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Roofs not only protect your home or business from the elements and offer shelter from the storms, but roofs can also add character to your building and stand out as magnificent pieces of art themselves. PRN Roofing in Tuscaloosa offers residential roofing installation and repair as well as commercial roof installation and repair. In this blog post, we’ll examine La Sagrada Familia, a large, unfinished basilica in Barcelona, Spain, designed by the architect Antoni Gaudi and how you can incorporate the principles in your residential roof installation or commercial roof installation. Contact us today for details!

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA

If you ever visit Barcelona, Spain, you must visit Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia (the holy family). Gaudi was a famous architect from Barcelona who designed many famous buildings there. This building is a combination of Gothic and Art Nouveau style but is most famous for its spires and roof. It is one of the most unique and memorable buildings in the world.

Designed by Gaudi who died in 1926 with the building only about 25 percent complete, he left behind detailed instructions on how to finish it, but most of those designs were lost in a fire long ago. Gaudi wanted something completely unique, inspired by God and by nature. The cathedral is now 70 percent complete with eight of its planned eighteen spires (representing the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists). The building is completely funded by private donations and tourist entrance fees. Computers have vastly increased the speed by which La Sagrada Familia can be completed; however, it is still years away.

THE THREE MAIN ROOFING STYLES

Roofs have remained basically the same in style since the inception of roofs for homes. However, styles have changed and the style you choose gives your home character. PRN Roofing serves Tuscaloosa and the surrounding areas with roof inspections, roof shingle repair, flat roof installations, and roof replacements. If you are considering installing a custom roof, contact us today!

1. The simplest type of roof is the flat roof. One of the first roof types invented, the flat roof is simple, cheap to build, and functional, keeping the elements off and the occupants warm and dry. These roofs do have a slight slope so the water can drain off, but it’s so slight that one does not notice it.
2. The shed roof is essentially a flat roof, but installed at a greater angle. It has higher roofs, easier drainage, and lots of light. The roof overhangs, which is great for collecting solar heat.
3. The gable roof is essentially two shed roofs stuck together. This classic style allows for attics to be used as living spaces and create immense vaulted ceilings.

These three roof styles, the flat roof, the shed roof, and the gable roof, make up the majority of roofs in the world, with other styles being combinations of these three. The main function of a roof is protection from the elements and to enclose a living space. However, the overall look and feel of the roof is made with style. Other considerations for choosing and designing a roof include energy efficiency and durability.

HOW TO CHOOSE A ROOF DESIGN

When choosing a roof design, some of the variables to consider are:

• Aesthetics. For many people, the look of a home is what ultimately decides whether they purchase it or not. Roofs play a big role in aesthetic value. Unique roofs like the roof of La Sagrada Familia can be huge draws for potential home buyers.
• Cost. The building of La Sagrada Familia has so far taken over 125 years to build and is projected for around another 10 years to go. Most of us don’t have that kind of time or money. The more complicated your roof style becomes, the more money and time it will cost you. Lots of angles, steep slopes, and roof edge flashing adds up fairly quickly. PRN Roofing in Tuscaloosa is a local roofing company that is affordable and efficient, doing your roof installation quickly and timely.
• Roof function. Do you want a nice attic space for storage or for living quarters for your teenage son? So you want a flat roof to spend long summer evenings lounging on as you watch the stars emerge? Do you want high ceilings to hold the monster Christmas tree you’ve always wanted?
• Building proportions. The roof should complement your home, not look out of place and make your home awkward in proportions and appearance.
  Surrounding structures. Do you want your roof to complement your neighborhood or stand out from the crowd? Do you want to angle your roof so you won’t be staring through your neighbor’s windows?
• Zoning and planning codes. Don’t forget all building plans most likely will need to be approved by a local planning commission, along with a building permit obtained from the city or county where you live. They may have limitations on the shape of your roof or the height, as well as the material used.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT ROOFS FROM LA SAGRADA FAMILIA

When Gaudi began planning La Sagrada Familia, the roof was one of the last pieces designed, with emphasis put on the spires and the facades.The spires are attached to the roof of La Sagrada Familia, making the roof tall and pointed. One hundred and twenty-five years ago, size and style was not a consideration as it is today. The architecture of La Sagrada Familia will always stand out as one of the most beautiful and complicated buildings of all time. For our modern houses, we can incorporate subtle variations in style like Gaudi did to make our roofs reflect our character and give it aesthetic value and perhaps a bit more functionality.

PRN Roofing proudly serves Tuscaloosa with gutter cleaning, siding installation, residential roof replacement, and commercial roof replacement. We also offer roof repair, roof maintenance, and roof inspections. Our mission is to help you discover which roof type will work the best for your needs, and then to deliver the optimal customer experience through unparalleled roofing installation practices. Diversity is the spice of life, and we encourage uniqueness in our roof installations. This also translates to our staff as we strive to find the unique qualities of our team and staff in order to maximize customer service and add value to the customer experience. Gaudi was a unique individual who had a vision, which he did not live to see through. PRN Roofing’s vision is to offer the best roofing services to our residential, commercial, and multi-family roofing customers, which we see through every day. Contact us today for a free roofing estimate!