large amount of snow falls on almost the entire territory of Russia, which greatly increases the load on a flat roof. Therefore, it is impossible to make walls from light and insufficiently strong materials. In this regard, popular frame buildings will not work, but there is another prefabricated option.
Different materials for floors and walls. If almost all durable types (monolith, brick, wood) are suitable for walls, then for the roof you will have to choose the type of building materials more carefully.
Reinforced concrete slabs
Hollow or flat reinforced concrete slabs are used in modern construction for floors. They are strong enough to support the weight of a flat roof.
Plates have many positive qualities:
- strength;
- durability;
- good sound and heat insulation characteristics;
- installation speed;
- resistance to corrosion phenomena.
photos
The main disadvantage of the material is that it is produced only in standard sizes, this must be taken into account even when creating a project. Reinforced concrete slabs are suitable for floors only in a house that has a reinforced foundation.
Decking
For floors, a special corrugated board is used, which is called a carrier. Like the previous version, it is great for laying as a flat roof. The bearing corrugated board is very popular mainly because of its cheapness. This material costs significantly less than all the others. However, the low price has not prevented it from establishing itself as a durable and versatile material that has an excellent ability to withstand the heavy loads that a flat roof is subjected to.
Bearing corrugated board weighs much less than reinforced concrete slabs, therefore it is optimally suited for creating flat roofs in the middle climatic zone with little rainfall in winter.
Monolithic concrete
This material is used for floors quite rarely due to the complexity of installation. Here you first need to prepare the mixture, after which you can fill. This is only possible for true professionals in their field. However, it should be noted that monolithic concrete as a flat roof is perfectly exploited, but only on condition that the manufacturing and installation technology has been fully observed.
Modern one-story houses with a flat roof are not customary to build from traditional materials. For this, modern developments are best suited, which can withstand both the harsh winter and the summer heat. At the same time, it is easy to work with them, and the construction itself does not take much time.
SIP or sandwich panels
In the catalog of every self-respecting construction agency there are standard projects of one-story houses with a flat roof made of SIP panels. Please note that it is best to order cottages made of this material. Construction requires compliance with a special technology, so it can be difficult for a beginner to work with sandwich panels.
Speaking about the advantages of panel houses, one can note their low thermal conductivity and high noise insulation characteristics. Construction costs much less than brick. At the same time, the rejection of pitched roofs also plays a significant role.
Flat roof
We are all accustomed to seeing flat roofs only on Soviet-built high-rise buildings. Among many, there is an opinion that such roofs are boring, and a real house should only be equipped with a pitched roof. In the light of recent architectural developments, this belief can be argued, especially considering the many advantages of such roofs.
It is impossible not to make a reservation that one-story houses with a flat roof can be stylized only in a modern direction. By itself, a flat roof looks futuristic, and you need to use this free space.
Advantages
Among the advantages of flat roofs there are many characteristics.
- Ease of installation. Flat roof structures can be completed in record time.
- Reliability. If you organize the roof in the right way, it can withstand a lot of weight. Moreover, in which case, repairing such a structure is much easier to perform than repairing the truss system.
- Excellent thermal insulation. No matter what type of flat roof construction is chosen, it will keep the heat inside the house great.
- Cheapness. Compared to pitched, flat structures are much cheaper both in terms of materials and time.
- Easy to install equipment. Antennas, air conditioners, various service communications on the plane are much easier to arrange than under a slope.
- Interesting view. If the house itself is decorated in the style of "minimalism", then a laconic roof without a slope will perfectly complement the overall look.
- Additional area. If desired, the roof can be strengthened and used to organize space for a playground, garden or recreation area. Some even make a pool here.
disadvantages
There are not so many cons, but still they are.
- No matter how good the roof is, there is always a chance that it will leak. In the case of a flat structure, the risk increases many times over, because it is subject to heavy loads due to the fact that the snow does not roll.
- If you plan to use the cover for your needs in the winter, snow and ice will have to be cleaned manually.
- The construction of a flat roof should be carried out in full compliance with the technology, otherwise there is a risk that it will leak or fail to withstand loads and collapse.
Varieties
Pitched roofs are divided according to several criteria, among which are the method of use and the type of laying of materials. As a rule, the name of each of the characteristics speaks for itself.
By way of use
Roofs are operated and non-operated.
