You have numerous options for room additions to expand out the living, working, and recreational space of your current house. But a problem many homeowners encounter is they don’t have the exterior space available for these additions. There are other choices that don’t increase the footprint of your house, however. One of them is the dormer addition.



A dormer , for people who don’t know this architectural term, is a window that projects from a sloping roof. The dormer has its own roof, which can be style in various way to either match the home or create an interesting counterpoint to it. Some homeowners add dormers almost strictly for the way they can enhance or change the style of the front of the house, or increase the house’s size, essentially giving the house another “eye.” (There’s also a false dormer, a window that doesn’t look in on anything. This isn’t a current popular trend and is often associated with poor design choices.)

The Dormer and Dormer Room as a House Addition

The word dormer comes from the same Latin root that gives us dormitory , literally “a place to sleep.” We’re looking at that type of dormer, a room addition that gives you a place to sleep. You don’t have to actually use it for that purpose, but it gives you an idea of the size involved. You can make a bathroom in the space afforded by a dormer room, for example. You can also add a dormer onto an existing bathroom to give it more light.

The standard way a dormer works is that it converts attic space at the top of the house into a usable room. The dormer window adds more head space and allows light into the area. It makes the new space appear much larger as well.

Because the dormer has an effect on the exterior of the house as well as the exterior—and an important effect—you’ll have more choices to make about how it’s designed and integrated into the existing structure. You don’t need to have a traditional sloping wood-shingle roof in order to fit in a dormer. There are contemporary designs that fit, for example, the popular craftsman style called shed roof dormers.

Getting Started With a Dormer Room

Unsure if you can add a dormer room to your house in the first place? It’s a good question, and the place to start is by contacting a trustworthy building contractor. Our home remodeling experts can help you decide how to best use the available space to make the conversions in the living areas of your house that you want. Because we have both designers and builders on our team, we can make a smooth transition from finding the perfect look for your dormer (exterior) and its room (interior) and execute the exact results you want.

A dormer room is only one of the many room additions in Calabasas, CA our team can create for your house. Speak to us today for more ideas for room additions and home remodeling.

Advanced Builders & Contractors has served the Los Angeles Area for over 14 years. Call to request an estimate.