Residential Roof Construction: Prefabricated Trusses or Onsite Timber Frames
Posted on: 30 November 2017
If you are building a new roof for your house, you should be diligent in choosing your timber frames trusses. Your choice of roof frames will determine the strength and durability of the roof as well as the appearance of the structure. In general, there are two framing options to consider for your home: prefabricated trusses and onsite timber frames. The latter are frames which are built on top of the roofing structure by a contractor while ready-made alternatives are constructed in a factory and delivered as completed units. If you are uncertain about the right choice for your application, you should consider the below comparison before making your decision.
Framing Strength
In traditional roof construction, the framing is built on site by a carpenter. This method allows for incredible flexibility in design; you can have a unique roofing style. However, you should note that the strength of the framing made in this form of construction will depend on the builder's judgement. Therefore, the long-term resilience of the roof will be determined by the experience and skill of the contractor. Prefabricated frames are built in a controlled industrial space. The trusses are manufactured using a specific design which can support given roofing materials and wind loads. Also, these framing units are tested before use. While this option does not offer a lot of design flexibility, the strength of prefabricated roof trusses is incomparable.
Construction Speed
If your home construction project is time-sensitive, you should consider different ways to reduce the time spent on various tasks. If you are concerned about delays during your building project, you should think about installing prefabricated trusses. As mentioned, these units are manufactured in an industrial environment. Therefore, once they are delivered to your worksite, you will only need to have them placed over the residential structure. This process takes a short time, allowing you to continue with other operations. If you are not concerned about your timeline, you can choose on-site roof framing construction. This process requires manual installation of each timber member. So, it will take time.
Installation Expenses
The cost of installing traditional roof frames over your house can be high because of the labour required. In simple terms, your builders will have to utilise effort and time to install the entire structure, raising your total labour costs. On the other hand, prefabricated trusses will require a short time and less manual effort for installation. However, you will need to hire heavy equipment like cranes for installation and trucks for transportation.
Share