Flat roof or pitched roof, which should you choose?

When choosing the style of your future home, many questions arise about its architecture, particularly the shape of its roof. So how do you choose between a flat roof and a pitched roof? Polimmo la Maison gives you the facts.

The flat roof everything you need to know

Flat-roofed homes represent a contemporary design and avant-garde, in stark contrast to traditional houses with pitched roofs. Their geometric architecture offers a number of advantages. A flat-roofed house, or cubic house, favours the integration of large openings such as bay windows, flooding the interior with natural light and merging the living spaces with the garden. This natural light reduces energy costsThe flat roof, with its concrete structure, offers coolness in summer and insulation in winter, limiting energy losses.

Thanks to its flat roof, the interior of the house benefits from a lot of natural light.optimised space. Whether single-storey or split-level, there is no loss of space under the roof. The design possibilities are vast, allowing the creation of vast living spaces without partitions. The roof itself can be converted into a terrace, installed with solar panels or planted with vegetation.

The only problem with a flat roof is maintenance. Because there is no slope, natural drainage of rainwater can be a problem if the roof is not properly waterproofed. So it's vital to check and maintain the surface regularly.

3D illustration 79 m² modern house

The pitched roof advantages

143 m² traditional house

Often associated with a more classic style, the pitched roof also offers a number of advantages. The first and by no means least is thermal insulation greater than that of a flat roof, because pitched roofs allow natural ventilation, resulting in energy savings.

Thanks to the pitched roof, you can save extra space by converting the attic space, unlike a flat-roofed house, which requires the construction of an extension to increase the living area.

Finally, the slates we use on pitched roofs in Brittany are extremely resistant and waterproof, and pitched roofs require less maintenance than a flat roof.

A pitched roof also offers more aesthetic possibilities, as it can be two-sloped, like a traditional roof, or four-sloped, giving it a pyramid shape, or even single-sloped.

So, do you prefer a flat roof or a pitched roof? Here are a few examples from Polimmo la Maison to help you decide!

Modern house - general view
Traditional two-storey house
Contemporary 3-bedroom house 120 m2
111 m² traditional house