architectural – Advanced Home Inspection of New Hampshire

Still on the theme of uncommon architectural features on homes and barns, I was driving past a house the other day with a cupola on top and matching cupola on the barn, and I started to wonder about the origin of the cupola.

So after some research, it turns out that cupolas are not just for show. They were invented with a practical purpose in mind. In fact it seems several purposes…

So the origin of the word “cupola,” is from Latin meaning little dome. And although most people believe that it is a decorative feature and nothing more, many would be surprised to realize that there are several reasons for the addition of the feature to both homes and barns. Continue reading “What is the purpose of a Cupola?”

As home inspectors, we are often confronted with architectural peculiarities on homes. Often times we are left wondering what we are looking at.

So today we came across a feature on a house in Francestown, New Hampshire known as “Beverly Jog.” I would describe the portion of the home as simply an addition to the original home with a shed roof. But upon researching the house, which is listed on the historic registry, I came to discover that the structure has a name.

A “Beverly Jog” as it is known, is pretty much as I described it. It’s an addition to a home. Usually for the purpose of providing a new interior staircase to an upper level floor. Often times, the structure is designed to have a similar roof and outer appearance to the rest of the home. But it undoubtedly juts out from the home, hence being called a “jog.”

Note that if the house has a Gambrel roof, it is sometimes referred to as a “jut-by.” Continue reading “What Exactly Is a Beverly Jog?”