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What is a hip roof?
A hip roof or a hipped roof is a style of roofing that slopes downwards from all sides to the walls and hence has no vertical sides. The hip roof is the most commonly used roof style in North America, after the gabled roof.
The types are:
- Regular hip roof,
- Half-hip,
- Cross-hip,
- Pyramid hip
- Hip and Valley
This style of roofing became popular in the United States during the 18th century in the early Georgian period. Many mid-Atlantic and Southern homes boasted hip roofs and the roof was a key characteristic of 18th-century Southern plantations homes, especially those made in the French Colonial or French Creole styles. These roofs are not just aesthetically pleasing but are more aerodynamic than flat roofs.
Hence, they are preferred in regions that are prone to hurricanes and hale Hipped roofs come in all shapes and sizes. We kick off this article setting out the 5 different types of hip roofs.
That’s followed by a collection of 20 photos of houses with a hip roof.
The 5 Types of Hipped Roofs
Not all hipped roofs are the same. There are variations in hip roof style and design. Here are the 5 types.
1. Regular Hip Roof
A regular hip roof sits on a rectangular plan with four faces. The slope or slant of the roof is almost always the same, and hence they are symmetrical at their centerlines. The longer sides have a trapezoidal shape while the sides at the front and back have a triangular shape and are called hip ends.
One of the disadvantages of a hip roof is that it leaves very little area in the attic and is prone to leaks.
2. Half-Hip Roof
A half-hip, jerkinhead or clipped gable roof is usually characterized by a gable, but the upper points of the gable are instead replaced by a small hip. One of the benefits of a half-hip roof is that it may accommodate a gutter that can be easily fixed all around the house. The half-hipped roof comprises of both the elements of a gable and a hipped roof.
These kinds of roofs are very common in Europe, especially Austria, Slovenia, Denmark, Germany and the Wealden area in South East England.
3. Cross-Hip Roof
The cross-hip roof is one of the more popular variants of the hip roof. Cross hips are laid out perpendicularly over L-shaped buildings, and their construction can be likened to bringing two hip roof buildings together. The seam forms the valley or the cross-hipped roof.
Like the half-hip roof, these roofs are also great for installing a gutter and provide protection from high winds. They were very popular in Italy in the 19th century but became a favorite of ranch-style homes in North America in the 20th century.
4. Pyramid Hip Roof
A hipped roof laid on top of a square structure creates a pyramid hip roof or the pavilion roof. All four sides of the roof are equally hipped at all corners, and they meet at a single, centralized peak, forming a distinct pyramid. These pyramid roof structures are usually found atop gazebos and other pavilion buildings.
5. Hip and Valley Roof
A hip and valley roof may be part of an irregular structure. Such buildings may have more than four hips in the roofs, and they form valleys at the inside corners. This type of roof is also called broken-back hip-and-valley roof because the main hips are interconnected by the rafter of gables on one side and the rafter of the valley on the other.
20 Photo Examples of Houses with a Hipped Roof
If you’re seeking information about hipped roofs, chances are you’re considering implementing a hip roof on your house. The best way to determine if it’s the right roof for you is to check out examples of real houses with various hip roof designs. Here are 20 examples (photos) of houses with a hipped roof.
Red Fairytale Hip Roof House
This beautiful red-painted house seems like it has come out of a fairytale. The wooden building with the hip roof and a small chimney on top seems to be located in a fairy glade in the middle of an enchanted forest. This seems to be a wonderful retreat for some rest and relaxation.
Ultra Modern Hip Roof House
This stunning house speaks of wealth and luxury. The house is comprised of several hip-and-valley roofs that are made up of a shiny material, probably some sort of metal. The multitude of tiny spotlights outside the house gives the building a golden glow, further enhancing the opulent look.
Gray Stone Hip Roof House
This house has embraced stones in a big way. The walls of the house are made of white stone, but it is the charcoal and smoke gray stones on the hip roofs that catch attention. The light and dark contrasting stones on the roof of the house give the place a very elegant and chic look.
White & Silver Hip Roof House
This house is beautiful in its simplicity. The walls are a lovely shining white, and the roof is made of dark silver shingled hips. The house looks quite airy and spacious and has the distinct L-shaped because of the cross-hip roof.
This looks like the perfect place for some peace and quiet.
