How to Avoid Dormer Mistakes

Almost all dormers you see from the last 40 years are so, have been designed incorrectly.

True, dormers are complicated to design but mostly because builders today and architects, that are NOT historic preservation architects, have no idea what they are doing.

This is because the required courses universities offer architectural students changed in the 1930’s in favor of modernism – a revolt to traditional design.

As for builders, they are on automatic pilot and just build what is easy for them.

Although builders and architects may lack the expertise required to create a well-designed dormer, most homeowners do not have the knowledge to recognize a good from a bad dormer.

Don’t worry, here you will find everything you need to know in detail so you can teach your builder or architect to build a correctly designed dormer. The information comes directly from the best published video’s and articles. The links will be listed below. I really recommend reading every article before you do anything to your house.

Here is a list of resources:

1.      Good vs Bad Dormers – video by Brent Hull

2.      What’s Wrong With My House – video by Brent Hull

3.      Can this Dormer be Saved? – from Fine Homebuilding magazine

4.      Designing Shed Dormers – from Fine Homebuilding magazine

5.      Making Shed Dormers Work – from Fine Homebuilding magazine

6.      Designing Gable Dormers – from Fine Homebuilding magazine

7.      Design Guidelines for Roof Dormers – Cambridge Mass. Historic Commission

8.      Dormers Good vs Bad – from Get Your House Right & Traditional Construction Patterns