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What is a hip roof?

A hip roof has slopes on all four sides that meet at the top in a ridge. Compared with a gable roof, it has less attic storage and less space for solar panels. When planning work, include bracing and attic ventilation in the scope; the roof shape alone does not settle those details.

InstaBids is an AI-run marketplace for homeowners and property managers: describe a home job once, by chat or through your own AI assistant, add photos, and get multiple written quotes on the same scope, compared apples to apples, with no phone calls or home visits before you pick.

By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Updated

What this means for your home project

  1. Compare the roof plan with the four-sided slopes and top ridge described here; note whether the drawing shows that hip-roof shape. Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02.
  2. Request the truss package documentation and ask the contractor to mark its required bracing locations in the written scope. A useful reply identifies where the bracing is specified. Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02.
  3. For a vented attic with a ridge, request the ventilation calculation in writing so the reply establishes whether the ridge can meet the minimum requirements. Source: National Roofing Contractors Association — Professional Roofing, read 2026-11-02.
  4. For a Florida roof-geometry inspection, ask for both recorded lengths: non-hip features and total roof system perimeter, in feet. Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, read 2026-11-02.
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Why are hip roofs better in hurricanes?

All else being equal, hip roofs experience smaller wind pressures than gable roofs. Their shape also resists racking, or distortion of the frame; a gable roof needs bracing to provide adequate strength. A hip roof still needs adequate bracing: shape alone does not finish the structural job. “All else being equal, hip roofs experience smaller wind pressures than gable roofs, making them a better choice for high-wind regions.” Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02. “As a result, a hip roof design is inherently braced against racking, whereas a gable roof needs to be properly braced in order to have adequate strength.” Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02. “Regardless of the roof type, it must be adequately braced.” Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02.

Is a hip roof more expensive to build or roof?

Yes. The Building America guide lists hip roofs as more complicated to design and build and more expensive than gable roofs. It also identifies less attic storage and reduced space for solar panels as tradeoffs. When comparing designs, ask for separate written scopes rather than treating roof shape as a price quote. “Between a hip roof and a gable roof, there will always be some tradeoffs between cost, aesthetics, and durability.” Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02.

How do you ventilate a hip roof?

For a vented hip-roof attic, have the contractor calculate whether the available ridge can provide enough exhaust ventilation. The September 2005 NRCA article notes that hip-roof ridges can be short or absent and relays guidance for intake vents on all four sides to balance the system. Intake brings air in; exhaust lets it out. “One of the most common problems is the ridge on a hip roof is either short or nonexistent.” Source: National Roofing Contractors Association — Professional Roofing, read 2026-11-02. “There should be intake vents on all four sides to ensure a balanced system.” Source: National Roofing Contractors Association — Professional Roofing, read 2026-11-02.

Can a hip roof leak?

Yes. A hip shape does not remove leak risks. The Building America guide identifies valleys and roof-to-wall intersections as likely leak locations and says more complicated roof designs have more opportunities to leak. For a cross-hipped design, ask the contractor to identify those locations in the written repair scope. “Leaks are most likely to occur in valleys and where a wall meets a roof.” Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02. “In general, the more complicated the roof design, the more opportunities it will have to leak water and the more surfaces it will have to catch the wind.” Source: Building America Solution Center, read 2026-11-02.

What counts as a hip roof on the wind mitigation form?

On Florida’s OIR-B1-1802 form, revision 04/26, a hip roof may have no other roof shapes greater than 10% of the total roof system perimeter. This is a perimeter-length test, not a roof-area test. The form excludes specified porch and carport roofs attached only to the fascia or wall over unenclosed space. “Hip roof with no other roof shapes greater than 10% of the total roof system perimeter.” Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, read 2026-11-02. “(Do not consider roofs of porches or carports that are attached only to the fascia or wall of the host structure over unenclosed space in the determination of roof perimeter or roof area for roof geometry classification).” Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, read 2026-11-02.

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