Exploited roofs are those that are used not only as roofs, but also as additional space for spending time. Reinforced systems are used here, allowing not only to place heavy equipment on the roof, but even to organize a “green corner” here, planting a lawn, flowers and even trees. Equipping a structure of this type costs quite a lot, and it is important to lay down in advance in the project what weight load the roof will be subjected to.
Unexploited roofs are much cheaper due to the fact that they do not need to be additionally strengthened and equipped with waterproofing. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the snow loads that the roof will be exposed to in the winter.
By type of laying materials
There are classic, inversion and breathable roofs.
Classical types are usually used in the design of non-exploited roofs. This is due to the fact that they have a lower load resistance coefficient. Moisture or mechanical influences can be detrimental to these roofs.
The layout of the layers looks like this (top to bottom):
- top deposited material (waterproofing);
- bottom deposited material (waterproofing);
- screed (if provided);
- insulation;
- vapor barrier layer;
- overlap.
Thus, an unprotected waterproofing layer quickly becomes unusable.
The inverted roof looks exactly the opposite, which can be understood from the name:
- ballast (gravel, crushed stone or other heavy material);
- vapor barrier;
- hydrophobic insulation;
- waterproofing;
- protective substrate (primer);
- overlap.
Such flat roofs have a long service life and are optimally suited for exploited roofs.
Breathable can be both classic and inversion designs. They are equipped with aerators or deflectors to provide additional ventilation, because there is no gap between a flat roof and the house, as is the case with pitched roofs. This leads to insufficient air exchange, which is why the organization of the ventilation system is so important.
Project
When designing a one-story house with a flat roof, it is extremely important to pay close attention to the type of roof. Here the roof is the most important component. Russian firms have been engaged in such design not so long ago, so contact only trusted agencies.
The type and shape of the roof has always depended on the region and the natural and climatic conditions that existed in it. In northern lands with a lot of rain in summer and snow in winter, various types of pitched roofs have historically been used. This has a completely rational justification - this way precipitation rolls down faster, and the roof is more likely not to leak.
In some places, a dome was an alternative to a pitched roof. As an example, one can name such a traditional type of residential building for some peoples as a yurt.
The dome, like the pitched roof, is quite effective in removing snow and water. In addition, it copes well with wind load - which is a serious threat to the well-known sloping roof with large overhangs.
But the hot southern regions could afford to make a very small slope for water flow. For example, in ancient Greece, one-story houses with a flat roof with a slight slope, with an open courtyard and a pool into which water flowed, were common.
However, this is all about the past. Modern building technologies make it possible to do what was previously considered irrational and even impossible. And flat roofs gradually penetrated all regions, increasingly crowding out other options. Take a look at any major city. And recently, in private houses, a flat roof is gradually replacing the traditional pitched one.
Advantages of a flat roof
This trend is explained by a number of significant advantages that this particular type of roof has. First, it is structurally simpler. That is, it takes less time and materials to build it. It's easier to insulate. And this leads to a reduction in construction time and significant cost savings. It is not surprising that in a market economy it is this type of roof that has become most widespread.
And secondly, a flat roof is a potential opportunity to increase the usable area that you can use. After all, such a roof can be made exploitable - which we observe in numerous projects of modern houses with a flat roof.
And this idea from beautiful projects has long begun to migrate into reality. This is not an architectural utopia, but something that you can implement in your own two-story house with a flat roof if you wish.
Disadvantages of a flat roof
Of course, the widespread introduction of just this type of roofing has a huge number of opponents who claim significant shortcomings of this solution.
For example, it is often said that flat roofs still leak too often.
And the lack of overhangs common for a pitched roof makes the facades of the building more vulnerable, which are not protected in any way from the destructive influence of moisture and due to this they quickly lose their appearance.
Mention is made of an even greater snow load, which leads to the need to manually clean the roofs. But let's look at each of these disadvantages in a little more detail.
Frequent leaks: who is to blame and what to do
Unfortunately, this is a reality - a huge number of modern apartment buildings with a flat roof regularly need repairs. And the inhabitants of their upper floors often suffer from water flowing along the walls and ceiling.
However, it is not the type of roof as such that is to blame. Remember, other claims are often made to panel houses. Poor sound insulation, walls freezing in some places ... The thing is that during the construction of most of the modern housing stock, they relied not on quality, but on speed and quantity. And it was right - the housing crisis was very acute, it had to be solved somehow.
