We specifically chose a simple house plan so it would cost less with this first home. Those elaborate roof designs will really eat up your money fast.

Our roof has dormers in three places

1. over the garage


2. over the kick-out in the back over the master bath


3. and over the portico entry porch

The builder had to build roof trusses on-sight, for the kick-out over the master bath and the front entry. The engineer-architect designed the kick-out dormer, but the entry dormer was an add-on. Our builder had to know how to build roof trusses sufficient to install both dormers.

You can see the crane or hoist lowering the trusses into place.

The trusses are lowered by a crane which is manned by an operator who raises and lowers the trusses into place. The hoist can carry up to 4 trusses at a time.

There had to be at least one man on the ground loading the hoist and then it took two framers on the roof to guide the truss into place and nail them to the top plate of the exterior walls as they were building the roof.

You'll notice in the second picture above, that the trusses are stablized by a horizontal 2x4 which is nailed to each truss for stability until the sheathing can be put on.

Note the sheathed end truss on the ground in front

You however, knowing that a crane is what they use in the designs-to-build-roof-trusses, can do your own homework and find out what the charge will be to you, if you order the crane and pay directly. Then ask your builder how much he charges for it, and what his bill will be with it and without it and compare that price with with price of you ordering it.

When you decide if you are ordering the crane, or not, include that decision in your framer's contract with you.

This is another hidden cost that might save you a little extra. If I'd known about it.... well you know the story. Who knows, maybe the roofer owns the hoist himself. Me, I'm just the general.

MORE
• Sheathing the walls
  
  
• