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About This Project
Building a dormer is an ambitious and challenging project. But the payoff is big too. The extra headroom adds valuable living space for that extra bedroom or studio, and the dormer window provides natural light, fresh air and perhaps some dramatic treetop views. Dormers look great from the outside, too, adding variety to a plain front and improving your home’s curb appeal, not to mention the resale value.
We’ll show you the major steps to follow when building a dormer, including how to cut and reframe your existing roof, assemble the dormer walls and frame your new roof. We won’t show you exterior finish and trim details; in most cases, you can copy the existing details of your home.
You should have a few remodeling projects under your belt before tackling a project as big and complex as a dormer. If you’re a little unsure of your rough-framing or roofing skills, hire a carpenter to help with this phase of the project.
How Much Is This Gonna Cost?
The gable dormers we built are 6 ft. wide, about 9 ft. from the floor to the peak, and set back from the front wall of the house about 2 ft. Each dormer adds about 30 sq. ft. of headroom.
The materials for each dormer cost about $1,800, which included $475 for a top-of-the-line aluminum-clad wood window. Budget a bit more to finish the interior.
Plan on setting aside at least a four-day chunk of time for the basic framing, because once the roof ’s open, you’ve got to keep at it until the dormer is weathertight. Then you can relax a little as you finish the exterior siding and trim. Plan on spending seven or eight more weekends finishing the interior and completing the exterior painting.
Note:
Our plans called for adding matching sets of triple rafters to the side of the roof opposite the dormers and tying the bottom of all new rafters to the house with metal strap ties. Check your plans for special construction details like this.
Tools You Need—A Recip Saw Is Essential
Building a dormer requires a tool belt loaded with all the basic carpentry tools, plus a few extras—a circular saw, reciprocating saw, framing square and 2- and 4-ft. levels.
You’ll also need good equipment for working up high, an extension ladder, roofing brackets and scaffolding. We also recommend you rent or buy a personal fall arrest system, consisting of a full-body harness, lanyard, rope, roof anchor and all the hardware and instructions.
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