Quaint Cottage Hip Roof House 
This house has almost the same color combination as the house before it, with its shining white walls and silver hipped roofs. However, it consists of the hip-and-valley roof structure because of its larger and more irregular structure. The house has a quaint cottage feel, thanks to the variety of lush green plants and fuchsia flowers outside it.
Colonial Countryside Hip Roof House
The pure white walls of this house contrast beautifully with the earthy brown tones of the hipped roof. The house has an elegant country house type of look and the high walls make it quite majestic. This could be a great home for some well-to-do farmers or lovers of the countryside.
Triangle Time Hip Roof House
This house is comprised of straight lines and sharp angles. The warm brown walls offer a pleasing contrast to the cool silver-gray color of the hipped roofs. What’s so eye-catching about this house is the multitude of beautiful triangular hip ends that face the front lawn of the house.
It gives the house a very attractive look.
Georgian Hip Roof Mansion 
This mansion is a classic example of Georgian architecture, characterized by a low-angled hip roof. The house is made of small bricks that were once so popular. With its white stenciled windows and columns of chimney, this house seems to take you back to 18th century England.
Charcoal Hip Roof House 
The hallmark of this stunning house is its huge sweeping dark gray hip roofs. The house is made of pale cream and grey stones with tall floor to ceiling windows. However, the light color pallet is counterbalanced with the dark, stormy shade of its hipped roofs.
This house seems to be the perfect balance of light and dark.
Old Brick Roof House
This stunning brick house seems to have a hip roof on all of its rooms. The walls of the house are made of brick in pale neutral shades of beige, but the hip roof uses a dark shade of gray, bring the house to life. This house looks very majestic and imposing.
Crimson and Gray Hip Roof House 
This wall has a very eclectic touch with half of its walls comprised of river stones while the other part is painted a dark crimson. The effect is enhanced by the gray hipped roofs. Overall, the house looks like a place where a lover of art can go and get some inspiration.
Colonial Hip Roof House 
The white walls of this house are balanced by the warm, rustic brown colors of the hip roof. This quaint house looks like it belongs near a large farmland. It also exudes a colonial aura because of its peaked roof design.
Green Half-Hip Roof House 
This lovely house looks extremely cozy and comforting. The house is characterized by a half-hipped roof with a brick chimney. What sets is apart from other houses is the pastel green colors of its wooden wall and the gabled entrance to the house.
This looks like a great place for a winter retreat.
Gray on Gray Hip Roof House 
The house is comprised of pale gray walls with only one section a warm shade of beige. Silver-gray hip roof tower above the building. With its beautifully manicured lawn and bushes, this house is a perfect place to throw a garden party.
Neo-Georgian Hip Roof House
This house is a blend of Georgian architecture and contemporary design. The beige walls of the house are overshadowed by a rectangular hipped roof. A multitude of square-shaped windows and the door in the middle enhance the symmetry of the house. The super-manicured lawn further adds to the perfect look of the house.
The Little Gray Hip Roof House 
This house looks small, but that does not mean that it isn’t stylish. The pale neutral toned walls of the house are overshadowed by the grey shingled hip roof, adding the much-needed color to the house. The small white deck, the green hedge, and the manicured lawn are the perfect accompaniment for this house.
Neo-Palladian Hip Roof Villa
This red brick house has borrowed many elements from Palladian architecture. The tall and majestic windows, the arched doorway and the dark gray hip roof are the trademark styles of Palladian architecture. This wonderful villa, surrounded by a green landscape, looks like it is an ideal place for old English aristocrats.
Red Brick Hip Roof Villa 
This stunning house has used the color red to the maximum. The walls are comprised of bricks in a lively shade of red, but the roof counterbalances it with its darker, cooler shade of reddish brown for its shingles. The house looks like the perfect place to spend your winter.
Elegant Cream and Gray Hip Roof House 
This cream and grey colored house is one of the best looking houses with hip roofs that we have seen. The cool gray color of the hipped roof counterbalances nicely with the pale creamy shade of the walls. The neutral shades are offset by a dark red door that lends a pop of color to this beautiful house.
Coral Pink Hip Roof House
This coral pink house stands out from all its gray neighbors because of its amazingly colorful hip-and-valley roof. The building looks like it would give a spark of color and brightness even in the dreariest days. Hip roofs are extremely versatile, so you can build them with both traditional and ultra-modern houses.
So what type of hip roof is your favorite?
