Absolutely! I think it's the material that makes it look dated. If you do a search for modern mansard roof, you'll see people using a lot of metals. I think it looks very cool with otherwise austere facades. It's definitely a statement, and not for everyone, but I really like it.

I do not see many metal roofs around here, although when I googled them it appears they are recommended for hot climates (I live in a hot climate). I hadn't considered the roofing materials to be part of the dated look.

I do like that the homes are very unique, I can't say I've seen this style house in any other part of town!

They might have hidden potential if you spend a fortune on remodeling them, but that doesn't make good financial sense. Find a home with a more attractive roof line.

Once we move to this neighborhood, there won't be a lot of funds for remodeling the exterior; mainly maintenance work to start. Here's another one of the few unique styles in that neighborhood, among the many typical ranches:

I would go out of my way to find a ranch or chalet style over the mansard, to me it seems like an almost unfixable problem (but I hate 60s mansard roofs mind you).

This was quite an amazing transformation I found just while googling mansard - very clever but likely not too too cheap. I thought it was such an interesting idea to use a porch to disguise the overhang.

I notice that the mansards I find more attractive have lots of trim around the windows dormers, and/or curved tops on them. It seems they take away from the mass of the roof. I actually prefer the mansard in robo's example over the "after".

You have a diamond in the rough.

http://www.oldhouseonline.com/the-mania-for-mansard-roofs/

There are a couple key points here, to my way of thinking.

The development is full of quirky designs, so the mansard houses are no more or less ugly than any other mansard houses in the development based upon the mansard alone. You aren't looking at a specific house in a development of typical-generic looking houses where one mansard would be a standout.

Because of this I don't think there would be any return on changing the way a single house in this development looks. People are either going to like the houses as is, or buy for location and price and not care too much what they look like. Nobody who hates these houses is going to buy yours, if you sell, because it is so much better looking than the neighbors' houses because they will be surrounded by neighbor's houses.

I think this example you showed is kinda charming in its own way: It has a sort of design integrity for whatever that's worth. The others mansard examples, not so much.

robo,

Hmm, I think you are correct in that it is a clever disguise and not a cheap one, but I don't think it's completely successful. If you look at it, it's clearly a disguise. It's a farmhouse second story smashed down on the roof of a Frenchy looking first story with a thing that looks like a Colonial pent-eave stuck in between. They might as well have gotten rid of the roof altogether and turned it into a Garrison second story.

They would've done better to put on a standing seam metal roof and gotten rid of the really inappropriate Victorian front door (which they kept after spending $150K upstairs).

I feel that this sort of rehab is a reactionary "Anything but ____. (Mansard/Split level/Contemporary/etc.)"

The homeowners don't like _________ so they cover it up, but it is almost secondary what the end result really looks like, as long as it doesn't end up looking like what it started as. I did a project in a development of ranches and splits, and some of the things that people have tried to do to disguise that they live in a split level has led to some really ridiculous looking things that look like....split levels.

I think the after isn't horrible looking, but I don't think it has the charm of the before, even if the before is a bit awkward to modern sensibilities.

The only mansards I have ever cared for are from the Victorian era. I don't think the style of the roof would keep me from purchasing a home that had most other things I were looking for if it were in the right neighborhood at the right price. We're more likely to build new though, so it's really hard to say. We did come close to buying a flat roofed home once because the interior and setting where awesome.

Here's a thread on the houzz site that might be useful:

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/ideas-for-updating-a-mansard-roof-dsvw-vd~978887[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/ideas-for-updating-a-mansard-roof-dsvw-vd~978887)

I agree that the after feels very generic. I'm in the Anything But Mansard camp, though! Particularly that genre of mansard, of which we have a few around here. Just so much...roof. Especially on a two story where it's half (or even more than half) roof. I feel the 60s iteration lacked much of the charm of the Victorian era roofs which tended to have more ornamentation, nicer roofing materials, and a curve to the mansard which to me keeps it from looking so very overwhelming perched over a low first story.

