spiral stairway limits carrying, not to mention longevity... When you are young great, but as you age, limiting. Yes, snow load is a concern. Consider the pros and cons. Will you use it if it becomes inconvenient? Will it be large enough to be worth the expense?

Why not just build a dormer and have interior access?

Why are there two very different pictures? Where do you live? Lots of people have rooftop decks near me. Especially townhouses and low rise condo developments. If done well im sure it can be amazing. If not watch out.

@Lyn Nielson You are absolutely right. We have thought about that, but perhaps not enough.

The dormer is an option, but I'd like another more aesthetically pleasing iteration.

@WestCoast Hopeful The marked up drawing is what we asked for. The architectural rendition is what we got back from the architect.

Architect? Are you working with someone who has taken your wants and needs and then is translating that into a plan that considered in and out or are you taking an existing plan and trying to change it to fit your needs? The latter won’t work as well as the former.

"It snows. Is weight an issue?"

Very much so and will effect the entire structure, thru the foundation. And if your "architect" came up the drawings versus what you asked for I would look for another architect.

That would be a teardown you are wanting to do. You cannot retrofit as much as you need to retrofit without it costing more than new construction.

Monique they said this is a new build.

Ask the builders why they think it will be a nightmare, then run their answers past your architect. Someone may not belong working on your project.

I do not see a rooftop deck working with thta home as it is designed . The deck needs to be factored in at the beginning not at the end of the plans . Maybe the one Lyn posted but surly not with the house in the first pic all those sloped roof lines IMO do not lend themselves to a flat deck

Rooftop decks are common where I live but I’ve noticed they’re rarely, if ever used. Neighbors of mine had one with a spiral staircase, I can only recall seeing them use it once in all the years they lived there. Another thing to consider, I recall other neighbors complaining how expensive it was to maintain the surface. & we live in a VERY mild climate, So Cal beach.

Question: Is it possible to capture that view from the back of your house? Your lot appears elevated.

Rather than sticking a deck on top of an existing design of a ranch house, where the deck is not integrated whatsoever aesthetically or functionally, how about redesigining the house while it's still on paper to include a balcony/deck/porch?

So, maybe it's a 1 1/2 story house where the balcony is off of a loft, which allows the deck to be used more integrally with the house? How about a ranch with a "tower" of sorts (not talking Rapunzel height here), where the stair to basement also has a stair to above, which leads to either a balcony or rooftop deck?

I gather from the architect's appendage proposal you are set on a ranch and/or budget constraints, and the architect is trying to appease you. As proposed it would be better to just build a freestanding treehouse in the back yard.

And although the term "casita" is appropriate for the southwest, it refers to a separate structure, not a basement ADU.

@3onthetree Thank you for the input. The house is on a very steep, small, pie-shaped lot. It is one of the few view lots left in the county that aren't either extremely isolated or have a minimum build of 2500-3000 s.f. For us, less is more. The view 270 degrees, left to right if you are standing at the front door looking in. County code is 35' max height from basement e foundation to highest point of the roof. Anything covered would require a variance. To me, that is not desireable as it'd be an eyesore. I will put a link to the lot, but it needs to zoom in. What the eye sees is much better than my phone camera captures. I also did a mock up to try to explain it to the architect and will try to attach that, too.

CLICK for video mock up of my current idea

Lot view video attached to original post

Would love to see a design that is based on having a rooftop deck. Can you still see the night sky in Prescott? A telescope, or at least a spot to use stabilizing binoculars, would be wonderful.

It’s just so confusing because it seems the rooftop deck is thrown on as an afterthought and not planned to be there from the start. You said this is a new build so why isn’t the home being designed for the site? We also had a strict height rule and our design involves walking in on one level and then going down four stairs to the open concept main floor so that we got everything we needed in. Just as another idea to explore

@WestCoast Hopeful Did you watch both videos? I agree that the designs look like an afterthought. That's why I'm here. I'm looking for something BESIDES what was presented. The videos address height constraints.

@bpath Prescott is a dark town. It's a rough drive at night. :)

Yes I watched the videos. They don’t really help. Everyone knows what you mean by a sloped lot with height restrictions. Honestly if you don’t want a rooftop deck then consider the step down like I suggested. It would mean you go into the house at a max height and then take steps down to the main floor. This is still not that much lower than the entry and allows for a covered porch or deck well below the max height for you to see out. It really doesn’t even look like that is truly needed though. The view is visible from the street.

If you want a rooftop deck, start over with the design. Which you should do anyway. Too much mishmash.

@Lyn Nielson You're right. You talked me out of it.

The house doesn't appear to be designed for the site, at least from the front elevation showing a typical ranch. Most of the housing stock in the neighborhood appears to be standard plans. Though your adjacent neighbors have uncovered balconies, so I'm not sure if their solutions are insufficient for you and you'd prefer a 360 rooftop view instead of their 270.

With the cardboard mockup you are trying to attach a rooftop something to an existing design that didn't account for it. If this is such a prominent feature of the house and location, and you'd like to go in a direction the neighbors didn't with their afterthoughts, why not have the architect try rethinking your design that incorporates an integral rooftop/upper balcony viewing?

I watched the view video. Is it filmed from the height point of view you'll have when on the deck? If your filming at street level, I'm seeing the more significant design option to be maximizing the view with the layout of the first floor. You can live with and enjoy all day everyday doing everything in your daily life. I'd forget putting money into a rooftop deck. Wider, higher open glass windows would be a higher priority for me.

Post the floorplan and the rear exterior facade your architect has come up with. I have a feeling the design is not done for the best use of your location.

Seems your architect was designing a home that fit into your neighborhood homes. Can't say that plopping a roof deck on a ranch makes any sense. Looks like an after thought. It needs to be worked into the design of the house.

I took your original submittal and simplified and cleaned it up. The materials on that drawing are still too busy for your neighborhood to fit in. Maybe you can use this as a jumping off point for discussion with your architect.

Keep in mind there is a per square foot cost for a house in your area, no less than $300 per square foot and could be lots more because of all the new tariffs.

This plan you picked was about 2,500 square ft, so the base cost for the house is $750k without the land and likely much higher.

Seems like something like this below would fit into your neightborhood better.

Bev, I believe the design is the beige gabled ranch with MCM-style doors. The drawing you edited looks to be a regional 2-story Colorado design.

3onthe tree - The drawing I marked up is apparently what she asked the architect for. What he designed was the beige ranch with the stuck on roof deck.

A Watkins

@WestCoast Hopeful The marked up drawing is what we asked for. The architectural rendition is what we got back from the architect.

An architect who listens to you is really needed here. Might be time to start over.

Thanks for the heads up