Need help designing Roof for addition - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

jaymay75 · 06-13-2006, 10:03 PM

I am framing and pretty much building my own addition, but I need some help designing the addition roof and how it will tie into the existing roof.

The main problem is that the old house was balloon framed, and the 2nd floor walls are only about 5 foot high. They brought the rafters down to the top of this wall, and each room has an angled ceiling until it reaches the 9 ft level, then goes flat. As such, the pitch of the existing roof is pretty steep.

I decided that I don't think I want to build the 2nd floor walls to match the existing walls. Rather, I'll build 9 foot walls on the 2nd floor, and then build my trusses / rafters on top of that. I am thinking of doing a basic gable roof that will tie into the existing roof at a 90 degree angle. The dimension of the addition are 24' long, but 32' wide. The trusses will be 32' wide.

Should I just make the top point of the trusses higher than the existing roof, and tie the roof into that? Would the different pitches look bad? I"m thinking that the existing roof is an 6-12 to 8-12 pitch roof. Should I match that pitch, or just make the roof a 5-12 pitch roof and be done with it. Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I'm kinda stuck thinking about this. Also, if anyone has some easy to read articles about making the rafters using a speed square, that would be appreciated as well

pics are here to give you and idea.

type in "photos.yahoo.com/jaymay75"

- First Floor Folder will give you the best shots. I can add more pics if needed.

Thanks again for any help.

reveivl · 06-13-2006, 11:11 PM

Don''t know how much advice I've got, but I do have some q's. How big is the existing building? It looks from the picture that the addition will be dwarfing the old house, specially if you do a full two floors and then roof. It's hard to tell but it looks to me like the existing pitch is 12/12, certainly on the little gable it looks that way. To keep that pitch on a 32' truss means you'll be going up 16' above the top of the wall at the peak. It's a bit late, but better late than never, to do a set of drawings. Draw the original to scale then copy it a bunch of times and then draw different roof designs on the addition. (Easier with cad if you know how to use it). Do this from different directions so that you see what you'll be getting. Keep in touch.

More pics of the existing building from different places would help.

**Cole** · 06-13-2006, 11:40 PM

Do you have any plans for the structure itself?

If so, I can help you with ease.

jmic · 06-14-2006, 04:52 AM

Jay,
I can't seem to get to your pics. Can you give us a link that we can just click on or post a couple?

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 06:59 AM

I will get more pictures posted tonight. I thought there would be at least one or two better pics in one of those albums of the house.

I do have a sent of prints. I drew up a set of prints in a 3d Home Architect program, and then my brother made official prints out of that. He is a structural Engineer. He Engineers mainly commercial stuff, so he is of little help desingnin a good looking roof.

The URL for the pics is http://photos.yahoo.com/jaymay75

I

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 07:01 AM

As for the drawings, I have the drawings in a .DWG file. I guess that is CAD format. I could email it to all those who are interested. Please let me know your email address. Thanks again for the help.

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 07:02 AM

Also, the addition is 32' wide, whereas the existing structure is 26-27' wide.

A+Carpenter · 06-14-2006, 08:16 AM

I want to know what you plan on doing with that gable?

This framing plan could host several good roof packages.

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 08:22 AM

A+, I don't follow?

Grumpy · 06-14-2006, 12:03 PM

You got permit approval before you had a design?

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 12:28 PM

In the design, I had my engineer draw a basic gable roof, but didn't show a lot of the tie into the existing roof. Yep, got a permit without any problem

Grumpy · 06-14-2006, 02:00 PM

Will they approve the building for occupancy since you may be deviating from the approved plan? I know around here they only allow very minor variances from the original approval. Infact most buildings require architectural committee approval on the new structure before they issue you any other permit... and your neighbor's have a chance to see what you are proposing and if they don't like it they can complain, which means your permit approval won't be likley.

Can you post that drawing your neighbor did for you?

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 02:37 PM

I have 2.5 acres and no neighbors. We'll I do have one neighbor, and he is helping me with the addition. Anyway, our building inspector came out for the intial inspection, looked around for 5 minutes and left. I haven't heard back from him since, so I assume he really doesn't care much what I do. ha ha

So it seems like I can go in many directions with the roof.

jmic · 06-14-2006, 07:07 PM

Some pics. would deffinitly help with us giving you any suggestions. I saw a bunch of automobile pics ( looked good, hobby? )

maj · 06-14-2006, 07:34 PM

Wow,

close call with the redi-mix truck, eh Jay!!!!

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 09:16 PM

Yep, I bought a totaled 2004 F-150 and completely rebuilt it. New frame and front end. Took about 3months of work, and ended up with a great truck. All total, I spent about 15k on the truck and parts. I saved a boatload, plus the work was pretty fun. I would have saved even more had I waited. I bought the truck before prices on new trucks dropped. I'd like to do another this winter and sell it.

Yep, the Redi-Mix truck almost tipped full of concrete. huh. The driver kept gunning it trying to get it out. I told him there is no sense, because a 2nd truck was coming anyway. The 2nd truck pulled him out without problem. I was pretty sure it was going to flip. Driver was an idiot.

I got to get more pics up. I forgot to do it tonight.

jaymay75 · 06-14-2006, 09:49 PM

I added the floor plans to the pics if that is of any help.

http://photos.yahoo.com/jaymay75

fettycan · 06-14-2006, 09:49 PM

I like to build a little hip at the top like on that gable on the front of your house .All so try to keep fascia boards lined up if at all possible

ApgarNJ · 06-15-2006, 04:51 AM

is that an old well with a cap on it, in the one pic of the foundation?

are you ordering trusses or building the roof?

jaymay75 · 06-15-2006, 07:07 AM

I would like to build the roof