Another not-so-cheap idea I've seen is to create long shed dormers to replace the smallish window dormers already on the second floor. This brings siding material up to the second floor and helps keep the roof from looking so overwhelming. But I think I have seen this primarily with gambrel roofs...

Perhaps if they had managed a garrison, it would look a little more like an actual single-style house, but even then one is left with the heavy box bays on the first story:

I will be looking to buy a home in this neighborhood, with the interesting mix of home styles, in a couple years.

It sounds like if I don't like Mansard, then it would make more sense to just not consider that style. The single story versions do have charm, with little courtyards. Some have cute gates.

The two story is the only one like it that I've seen, and it has been on the market for a long time (for the neighborhood) at a relatively low price...I think partly due to how different it is. The street it is on has only ranch or sort of Spanish style, no other Mansards.

I think metal roofs calm down the examples shown. If you do the Dutch Colonial cosmetics, that would probably be more effective and cheaper because you could plant the connection between the dormers on top of the existing roof sheathing:

If you really don't care for mansard roofs of this era, and the whole neighborhood has them, then solving the issue for your house is insufficient. For me, part of the enjoyment is the neighborhood you walk through, and or drive up to as you approach.

Sorry i can't edit my original post, i dont live in a Mansard house, but the neighborhood I want to move into has them in among the ranchers.

I just wondered what potential might be in a Mansard, or if I shouldn't even consider them.

Is a metal roof significantly more expensive than comp?

It usually is a lot more.

I think the appeal of a mansard roof is greatly improved with a little curvy flip at the bottom:

I think the metal roof would be expensive, but not nearly as expensive as tearing the existing roof off.

I can't tell with either of the houses that I drew the metal roofs on whether they are true mansards with slanted walls upstairs or whether the walls are vertical but the second floor is slightly smaller than the first. I suspect with the brown mansard that robo first posted that the walls are vertical.

I looked at a house that was a true 1960s mansard with slanted walls on two sides (row houses) and my reservation is that I couldn't hand pictures.

I've been reading about metal roofing, am impressed. It's considered environmentally friendly, reflects heat better, weighs less, recyclable, lasts longer...but yes the cost is over double. In this neighborhood I'm interested in moving to, I could see it being worth the investment. If we could have a metal roof installed on the Mansard style, and especially if it can be the curvier style like on the homes BB Galore posted, i think it could be very cute!

That way we got our metal roof for less than average cost is we went through somebody who usually roofs barns instead of homes. The only caveat there is you really have to babysit them in the material choices. We made the mistake of thinking it went without saying that if we wanted no exposed fasteners on the roof panels, we wanted no exposed fasteners anywhere. Nope. They gave us exposed fasteners on the vents. C'est la vie!

I can relate to this one. The style similar to photo #2 in the OP is scattered throughout some of the neighborhoods here, too. My husband was insistent about only one thing during our house search: "I don't care how discounted the price, none of those ugly houses shaped like fast food joints!" lol I agreed.

Don't buy a house that will make you cringe every time you pull into the driveway.

That roof DOES look like a fast food joint LOL! :-) I was just over in that neighborhood earlier this evening and I took a leisurely drive around some streets. The photo #2 house sticks out like a sore thumb in a sea of ranchers. The other homes are funny in that the Mansard roof is higher in the front, and then steps down 1-2' to a lower level for the rest of the house.

melle, why are you interested to move into this neighborhood?

Location, location, location. It's only about 3 miles from our current home, but my school-age kids attend a school (a charter school) and a taekwondo studio in that neighborhood. It's a nicer area, with access to the bike trail along the river and we could bike to the library from that neighborhood. The parks are much nicer, we generally shop at the grocery store in that neighborhood (better selection/produce than ours). The homes generally cost about 40% more than where we live. In our neighborhood, we are in a part that has a relatively high # of rental homes...both homes next door to us are rentals. One home seems to get a steady supply of low-class renters :-( Anyway, after living here 14 years--still not loving our current digs--and now going to that neighborhood as often as I do, I'd like to move. It will mean leaving the kitchen and bathroom remodels we've done over the years, as well as the yard I've curated almost from scratch, and going to a place that may need work all over again. Also, I'm hoping to buy a home that's around 1400sq ft, our place is 1200 and we could use the additional space.

