Q: I want to add a dormer to my loft. Is this something I should really be considering? My cottage is seven years old, and I purchased it new. It uses engineered rafters for its 12/12 pitch.—Stephen Godin, via email
A: Sure, you should be considering it. Who doesn’t love a dormer? Those things are cute! “The concept of a dormer with that chalet style is quite popular and doable,” says Marshall Black of Marshall Black Carpentry in McKellar, Ont.
But whether or not you actually go through with it could depend on why you want it, how much it’s going to cost, and whether or not there are better options.
You probably don’t want the dormer in order to let in more light since, based on the photos you sent us, it looks like there is already a good-sized window in the loft space, notes Dale Parkes, a professor in the architectural and engineering