But - yes - as a result, the residents of such houses now have problems. Including the current roof. But not because this type of roof, in principle, is not able to withstand the destructive effects of moisture. But because its installation requires professionalism, a neat approach and high-quality materials.
However, there is another reason for the problems with leaks so common in prefabricated residential buildings. This is a failure to comply with what is called the "rules of operation".
There are different types of flat roofs. For example, one on which you can walk, even plant grass there, organize recreation areas, parks, swimming pools on it.
If you undertake to study fashionable projects of houses with a flat roof, all this is often found there. But typical construction involves a different type of construction. The one you can't walk on.
However, it is not always possible to fulfill this condition in practice. Roofs are cleared of snow, communications are installed on them, and so on. And all of these actions potentially lead to future leaks.
Thus, if you entrust the installation of a flat roof to professionals in your private house and comply with all operating conditions, the roof will not disappoint you.
The destructive effect of moisture: how to save facades
So, critics of flat roofs say that the lack of large overhangs characteristic of a traditional pitched roof leads to the rapid destruction of facades. And, in general, it is difficult to argue - water can even affect mountain slopes, let alone brickwork.
However, do overhangs really protect facades from moisture so well? Imagine slanting jets of rain hitting the surface of a wall at an angle. Roof overhangs take on part of them, it's true.
But in fact, they really cover only a small strip of the facade from above. The larger the protruding part of the roof, the more this space will turn out. But it cannot be increased indefinitely.
Thus, in order to protect the facades, not some special type of roofing is needed, but modern building technologies. For example, a frame house with a flat roof, lined with porcelain tiles or siding, will be extremely resistant to external influences.
Snow loads
This factor can be very significant in some regions. The layer of snow has a large weight, which additionally loads the floor. And if it does not survive, the consequences will be very deplorable.
However, the design features of a flat roof according to the rules are calculated taking into account the possible snow load. Thus, if no fatal mistakes were made in the design and construction, the snow will not affect the house in any way, no matter what roof it has.
Aesthetic possibilities
Sometimes you can hear that rectangular boxes with a flat roof are uninteresting and ugly. Of course, those who say this have never seen modern houses with a flat roof, even in a photo, not to mention a personal acquaintance.
It is no coincidence that this architectural solution is now at the peak of popularity. Styles such as hi-tech, minimalism, modern invariably prefer roofs with a slight slope. Because it allows you to make a more complex planning structure, embody previously unrealistic ideas, create expressive and unusual compositions. Such architecture can look very impressive and original.
Photo of houses with a flat roof
Not everyone likes modern construction. This is immediately clear when flat roof house designs are mentioned in a conversation. Most developers do not like the look, but after living in such a structure for a while, their view changes. It is precisely due to its minimalism that this house is considered stylish, but the vast majority of Russians are accustomed to pitched roofs, they simply cannot imagine a roof without a slope. In this article I will try to reveal in as much detail as possible the beauty of a house with a flat roof.
One-story house with a flat roof
Just a few decades ago, the developers of the CIS countries could not imagine that such beautiful houses could be created in private construction. In addition, thanks to a flat roof, a finished cottage costs much less than a building with a truss system.
Flat roof houses and their projects are presented in these photos: 
Not so long ago, when there were no materials for high-quality waterproofing of a flat roof, mastic and roofing felt were used. These products could not give a good service life, so this type of house was scrapped, and after the release of high-quality materials on the domestic market, most developers did not dare to test them. That is why today in Russia there are so few private buildings with flat roofs.
Modern houses, due to their style, can stand out from others. The fact is that most residents make an internal drain. It's convenient, although a bit pricey. Due to the internal location of the drainage system on the walls of the building, you will not see any protruding pipes, and due to its high power, you will rarely encounter blockages. Some people refer to the fact that as a result of construction, square houses are obtained and one does not want to live in such a box. It is worth noting that this design has a lot of advantages, which I will now tell.
Pros and cons of a flat roof house
Despite the negative reviews about such houses, the vast majority of them remain unfounded. Many people do not know that due to the lack of a truss system, the building becomes cheaper by almost a third of the entire cost, and this is not a small amount.
IMPORTANT: It is better not to use obsolete products as roofing. For example, bitumen and its derivatives (roofing material, mastic) will lie on the roof for only 5-7 years. When modern products, in the form of polymer membranes or filling solutions, can serve you for about 50 years without any repair.
