In addition to improved rain control, porches can dramatically increase the amount of useful space at a much lower cost than fully enclosed additions, providing screened living and sleeping areas, utility space, outdoor kitchens, storage, space for washers and dryers, and, when combined with clear glazing, a greenhouse or solarium. They need not reduce light in the building's interior. Where horizontal driving rain is common, enclosed porches with operable windows or sliding wall panels are appealing. Such roofs offer none of the advantages we mention above, and are suitable only in the driest desert regions. Parapet roofs are functionally nonsensical-they merely imitate the style of another time and place.
Parapets have their origins in masonry building methods such as adobe.
Masonry materials also have a tendency to absorb and hold moisture, making them especially inappropriate companions for straw walls. Today, when a variety of roofing materials is available, as well as different designs to address local climates and conditions, it is best to have the tops of walls completely covered by the roof, with further protection provided by generous overhangs. This is one of the questions that we are most frequently asked. The variables are many, including the size and complexity of the building, location, architectural fees, types of materials, and who does the work. Most people want the biggest house they can get for the cheapest price per square foot.