Different architectural styles require different roofs – but can you tell what kind of roof is on top of your home? If not, don’t worry! We’ve got a quick guide here to help you identify your roof shape and the types of roofs in your neighborhood.
Hip Roof
This type of roof slopes down from the eaves on four sides. It’s simple, elegant, and provides excellent stability under heavy weather conditions.
This is a hip roof with gable roof detailing at the front.
Gable Roof
This is probably the most easily identifiable roof. Why? Because this is the type of roof you drew when you were drawing a home as a child. It’s that look of a square base topped with a triangle. Gable roofs can be made more complex by adding dormers or by shortening or lengthening the eave length.
A-Frame
The roofline in an a-frame is steeply angled on the sides and can begin as low as the foundation line.
Mansard
This French-inspired roof has two slopes on the four sides of the roof. The top of the roof is not as pitched as the bottom slope. The upper slope is difficult to see from the ground, so when looking at this roof from below, it appears as if the top of the roof was flat.
Gambrel Roof
When you think of a barn, you are probably thinking about a gambrel roof. This roof type breaks the sloping section into two parts, the top of the roof has a flatter slope, then there is a distinct line where the roof slopes deeply all the way to the eaves. 
Many home designers have combined roofing styles or added embellishments like dormers and curves to create an intricate look. We hope this helps you identify the roof shape and style your architect went with for your home.