Now, let's look at the other side of the coin. The disadvantages of a flat roof include the following:
- Limited choice in roofing materials. Despite the fact that the roof plane has a slight slope to drain water, most types of coatings cannot be laid on it. Products with high waterproofing protection are suitable as materials.
- Due to the flat surface in the winter season, multiple cleaning work will have to be carried out. Despite its porosity, snow has a serious mass and, with a large amount, can easily destroy the entire building.
- Large heat loss. Due to the simply huge plane, serious heat losses occur. This can be corrected by laying thick insulation in several layers. In the process of routine inspections, this material should be given the most time so that the underlying premises always remain warm.
- Without laying the insulation cord, the internal drain can freeze during severe frosts.
If you do not take into account these disadvantages and create additional elements in order to eliminate them, then a flat surface is the best of all possible.
Modern flat roof houses are built according to crazy projects, if you contact a good architect, you can end up with buildings like these: 
Types of flat roof
As you know, there is almost always some choice in life. The same is true for the roofing surface. In the roofing area, there are only 2 options for using a flat base surface:
- Make her exploitable
- Make her unexploitable
Before starting construction, at the time of design, it is very important to decide on this issue. After all, if the roof is exploited, then the installation of massive elements will be required, which will easily withstand serious weights. In cases where an unexploited surface is installed, the entire building can be framed. By the way, wooden frame houses are very relevant in America and in the warm countries of Europe. As for Russia, it is better to use thick walls here, otherwise it will not be sweet in winter.
The operated roof is designed to accommodate heavy elements on it. Often, residents of Europe install recreation areas, workshops, gazebos on their roofs. This is very convenient if you want to relax in the company, but do not want the dirt to be carried into the house.
Unused roofs cannot be used as a recreation area. Often, flooded roofs are laid on such surfaces, therefore, you can move along them exclusively by bridges or ladders. Such materials allow you to save money, but at the same time they have maximum waterproofing performance, so you can fill the pool on such a roof, but of course you shouldn’t do this. 
In addition, flat roofs are divided into several types according to their structure:
- Traditional
- inversion
- breathable
The traditional roofing cake has the following structure:
- Base
- Screed
- Vapor barrier layer
- thermal insulation
- Waterproofing
- Finish coat
As you can see, here the thermal insulation material is under the waterproofing. This is beneficial only if during operation such a cake will not have serious loads, therefore, it is ideal for an unexploited surface.
In the inversion cake, the order of the layers is slightly changed and looks like this:
- Base
- Screed
- Waterproofing (as a rule, it is roofing material)
- Thermal insulation boards
- Vapor permeable film with high throughput
- Screed
- Finish coat
As you can see, there are two layers of screed here. This is done so that the heat-insulating plates do not deform under weight and always perform their functional tasks with high quality.
As for breathing roofs, they can be traditional or inverted in their structure, but aerators or deflectors are installed on them as an additional element. These devices are very useful when natural ventilation cannot provide high-quality ventilation of the premises, and due to the fact that flat roofs are built with parapets, the air flow is extremely small.
Finding a suitable house with a flat roof is not a problem now, just look at the catalog of projects offered by construction companies. If you want a cozy building, then you need to contact the design bureaus directly, otherwise your house will be typical and, as a rule, not very convenient for you or your loved ones. Today, there are more and more houses with an exploited roof. This is due to the fact that additional objects can be installed on it, for example, a recreation area. By the way, the presence of people on the roof is completely safe, because according to building codes, the minimum height of the fence should be 120 centimeters.
As an example, let's see one-story houses, or rather their projects in the following photos: 
As you can see, minimalism in all cases is an important component of these buildings. You need to get used to this style, but most of the inhabitants of Russia are not yet ready for this, they prefer a house made of timber and the usual two slopes over their heads.
Flat roof base
The elements used on the floors depend on the materials that were used to build the walls of the building. For example, if the load-bearing walls are framed, then the ceilings must be exceptionally light, otherwise the entire structure may collapse. Today, only a few elements are used in construction for floor slabs:
- Reinforced concrete slabs (flat or hollow)
- Monolithic layer of concrete
- Thick sheets of corrugated board
Between floors, a heat-insulating and waterproofing layer is not laid on these elements, but upon completion of the last floor, this is mandatory.
