Mansard Roofs, French Styles Making a Comeback

For many years in the United States the most popular roofing style has been a simple sloped roof built on a series of footers with a waterproof skin that repels precipitation. In-fact, aside from some of the more historic homes on the Eastern Seaboard, and the manors of Long Island, the majority of homes in the US still use this plain, no-frills, utilitarian style.

There is however a new push toward building homes with more ornate and stylish roofing materials and designs. One style in particular is gaining national attention for its revived popularity: Mansard style roofs. A beautiful French styled roof, the Mansard style is famous for its use of variable sloping roofs that form an obtuse curvature to the entire roof. Not only is this design visually attractive, but serves a purpose as well. The style hails from the Alsace region of France, a region that often sees torrential rains and other precipitation. The Mansard roof style has steeper slopes at the edge of the roof, and shallower grade roofs toward the peak, which provokes precipitation to fall off of the room and not collect.

While the movement to bring back the Mansard roof is still gaining speed, its greatest centers of popularity are in the American South, where many plantation style dwellings have a Mansard style crown, and in the American Southwest, primarily in Utah where Utah residential roofing contractors are seeing more and more new home blueprints utilizing the style.

There are many more traditional styles that are also becoming popular this year, but by far Mansard is the most popular. If you are considering a different style roof for your home, Mansard style is a very good choice, but you also have the options of Dutch gable styles, Catenary, or saddleback. The choice is up to you.

2013 Looks Bright for Construction Jobs

Photo Courtesy of Roofers Supply Group

We are barely a week into 2013 right now, and already this new year has brought us a lot of good news about the overall state of the U.S., and the state of its citizens. The American people, though through troubles and years of struggles through the Great Recession, are beginning to bounce-back in a resilient return to productivity and prominence.

In addition to lowered jobless claims, more companies hiring, less housing foreclosures, and higher holiday spending, the construction industry -- one of the hardest hit by the initial downfall of the economy -- is beginning to see a bright return as well. With 10 states across the U.S. increasing their minimum wages, an increase in public works projects and commercial construction, and with homes beginning to sell and increase in value, the stage is set for a very big construction industry comeback.

Edward Mason, a roofing contractor from Ogden, UT states, "I have a really good feeling about 2013. I have already had three calls this week for big projects this spring... and that is a very good start." In the past few years, Mason admits that it was taking up until the month of May to line up just a few projects for the year. "We are truly blessed to have the work, and we are very thankful for it."

Mason's words reflect the feeling in many American's hearts, that there is a feeling of renewed hope that came with 2013, and we hope that the prosperity will continue to shine on us throughout the coming years, as we have the opportunities, once again, to earn an honest day's work, and to live with and for our families.