Why Rafter Roofs Make Better Use of Expensive Building Land in New Zealand. 

Are We Wasting Some of the Most Valuable Space in Our Homes?

Land in New Zealand is expensive.

In places such as Nelson, Richmond, Mapua, Motueka and the wider Tasman region, residential sections have become increasingly valuable. At the same time, construction costs mean homeowners need to think carefully about how they use every square metre of their new home.

Yet there is one surprisingly large area that is often overlooked:

The roof.

Many New Zealand houses are constructed using prefabricated timber roof trusses. They are economical, familiar to builders and structurally efficient.

But from an architectural point of view, conventional roof trusses have one significant disadvantage:

They can turn a potentially valuable part of the house into unusable space.

A carefully designed rafter roof, on the other hand, can allow the volume beneath the roof to become bedrooms, offices, storage, bathrooms or...