As you already know, a flat roofing cake can be classic and inverted. The latter does not imply that in the future any heavy elements will be laid on the roof surface. As a rule, such a plane is filled with bulk material or bituminous products are laid on it. You can see how such a one-story house looks like in this photo: 
As for the exploited surfaces, here the variety of roofing solutions rolls over. You can plant trees on the roof, cover the area with a lawn, put a gazebo and much more. But the most important thing is of course the roofing. It is very important to consider the nature of your plane here. For example, if you want to put a gazebo, then it would be nice to cover the area adjacent to it with grass or flowers, and make the approach out of paving slabs. Projects of houses with a flat roof allow you to do more than that, the main thing is to understand what exactly you want.
Often on the roof of private houses you can find a pressure coating. They are gravel and soil. The load from such materials is very high, therefore it is suitable exclusively for exploited types of roofs. It is worth noting that their structure will be somewhat different from the inversion one, but you can already check this with some designer.
Reinforced concrete slabs with a screed are the ideal solution if you are considering cottage projects in a catalog that contains budget options. If we lay these elements as a ceiling, you will get a sufficiently rigid base to create a good exploitable roof.
The cheapest construction option would be a frame building. It is worth noting that this method of erecting buildings is very popular in hot countries, but it is not entirely suitable for our climate. Nevertheless, such a building can be used for economic purposes. If the walls are frame, therefore, it is no longer possible to lay reinforced concrete elements on top, they will simply crush the structure. You can solve this problem with the help of corrugated board. The metal base is very light, and due to its high rigidity it will not deform even under heavy weights, the main thing is to distribute them in a quality manner.
Lightweight materials are often laid on the roofs of frame houses. For example, polystyrene foam boards are used as thermal insulation products, and modern membranes are used instead of a heavy coating. Thanks to this, a very light and not expensive building is obtained, which can be used for any purpose.
Materials for roofing cake
The roofing pie in a flat roof plays a rather important role, because due to the violation of one layer, others will suffer and eventually such a chain will get to the thermal insulation, and this is the basis of such a design that retains the heat of the room.
To create a quality cake, you will have to think about how to choose the right materials:
- vapor barrier
- Thermal insulation boards
- Coating
The project of a modern house should include polymer or bituminous membranes as a vapor barrier material. As for outdated polyethylene, it is better to avoid it, as it will not give the cake reliability and will fail rather quickly.
Picking up thermal insulation products is somewhat more difficult, because there are a lot of them. Fortunately, we have criteria that filter out unnecessary materials. The thermal insulation of a flat roof must be rigid and withstand high static and dynamic loads. In addition, they must be hydrophobic, so there are only a few options left:
- Styrofoam
- Rigid mineral wool
- Foam glass
- Expanded clay filler
IMPORTANT: Foam glass is a very effective heat-insulating material, but its price is quite high. If you are planning to build a quality building that will last for more than a decade, then it is worth choosing it.
Expanded clay is a low-performance product and is rarely used as thermal insulation. Due to its flowability and large fraction, a very large layer will have to be poured, and this is an additional load on walls and ceilings. 
As you already understood, the coating should also be light and in no way allow moisture to pass through. This list can include: jellied roofs, membranes and bituminous derivatives such as roofing material.
Gutter system
The gutter system on a flat roof deserves a separate topic, but I will try to explain everything in a nutshell.
According to building codes, it is impossible to create a drainage system with a slope of less than 15 degrees, therefore, in this case, they are not suitable for us. The closest suitable alternative here would be the following:
- Create a system with overhead gutters
- Build an internal drain
It should be noted that both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, an external gutter system will spoil the appearance of a building with a flat roof. Of course, this problem can be solved with the help of design tricks, but this will have to spend additional finances. As for the internal system, here I want to talk more openly.
An internal gutter is the best solution for removing precipitation from a flat roof. In order for the system to function all year round, heating cables are laid in it. They can be purchased at any construction market. In addition, such a system should be created when conducting zero construction.
Internal drainage is divided into two types:
- gravity flow
- siphon
Gravity drainage is the most primitive system for removing sediment. It is not difficult to calculate it, and the installation can be carried out by a person far from the construction business. This device includes such elements as: risers, outlet pipes, water intake funnels. It is worth noting that the gravity system cannot boast of high performance, therefore, during heavy rains it may have problems, as a result of which a huge puddle forms on the roof surface. Developers attribute its low price to positive aspects.
