- The traditional proportion of an asymmetrical gable in the Lake District is to divide the gable into thirds: the first third is the distance measured horizontally between the front elevation and the ridge of the roof. The second third is the mirror image of the first third, which results in a symmetrical gable shape. The final third is the horizontal width of the lower part of the roof. This way the width of the lower part of the roof is always half the width of the gable of the main roof of the house.
- In this example the extension is lower and has a smaller footprint, but the proportions of the gable are the same as the existing house.
- Like the rest of the country, standard symmetrical gables, where the eaves height on the front and rear elevation are the same, are also common. For extensions to houses with symmetrical gables the following applies:
3. The starting point should be the vertical proportions of the gable shape and the ratio of the length of the eaves wall to the depth of the gable wall. These set the overall proportions of the existing house.
4. The extension matches the proportion and shape of the gable of the existing house and therefore complements the design of the existing house.
5. This two-storey extension achieves the same balance of the gable proportions but maintains subservience to the existing house by being slightly lower and slight set back.
6. This flat roofed extension is of a noticeably different shape, but it is strongly subservient to the existing house due to its lower height and smaller mass. The setback also reinforces the subservience of the extension to the existing house. The plan and vertical proportions of the extension respect those of the existing house.
7. This two-storey extension is large, but does not visually compete or dominate the existing house because it is lower in height, slightly set back and respects the proportions of the existing house.