One of the most prominent features of a Cape Cod house is the steep roof with a small overhang—designed originally to shed the heavy New England snows. Dormers, which are small angled roof extensions built to hold a window, are commonly built into the roof. Cape Cod homes are usually 1 to 1 ½ stories tall. The steep roofline makes the attic ceiling high enough to be habitable, so the living quarters are often expanded to include this area. Shutters are very characteristic of this style and are usually the decorative feature to be found on the exterior of a Cape Cod house.
Symmetry is a main theme in the Cape Cod style, both indoors and out. The original houses were built formally around an entrance hall leading to the front door, which was directly in the center of the exterior front wall. Dormers, gables and extensions–if any–are present in pairs to preserve the symmetry. The interior is symmetrical as well; sometimes rooms are divided with half the room on either side of the hallway so it will all “come out even.”
There are many styles of Cape Cod modular homes. A typical Cape modular home usually has 2 or more modular sections.