The siphon system is more complex and more efficient. It can cope with a large amount of precipitation without any problems and at the same time without experiencing any difficulties. The essence of her work is that she does not remove water from the pipes until a sufficient amount has been accumulated in them, and then, due to gravity, brings them into the storm sewer. By the way, after the process of removing water in the pipes has begun, different pressures form from above and precipitation from the roof leaves through the pipe at an even greater speed. Due to this, such a system very rarely becomes clogged, therefore it does not require almost any attention. The disadvantages include its high cost and problematic device.
Projects of one-story houses with a flat roof
Now that you understand flat roof buildings, you can start looking at some projects.
Rectangular house with garage
The total living area will be about 168 square meters. The foundation is made of MZFL slabs or piles are placed. The roof is flat, and pvc membrane or bituminous products are used as a covering. The number of living rooms in this project is 3 pieces. The drainage system is internal. The building has no basement. Garage is present. The walls will be built from gas silicate, expanded clay concrete, brick or wood concrete. The thickness of the supporting structures is 400 millimeters, however, they can be increased. Everything described above can be changed within reason.
Such house designs with many rooms and a two-car garage are suitable for young families with children. There is a garage, living room and two spacious rooms.
One-story house in the style of "hi-tech"
Modern one-story houses should be created with style. These projects are intended for business people who have work in the first place. However, this building is suitable for a small family as a summer cottage or a country house. The project is compact and has two living rooms, a spacious kitchen combined with a living room and a cozy terrace. As you can see, nothing superfluous and distracting.
As for the garage, it is slightly pushed forward. The front door to it is located in the building, which is convenient if you carefully monitor your car and try to repair it as any malfunctions occur.
As a coating on a flat roof, PVC membrane or bituminous rolled products are used. Living area 96 square meters. The number of rooms is two. The foundation is created from slabs 20 centimeters thick or sits on piles. There is no basement in the building, but there is a garage for one car.
It cannot be said that houses with a flat roof are so common in our area. Still, we are more accustomed to seeing classic gable or multi-pitched roofs. It is believed that houses with a flat roof look exclusive, even eccentric, and speak of their owner as a great original, a modern person who thinks outside the box.
By and large, "flat roof" is a rather arbitrary name. There should always be a small but mandatory slope. Otherwise, rainwater or water after the snow melts will accumulate on the roof, which, in the end, will lead to serious trouble and repair costs not only for the roof, but also for the interior.
In addition to its direct functions - thermal insulation and protection of the house from atmospheric precipitation - a flat roof can be used as an additional recreational area.
Let's try to figure out how expedient the choice of a flat-roof house project is in our area. To do this, you need to imagine the advantages and disadvantages of this type of roof.
Advantages of a flat roof
- A flat roof allows you to optimize costs. It is smaller in area than any pitched roof. This allows the developer to save significant amounts on materials.
- The simple shape of the roof significantly reduces installation time.
- For the same reasons, the repair and maintenance of a flat roof of an already built building is incomparably easier than in houses with pitched roofs.
- But the most important advantage of flat roof house projects is the additional usable area that the owners of the house can use at their discretion. Some elements of engineering systems, for example, ventilation and air conditioning systems, can be placed on the roof of such a house. And you can install solar panels.
- But most often the space of a flat roof is used as an additional zone of comfortable rest. Here you can equip a solarium or a place for sports. By the way, there are even projects that make it possible to equip a pool. The rooftop garden is very impressive. Modern technologies make it possible to pave the roof with paving stones. And in combination with a lawn and decorative trees, comfortable wicker furniture, a garden gazebo with a fireplace, this place will become the center of a family holiday.
Naturally, like any roofing system, a flat roof has its drawbacks.
- More careful design and installation of the roof will be required, otherwise retribution in the form of expensive repairs to the interior is inevitable.
- You will also have to lay additional costs for the organization of internal drains.
- There are certain inconveniences associated with maintaining a flat roof. Firstly, constant monitoring of the moisture content of the insulation and the tightness of the roof is necessary. Secondly, there is always the possibility of clogging or freezing of internal drains. Thirdly, in snowy winters there is a risk of leaks due to the large accumulation of snow. But this minus can be easily circumvented by installing the Anti-Ice system on the roof. True, this leads to additional costs.
Flat roof house project: is it worth it?
It can be said quite definitely that with careful design study and competent work of builders, it is worth building a house with a flat roof. In the end, you get original housing with additional square meters of usable space and save money on construction work and materials. And the Dom4M company hopes that you will live for many years in a cozy and comfortable house built according to our project.
