Is a hip roof better than a gable roof in Brevard County, Florida?

Research from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety found hip roofs were damaged less often than gable roofs in Hurricane Harvey. Florida's wind mitigation form also treats roof shape as its own item for Space Coast homes.

Walk through a few open houses in Melbourne, Viera, or Merritt Island and you will see both shapes. Hip roofs slope on all four sides. Gable roofs form a triangle on the end walls. Most buyers see the difference as style, and it is not until the inspection that someone mentions it affects how a house handles wind.

This post covers what the research actually found, what the Florida mitigation form says about roof shape, and how to use the information without overpaying for it or overreacting to it.

What is the difference between a hip roof and a gable roof?

A hip roof has slopes on every side, so the roof meets the walls on all four edges and has no vertical triangle at the ends. A gable roof has two main slopes meeting at a ridge, with a flat triangular wall (the gable end) at each end of the house.

Many Space Coast homes combine the two. A house can have a hip roof over the main living area and a gable over a garage or porch. That mix matters, because Florida's form has a specific rule for it.

What did the wind research find?

After Hurricane Harvey, a field study led by Dr. Tanya Brown-Giammanco, vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), looked at 213 homes. According to Insurance Journal's report on the findings, hip roofs, which are more aerodynamic than gable-end roofs, were damaged less frequently.

Two honest caveats belong next to that finding. First, the study looked at Harvey, which struck Texas, not the Space Coast. Second, it is one study of one storm. It supports the idea that shape matters. It does not predict what will happen to a specific house in a specific storm in Brevard County.

What does Florida's wind mitigation form say about roof shape?

Florida uses a standard Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802), adopted by state rule. The version posted by the Florida Division of Emergency Management has a roof shape section with three choices:

Option How the form defines it
A. Hip roof A hip roof with no other roof shapes greater than 10% of the total roof system perimeter
B. Flat roof For buildings with five or more units, where at least 90% of the main roof area has a slope less than 2:12
C. Other roof Any roof that does not qualify as A or B

The detail that surprises buyers is the 10 percent rule. A house that is mostly hip but has a large gable section over the garage or entry can land in the Other category on paper. So when someone says "it has a hip roof," ask whether it qualifies as a hip roof under the form's definition, not just whether it looks like one.

The state has revised the form more than once since the version I reviewed, so ask the inspector to use the current revision for any inspection you order.

Should roof shape change what you offer on a house?

Treat it as one factor, not a deciding one. Roof shape is a single section on a form that also looks at other wind features. A hip roof on an old, worn roof covering is not automatically a better buy than a gable roof that was replaced recently. Roof age, condition, and how the roof is attached all belong in the conversation too.

I also will not tell you a number for how much a hip roof saves on insurance. That depends on the insurer, the policy, and the full inspection. Ask your insurance agent to quote the home both ways if you are comparing two houses.

How to compare two homes with different roof shapes

  • Look at the roofline from the street. Count how many gable sections there are over garages, entries, and additions.
  • Ask for the existing mitigation form. If the seller has a recent one, it shows how the home was classified.
  • Order your own inspection. A licensed inspector can confirm whether the roof meets the hip definition on the form.
  • Ask for insurance quotes before you finalize. Compare actual quotes, not assumptions.
  • Weigh roof age alongside shape. A shape advantage does not make up for a roof near the end of its life.

What about additions and garages?

On the Space Coast, a lot of owners add a screened porch, a garage bay, or a second-story section over the years. Each addition can introduce a gable. If you are buying a home that has been expanded, ask for permit records on the work. Brevard County and city building departments keep them, and they help confirm what was built and when.

Frequently asked questions

Are hip roofs required in Brevard County?

I have not found any rule that requires a hip roof on every Brevard County home, and I will not claim one. Building requirements are set by the Florida Building Code and the local building department, so ask them about a specific project.

What counts as a hip roof on Florida's wind mitigation form?

The form defines a hip roof as one with no other roof shapes greater than 10 percent of the total roof system perimeter. Anything else falls under flat (for qualifying multi-unit buildings) or other.

Does a gable roof mean the house is unsafe?

No. The IBHS finding is that hip roofs were damaged less frequently in one storm study, not that gable roofs fail. Construction quality, roof age, and how the roof is attached matter too.

Sources

Roof shape is a good detail to notice and a poor reason to fall for a house by itself. If you are comparing homes across Brevard County, I can help you line up the roof questions before your inspection. My partner Nichole and I got your back. Reach out anytime at (321) 212-7676 or www.livingspacecoast.com.