What is it about this house that catches our eye… and holds it, for the longest time?

Certainly the appealing design of this home is a joy to behold… but, as a general rule… we all unfortunately tend to take good design for granted (while on the other hand, for some odd reason, we are quick to point out bad design).

Perhaps it is the exposed timber frame, with its soothing tan infill? It does fill me with great admiration, and I must admit… a tinge of jealousy. Even this feature though is overshadowed on this home.

I’m sure we can all appreciate the meticulous landscaping that occupies every inch of this tiny front yard. An artistic display of carefully chosen, well-tended, plantings dramatically helps the visual appeal of any home.

But the show-stopper here, the feature that grabs our attention more than anything else, is that crowning touch!

Who can ignore a thatch roof?

A handcrafted roof adds so much to the charm of any home. It also speaks volumes about the high level of quality that one would expect to see throughout the rest of the house. With a roof like that you just know the interior of the home must be something special.

I’ve heard it said that 90% of the decisions made on whether to buy a home is made before the front door is ever reached. So, if you want to build a home that will one day easily sell, and for top dollar, a nice roof makes for a tremendous investment.

The roofs of our homes fulfill the housings’ single most important responsibility… to keep the rain off of our heads and protect our things from harm. But they do so much more than that… they speak of  the homes’ level of workmanship, long before anyone enters the home.

When it comes time to install a roof on a house there are SO many wonderful options to choose from other than “tar-and-gravel impregnated products”. There are cedar shingles for a natural look, and then there is a great variety of metal roofing options… from basic barn metal to hand-seamed copper. And then of course, there is the king of roofing… slate… a roof that will last for centuries.

Yes, all these forms of roofing cost a bit more to apply, but when the longevity of these alternative roofing materials are factored in, they become the low-priced alternatives.

Now, maybe a thatch roof, as seen in this photo, is not your first choice… but please, consider the other options! Given time, alternative roofing always pays off, aesthetically and financially.

I’ve never heard of anyone regretting the choice made of using higher quality materials at this stage of construction. You won’t either.

Originally posted 2015-11-10 15:41:53.