Butterfly Roofs? Why arent there more
- Thread starter reeco
- Start date
Builders don't like this type of construction as they are more prone to water damage. Most people that have previously owned this type of home don't like the maintenance required also - constant cleaning of the gutters especially when you build in an older suburb with established trees.
I built a fantastic single storey home in 2007/08 that won the HIA award in WA $500-$650k in Ardross Perth. The owners are up on the roof every two weeks clearing their gutters. They specifically wanted that roof and were warned about the down side, they love their home, it's amazing, but a pain in the neck to maintain. They've also had several problems with water during the big storms here, and due to the backup of leaves not cleared.
I built a fantastic single storey home in 2007/08 that won the HIA award in WA $500-$650k in Ardross Perth. The owners are up on the roof every two weeks clearing their gutters. They specifically wanted that roof and were warned about the down side, they love their home, it's amazing, but a pain in the neck to maintain. They've also had several problems with water during the big storms here, and due to the backup of leaves not cleared.
Box gutters are a serious pain, esp if not maintained.
Also, the whole benefit of a ceiling space and roof is reduced, and the downsides of walls increased wrt managing energy flows like heat gain and loss. This makes them suitable where your want to increase heat gain eg north facing wall, or more walls in a cold climate. To me they don't seem as useful in a warm climate as their opposite wide, low eaves. Also increased wall surface area=increased cost.
Also, the whole benefit of a ceiling space and roof is reduced, and the downsides of walls increased wrt managing energy flows like heat gain and loss. This makes them suitable where your want to increase heat gain eg north facing wall, or more walls in a cold climate. To me they don't seem as useful in a warm climate as their opposite wide, low eaves. Also increased wall surface area=increased cost.
Hmmm what if the design incorporated a steep pitch in the gutter mitigating the risks of build up? Sort of a pitched roof design as the box gutter? would look interesting I'd think..
Perth IMHO really needs a lot more real architectural driven designs. Perth is turning into a rather drab cookie cutter state. So sad seeing wasted opportunities be given to the cheapest option money can buy.
Perth IMHO really needs a lot more real architectural driven designs. Perth is turning into a rather drab cookie cutter state. So sad seeing wasted opportunities be given to the cheapest option money can buy.
I've got one in a commercial building and it leaks like a seive. Would stay away from them.
RC
RC
Architecture can also just go silly. That's what running water to the middle of the building is with a butterfly roof, then hoping you can shift it before it gets in.
The first bark hut built 100 thousand years ago had the roof running the water to the edges and it worked great.
What's wrong with this picture? Something seriously wrong?
See ya's.
Very simple Water always finds it's own level ,if you had a level roof where would the water go..willair..
In the tropics you need big, low overhangs for shading. Cyclones love rolling up your roofing iron starting at an edge (There is aerodynamic lift which sucks the roof UP when the wind hits the wall and the roof is flat) so a pitch from all gutters works best. And a high pitch with a vent allows convection cooling of the ceiling cavity.
Maybe drab but a pitch to all four sides works up here.
Maybe drab but a pitch to all four sides works up here.
There was a house down the road from ours opened recently as part of the ABC Open Gardens thing. They had just done a big reno round the back and bunged in an arid garden. I was more keen on seeing the reno than the garden. I had watched the reno get done and noticed the box gutter. 'Poor buggers', I thought. 'Looks like they got railroaded by the architect.' The owners were there and it turned out they were both architects. I asked them whether they had had any dramas with the box gutter yet. 'Only once', they said cheerfully. Water poured down the inside wall of the living room. But it's a tiled floor in the room. They opted for the box gutter so they could angle the roof at the back of the house up and get more light in. I reckon they're expecting a drama once a year or so. It's not just leaves that can block a box gutter. Sometimes it's the sheer volume of water - couple with inadequate downpipes. Those huge summer storm dumps can overwhelm a box gutter pretty quickly. Hail is a problem with box gutters, too. It blocks the down pipes and water can't get away.
There's a reasonable number of box gutter houses in my area, they look normal from the front but from the back it almost looks like two skinny houses joined together. My next door neighbour's cottage at my old house had one too.
After actually knowing people who own box gutter houses I would never never NEVER even think about buying/renting a house with a box gutter. Just takes an unusually high rain (which happen more often than you think) and your house is flooded. The hotel suffered quite major water damage from their box gutter overflowing. There's a dearth of trees in my old town, but I don't even want to think about how bad they'd get once you throw fallen leaves into the mix if they are that bad when there are NO trees.
Horrible things.
After actually knowing people who own box gutter houses I would never never NEVER even think about buying/renting a house with a box gutter. Just takes an unusually high rain (which happen more often than you think) and your house is flooded. The hotel suffered quite major water damage from their box gutter overflowing. There's a dearth of trees in my old town, but I don't even want to think about how bad they'd get once you throw fallen leaves into the mix if they are that bad when there are NO trees.
Horrible things.
Have a look at 16 arlington st, belmont, nsw and surrounds on google street view. Telly tubby houses galore - they virtually eliminate the need for guttering.
ah yes - heritage listed they are ... no tearing those nissan huts down anymore.
Like anything its opinion based. But i agree it does "feel" wrong/different. You can actually have the illusion of a pitched roof when you building villas with common walls though. From what ive seen its quite common.
The pitch would be the connection between you and your neighbour. Not on the same angle but slightly offset to give the adjoined owners a more defined border between each other. I do i believe pitched roofs that are parrallel & symmetrical are visually strange.
If you have one side of the roof at a shorter angle then they dont look to bad at all. You can tack on eaves or even have a lean-to shed or carport that give the illusion also of a pitch.
Box gutter config is widely used in Green architecture. Solar panels and what not
butterfly roofs need big (like 600w x 300d) box gutter with multiple (ie more than just a RWH at each end) outlets.
box gutters work better on the outside of a roofline, not the inside. to prevent the inevitable leak, you can make sure the outside gutter wall is lower than the inside.
if you want something different there are many better ways to achieve a desired look without resorting to construction lunacy. cheers
box gutters work better on the outside of a roofline, not the inside. to prevent the inevitable leak, you can make sure the outside gutter wall is lower than the inside.
if you want something different there are many better ways to achieve a desired look without resorting to construction lunacy. cheers
as long as your roof water collection is not over your internal floor space, there's no issue, really...
Skillions are great.. And so are eaves. Its a shame low cost builders in perth excel in the removal of these. Like the butterfly, its very strange to see a house without eaves. Damn low cost builders on there cost cutting.
Yeah you'll have no problems with that Simon. Just try to avoid box gutters on the sides, instead run them into slotted gutters and you'll be fine.
Skillions are great.. And so are eaves. Its a shame low cost builders in perth excel in the removal of these. Like the butterfly, its very strange to see a house without eaves. Damn low cost builders on there cost cutting.
Standard size eaves are cheaper than no eaves.