It's not a certainty that we'd move to this neighborhood, but the location is good. Another possible area is very close to DHs job, but farther from school. And another is farther from his job and from school, but near a good high school. It's hard to decide when the homes I like and the homes I can afford and are in a good location aren't the same. I'm also working on going back to work, so that's another variable.

Lol- I hadn't made the fast food connection. I always think they look like they should be thatched. And then I think of this:

In the olde town section of our neighborhood there is a gorgeous 2nd empire house tucked in amidst all the colonials and Tudors. Roof looks lovely in its appropriate context. On the 60's houses I'd definitely want to spruce it up though (go metal!).

Melle, Btw- our TKD commute is brutal! If I could regain those hours each week I'd be a very happy lady. :-)

Melle, that makes a lot of good sense. A pretty house is nice, but a happy living situation is better, imo. If you buy into the neighborhood, perhaps consider not spending money to fix the house aesthetics. Forget redoing the roof. Save the money for your kids' education instead of throwing it at the silk purse/sow's ear conundrum.

Awm03 that's really good advice!

When I first asked about these roofs, it was mainly because I personally think they aren't that attractive and I was curious what options were out there. We would likely not be spending money on changing the roofline etc. I've really only seen that kind of roof on either apartment complexes or ... apparently, MickyDs and BK ... I also didn't realize it was the same cute style as seen on Victorian homes -- kind of sad that something so cute could also be diluted into something so utilitarian and unattractive.

Depending on the condition of the house we buy and the money available for improvements, function would take precedence. My conclusion is that it may be worth holding out for a ranch -- in the event that we do try to buy a home in that neighborhood. My DH always says that moving isn't going to guarantee better neighbors, so I try not to be too concerned about that as much.

Kiwigem -- great image (loved that movie and the classic book). If for some reason we did end up with one of those houses, and it needed a roof, I would consider metal for it's heat reflecting and environmentally friendly properties. If I were in a place I considered a forever home, I would consider it regardless of roof style. I had no idea it was such a practical option.

I think, too, it's the type of house that may be difficult to sell later on. If you LOVED that type of house and wanted it, I'd say go for it! But if you find it unattractive I'd wait for a ranch.

The nice thing is that when/if the time comes, we are in a position to wait for the right house. I do prefer the ranch-style homes over there, which is saying a lot because the style I've always liked (possibly from growing up with a subscription to Sunset Magazine) is MCM-style homes with low rooflines and lots of windows at the back.

Edit -- Pal, around here nearly all the developments are tract with just a few variations of a basic style. The places that are custom are pretty much unaffordable OR would be in the far suburbs...not interested in moving even farther out. I think you're right about not changing the basic look of whatever house we buy. Most of the homes in that neighborhood have exteriors that maintained integrity over the years. I have noticed, though, that as some places are updated -- especially with flips -- they take down much of the decorative trim. I love the cute decorative trim! This house still appears to have some of it -- no idea what you call that style of trim but it is cute on these homes:

As far as smaller 60s mansards go, your future neighborhood's aren't that bad! (Yeah, the cute ranch with the original cute trim is really CUTE, and I still believe that mid century ranches do NOT need to have shutters that are large enough to function!)

Actually, number 3 is a dog, but the first two aren't. Proper landscaping would work wonders for them.

Would you like an apple pie to go with that house?

I've been looking at a house for sale that has the most AWFUL mansard roof-line that I think I've ever seen....however, the interiors intrigue me, along with the views from the huge windows. I saw this great remodel on a mansard roof & I'm seriously thinking about this house. The house on the bottom is the house I'm looking at, the second & first are the before & after's that are making me consider this house.