In recent decades, there has been a notable leap in the quality of the realizations of private country houses and residences. The taste preferences of people are being improved, technologies are being developed in the field of construction, engineering networks and finishing materials. Thanks to this, modern architecture becomes freer and bolder, and more and more projects of houses and cottages with flat roofs appear.
When designing houses with flat roofs, the architect has much more freedom in creating a three-dimensional composition, when compared with designing houses with pitched roofs. The volume of the building can be either very simple and concise, or rather complex and multifaceted, and the visual image depends only on the general concept and is not limited by any style features.
There are several variations of the architectural expression of a flat roof:
- No roof overhangs. With this option, the wall of the building turns into a parapet. Simple cubic volumes are obtained, from which it is possible to compose a volume-spatial composition of any complexity.
- With roof overhangs. In this case, the floor slab extends beyond the outer walls of the building. It can be a small canopy or a canopy over an entire terrace. The rhythm of clear horizontal canopies creates a very dynamic and free composition. Thanks to the roof overhangs, the volume of the building is not limited by the contour of the walls, which creates a feeling of lightness.
- A combination of cubic volumes and horizontal overhangs. As a result of a combination of two techniques, a complex play of volumes and horizontal planes is obtained, which makes the composition dynamic and filled with details.
Benefits of flat roof houses
When comparing flat-roof and pitched-roof house designs, there are several objective advantages to flat-roof houses. Due to the even ceilings, the interior spaces are geometrically correct and clean, there are no uncomfortable corners and ceiling bevels, as on the attic floors of houses with pitched roofs. The height of the ceiling is chosen to be optimal for a given scale of the premises, while in houses with pitched roofs there are areas with too low or too high height. Thus, in cottages with flat roofs, the entire projected volume of the building is used as efficiently as possible.
As a rule, the second floors of houses with flat roofs are smaller in area compared to the first. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to make exploitable roofs on the second floor. You can play out various scenarios for using open spaces, diversifying pastime in a country house. In addition, terraces visually increase the interior space of the premises, being their natural continuation.
Water disposal in flat roof projects
There are several developed solutions for draining rainwater from flat roofs. In one house, several methods can be used at once, depending on the features of the architecture of the building. It is most desirable to use organized internal drainage, when water is collected from roofs and terraces into funnels, and then through a system of downpipes located inside the house, it goes into the storm sewer.
There are two options for external drainage. In the first one, water is also collected by funnels, but only in this case, drainpipes are located outside the building and descend to the ground along the facades. In the second version, the water is drained through a parapet funnel, which is a horizontal pipe built into the parapet.
And a variant of an unorganized external drain from canopies and unexploited canopies is possible.
Operation of houses with flat roofs in winter
In our climatic zone, cottage owners must be prepared for the fact that in winter snow lies on roofs and terraces. Subject to all construction technologies, this does not pose any danger either to the building structures or to the coating materials. To clean snow or not is the choice of the owners of the house. When developing a constructive project for a house, all possible loads are taken into account, including snow loads, taken according to climatic standards for a given region. The most reliable construction technology suitable for the implementation of houses with flat exploited roofs is monolithic-frame. In this technology, a monolithic building frame is cast from reinforced concrete right at the construction site, consisting of a foundation slab, columns, pylons and floor slabs. The walls are laid out from light block materials. A one-piece monolithic floor, cast using hydrophobic additives, is in itself a reliable base that is resistant to moisture penetration. A roofing cake is laid on top of the slab with a final layer of waterproofing. There are several types of modern waterproofing materials, the choice of which depends on the finish of the terrace. If, according to the project, the terrace is finished with porcelain stoneware, then cement waterproofing is applied under it. If a terrace board on adjustable supports is supposed, then either rolled waterproofing or a membrane can be used. Any of these types of waterproofing, when properly installed, provides reliable protection of the roofing pie from moisture.
Designing houses with flat roofs in the architectural bureau of Ilya Eliseev
The architectural bureau of Ilya Eliseev is engaged in the individual design and construction of houses and cottages with flat roofs. We work in this architectural direction, as it meets our aesthetic preferences and meets all the requirements necessary for living in a country house. Over the years of designing and implementing flat roof houses, we have accumulated enough knowledge and skills to create projects of the highest class. At the stage of developing a house, we think over in detail all building structures, technological units, walls and floors, as well as the arrangement of engineering networks, so that the operation of the house is as comfortable as possible and does not require increased attention.
