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A Unique Minneapolis Roof

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Kirby Fine Homes

When driving around some of the historic neighborhoods of Minneapolis, you might notice a unique roof on some of the homes. Rolled roofs at the eave are seen mostly around the Lake of the Isle area. The style is known as Cotswold Cottage and is designed to replicate thatch. It is an expensive roof to apply to your home, as special eaves must be constructed to support the roll over the roof line. In my opinion, this roof option should only be used on a Tudor style home, however I have seen it pushed onto a newer home with French design and it didn't look to good to me.

 

Two basic materials are used the most.

1) For a more authentic look, only cedar shakes should be used. The first home has cedar tiles and you can see by the closeup just how many tiles are placed on the roof. The pattern varies and is very time consuming, but the roof will last you a long time. The home really looks like a cottage out of Hansel and Gretel, and the roof is most likely the original.

 


 2) A cheaper way to employ the style is to use common place asphalt shingles. It gives the same affect from a distance, but to me is less pleasing to the eye closeup. It too will last you awhile, 20-40 years, and is cheaper to apply as the only real cost comes from the eave roll.

 

 

 

 


In a quick Google search, I found one local builder who advertises he does the replicated thatch roof, but I am sure there are others out there that also offer the style. If you are looking to replace your current roof with an architectural roof like thatch, make sure to call several roofing contractors and get detailed quotes, time to construct, etc. With it being more expensive to build, you want to make sure you get something that is priced well, but also high quality too!

Suzanne Stephens
Stephens Design - Battle Ground, WA
Real Estate Website Design

Thanks for your interesting article, Jennifer. I love historic homes and enjoyed both this article and your article about the Victorian with the casket on the roof.

Suzanne

Suzanne Hathcock Stephens
Point2Agent Design Partner
http://www.SuzStephens.com

Jun 20, 2007 09:03 AM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent
Suzanne - thanks for reading, and commenting. It is nice to know that someone appreciates the local history I post. Historic Homes are my passion, especailly those out of the norm.
Jun 20, 2007 09:06 AM
Suzanne Stephens
Stephens Design - Battle Ground, WA
Real Estate Website Design

You're welcome, Jennifer. I restored a couple of Craftsman bungalow homes from the early '20s in Charlotte, NC when I used to live there and dearly loved the old neighborhoods. I'm working on a Web site design for a Charlotte agent now. He specializes in Charlotte's historic districts as well as two lake areas. I sure which he would have let me focus the web site on purely historic homes. The site is unfinished as I still have tweaking to do and the agent's marketing person needs to add content. Nonetheless, you might enjoy some of the photos from 4th Ward, the first "subdivision" in what is now downtown Charlotte and from Dilworth, the first streetcar suburb built originally as a resort area. http://ktmills.point2agent.com

Suzanne

Suzanne Hathcock Stephens
Point2Agent Design Partner
http://www.SuzStephens.com

 

Jun 20, 2007 09:14 AM
Dena Stevens
Rocky Mountain Realty - Canon City, CO
Putting The Real Into Realtor Since 2004
When you really start looking at roofs they can be interesting. One of my friends sells roofing and gets calls all the time to go look at a roof someplace. People want "that" roof.
Jun 20, 2007 01:46 PM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Suzanne -  thanks for the link. I alwasy like to check out the history of other cities.. I have restored a couple Victorian homes, both built in the 1890's as well. It can be addicting.

Dena - I am sure there are people out there that want this fake thatch roof, but once they find out the price they fall over and gulp. "No really, the 30-yr architectural shingles will work just fine".

Jun 21, 2007 03:13 AM
David Helm
Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp
Interesting post.  There are some of these roofs in the northwest, mostly cedar shingles.  I doubt that the asphalt shingles will last the 20 to 40 years you spoke of.  In general, a so-called 20 year roof will last about 13 to 15 years.  Weather conditions, attic venting (or lack thereof) make a real difference in roof life.  When in England, it is fun to see all the thatch roofs.  We actually stayed in a B&B with a thatch roof.  I do agree with you that the cedar roofs look better than the asphalt.  See a lot of the asphalt style in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Jun 21, 2007 04:18 AM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS
I haven't seen an asphalt shingle roof that REALLY looks like thatch, or slate, or anything other than asphalt.
Jun 21, 2007 12:59 PM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

David - years all depends on what kind of climate you get. A roof here in Minnesota will last 30 years, but the same roof in Florida will be curling in 10. I would love to travel to England some day and see their version of historic (just a few hundred years older than ours)

Sharon - I don't think the asphalt shingle roof looks good at all. It just looks silly being curled over, and the effect is lost.

Jun 21, 2007 02:51 PM
David Helm
Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp
Yes, climate makes a difference, but a twenty year roof still only lasts about 14 regardless of the weather.
Jun 21, 2007 04:48 PM