Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

The ugliest bow bay roof..

36 replies

chillibeansauce · 31/08/2021 09:01

The house itself is perfect, big garden to the back, close to town and parks and great schools. Just this roof depresses me every time I look at it. I'm having the glazing replaced with stained glass and have had lots of work carried out inside but am unable to find a roofer who can replace this with leading without paying ££££. Could I hide it with a creeper plant ? It's south facing ... any ideas welcome !

OP posts:
Seeline · 31/08/2021 09:03

A photo would help.....

Original poster
chillibeansauce · 31/08/2021 09:04

Ahh here it is !

The ugliest bow bay roof..
OP posts:
Gingernaut · 31/08/2021 09:06

It looks OK.

If it's watertight and not causing any structural issues, you'd do well to put it on the back burner.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 31/08/2021 09:06

A clematis would cover that nicely. Get an ever green one.

Seeline · 31/08/2021 09:08

Are there others in the road? Have they done anything? I don't suppose the is enough space below the first floor windows to provide a pitched roof over the window and porch?

Original poster
chillibeansauce · 31/08/2021 09:11

@Seeline

Are there others in the road? Have they done anything? I don't suppose the is enough space below the first floor windows to provide a pitched roof over the window and porch?
There are others, all have been replaced with up call, however are all a lot thinner than the one on mine.
OP posts:
Original poster
chillibeansauce · 31/08/2021 09:13

Up call - UPVC. I did think about having it pitched but didn't want to change exterior too much.

OP posts:
Seeline · 31/08/2021 09:19

How about leaving the bay as it is, but putting a small ridged, tiled roof over the porch (upturned V shape)?

Reallybadidea · 31/08/2021 09:27

I don't think it's that bad at all, but it's the porch that's the issue, not the bay. Personally, I would either take it down because I don't think it's that functional as a porch anyway.

RuthTopp · 31/08/2021 09:30

The bay is fine.
Is your front covered in sand ? Personally that's what I'd hate.
Never seen that before !

Original poster
chillibeansauce · 31/08/2021 09:31

@RuthTopp

The bay is fine. Is your front covered in sand ? Personally that's what I'd hate. Never seen that before !
No, it's just been freshly cemented and will be paved and landscaped soon.
OP posts:
Original poster
chillibeansauce · 31/08/2021 09:32

But I do live close-ish to the sea !

OP posts:
HellonHeels · 31/08/2021 09:36

Would look a lot better with some planting out the front rather than paving. Planting etc will soften the whole of the front and make it look better.

Is the roof/porch bit original to the house design? If it is, I'd leave it.

bilbodog · 31/08/2021 09:38

It looks like the house next door is the same - i think it would be weird to change it - its fairly standard for that type of house. If you want to enhance the look try a rambling rose which would climb up then cover the roof.

I recommend rosa banksia lutea - pale yellow. Has no thorns and is mostly evergreen. It does only flower once, early so you could try growing a clematis through it which would flower later.

bilbodog · 31/08/2021 09:41

You should also not cement right up to the front wall as this could cause damp issues. There should be a gap between the hard landscaping and the wall filled with gravel, and if you do want to soften the look of the house you need some areas left for planting.

tapdancingmum · 31/08/2021 09:48

Looks similar to my house before we had a porch put on. Let me get up and I'll go and take a picture of it and post it 😃

Original poster
chillibeansauce · 31/08/2021 09:55

@tapdancingmum

Looks similar to my house before we had a porch put on. Let me get up and I'll go and take a picture of it and post it 😃
Yes please !
OP posts:
Telegram · 31/08/2021 09:56

Is it connected to next door's? If it isn't ... how about removing it completely and installing a dedicated roof on the bay and a separate small shelter over the porch.

Miliao · 31/08/2021 10:02

Are you sure you want to do stained glass? Won’t that look a bit odd on a modern house? Think the roof looks fine.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 31/08/2021 10:25

My issue wouldn't be with the roof at all, if I had an issue it would be with the porch but clematis would detract from it all and pretty it up as I said earlier. Definitely wouldn't have stained glass windows.

BarkingUpTheWrongRoseBush · 31/08/2021 11:05

It's absolutely fine. Once you 've got some plants in the garden you won't even notice it.

tapdancingmum · 31/08/2021 13:42

Here is mine

The ugliest bow bay roof..
tapdancingmum · 31/08/2021 13:46

I have so many problems posting photos on here which is why there is not a long message with it.

We had just the concrete slab along the top which caused quite a few problems over the years - a bit of damp in the bay itself and when it rained it just poured over the edge. Our next door neighbours had a porch fitted as did someone else up the road so we decided to get one as well. It's tidied the house up so much and has given us somewhere to hang some Christmas lights. The privet at the front of the house will be taken out at some point (we only planted that as we had stick insects) but we will replace it with something else as it really needs something there.

Pokhora · 31/08/2021 13:50

I would just grow a wisteria over it. It really does not look that bad and I think it needs to match the neighbouring house's porch.

BridgetInHerBravery · 31/08/2021 13:59

There's nothing wrong with the bay roof/porch thing. If you grow stuff over it you'll end up clogging your gutters and it will be a PITA!

But you need to check that your paving won't breach your DPC - it looks like you might have done that already if the DPC is below the vent.

Swipe left for the next trending thread