Don't Re-Roof That Mansard: How to Fix a "Top-Heavy" House With Landscaping

The Dilemma

A homeowner recently asked:

I'm looking at a house for sale in a nice neighborhood, but it has a weird, ugly 'mega-roof' design. Is it possible to change the facade without spending a fortune on structural remodeling?

The GardenOwl Diagnosis

This type of structural flaw significantly harms the curb appeal. If you are worried about common exterior design mistakes, this article offers solutions.

The Scenario

You found a house in a great neighborhood, but it has a problem: a massive, dark Mansard roof that sits on top of the structure like a giant, heavy hat. It looks dated, imposing, and frankly, a bit ugly. You are wondering if you can just "change the facade"—maybe frame it out into a gable or chop the top off.

The Trap: The "Demo" Mentality

I see this all the time. Homeowners look at a design flaw and immediately jump to structural demolition.

Let me be clear: Do not try to re-frame a Mansard roof.

Changing that roofline involves re-trussing the entire second floor. It is a structural nightmare that opens you up to water intrusion, permitting hell, and a bill that will likely exceed $100,000. That is what I call a structural death sentence for your budget.

The problem isn't the roof itself. The problem is Visual Weight.

Currently, you have a high-contrast disaster: bright white brick against near-black shingles. This contrast draws the eye straight to the roof, making it feel twice as heavy. Combined with a flat lawn and zero vertical landscaping, the house looks like it is sinking.

The Solution: Soft Engineering

We are going to fix this with physics and optics, not sawzalls. We need to rebalance the visual scales.

1. Kill the Contrast (Color Theory)

First, you need to trick the eye. The white brick makes the roof pop. You need to mute that transition.

Paint or stain the brick a warmer, darker tone—think Taupe, Greige, or a soft Mushroom. By darkening the base of the house, you reduce the contrast ratio between the wall and the roof. Suddenly, the roof doesn't look like a crushing weight; it looks like a textured lid on a solid box.

Note: If you are in a damp climate, be careful with standard latex paints on masonry. Look into breathable mineral stains to avoid trapping moisture.

2. Delete the "Polka-Dots"

Look at your current planting. You have one massive, overgrown shrub eating your front door and a few tiny orange shutters that serve no purpose. This is "Polka-Dot" landscaping—random, isolated elements that create clutter.

• Rip out the shutters. They are too small for the windows and just add visual noise.
• Remove the door shrub. Never hide your entry. It makes the house feel unapproachable.

3. Structural Planting: The "Vertical Lift"

The roof emphasizes the horizontal plane. You need a vertical element to break that line.

Plant a structural, multi-stemmed tree off the far left corner, about 10-12 feet from the foundation. I recommend an Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) or a Serviceberry (Amelanchier).

Why these trees?

• Open Habit: They aren't dense blobs; they have an elegant, vase-like shape that you can see through.
• Height: They grow to 15-25 feet, which is exactly the height needed to overlap the roofline and break up that massive expanse of shingles.

4. Fix the "Runway"

Your current walkway is a skinny concrete chute that shoots people straight from the street to the door. It has no grace and offers no "grounding" for the house.

You need to widen this path to at least 4 feet and introduce a curve. A curved path forces the eye to slow down and take in the landscape. Line this path with mass plantings of low drift roses or native grasses like Little Bluestem. This creates a "base" that visually supports the weight of the house.

Visualizing the Result

Before you buy gallons of masonry stain or start digging holes for a Redbud, you need to verify the proportions. A color that looks good on a chip might look muddy on a whole house, and a tree placed two feet too close to the foundation can cause issues down the road.

Use GardenDream to act as your safety net. Upload the photo of the house and test different brick colors against the roof tone. You can also digitally place the tree to see exactly how it interacts with the roofline. It’s cheaper to move a digital tree than a real one.

If you want to spot hidden opportunities (and risks) in your potential new home, upload a photo to get an instant diagnosis and visualize the transformation using our Exterior Design App.