OT: any roof/house builders?

[JohnnyB]

If there are any roof or house builders here can you tell me what this is called? The part sticking up from the roof. Also do you think it is a crazy idea to put one on top of a house with a hip roof?



I want to put a full 2nd floor and a hip roof on my house and I would like to have one of those too. What do you think?[Broken External Image]:

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Cupola?

 

[Robert Cuenca]

I would love to add a 2nd floor to my house.



Id be interested in knowing the cost to add a 2nd floor as well. Maybe you can let me know how much they are quoting a foot? also, how many square feet are you adding? will they remove the roof trusses or build the second level walls and trusses above that first? thanks

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Our neigbors just built a 2nd floor on their house. They took the old roof off, sistered new floor beams along the existing roof beams, then went up from there. They did it on the cheap, paying mostly for the framing and the roofing, then did everything else themselves (sidding, drywall). The guy is an electrician and bartered a lot of the other work.



TJR

 

[Michelle Widell]

cupola is correct..

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I have always known them as a cupola. Pronounced, Coup-oh-la.

 

[Wes Davis]

Cupola's are usually small and decorative on a residence roof. The one in the photo looks very large and extravagent and appears to be on a commercial building such as a bank.

 

[Chops]

Make it a square functional piece and call it a widow's watch.

 

[Gavin Allan]

One entry found for cupola.

Main Entry: cu·po·la

Pronunciation: 'kyü-p&-l&, ÷-"lO

Function: noun

Etymology: Italian, from Latin cupula, diminutive of cupa tub

1 a : a rounded vault resting on a usually circular base and forming a roof or a ceiling b : a small structure built on top of a roof

2 : a vertical cylindrical furnace for melting iron in the foundry that has tuyeres and tapping spouts near the bottom

3 : a raised observation post in the roof of a railroad caboose

- cu·po·laed /-l&d, ÷-"lOd/ adjective

 

[Dreman]

There was a house we used to pass by on the way to my Grandmother's house that had a full-out tower attached to one side, complete with a series of windows all around it's circumference just under it's roof. I always thought that would be a neat addition to have.

 

[JohnnyB]

Me, yes that was a bank. It didnt look too big, maybe enough for 2 people to stand in.



Basically my house is already a "mother/daughter" legal 2 family. But the upstairs apt. (where I live) is basically insind teh high peak roof. I have knee walls and the ceiling goes up on an angle and is not very high, maybe 7 feet at the most. The square footage of my apt is much smaller than the 1st floor.



I want to take the roof off and frame out a full 2nd floor and then put a hip roof on top of that. It would be cool to have a Cupola up there to be able to go up there and look out.



thanks to all for the info. still wouldnt mind getting some info if there are any constructino guys here.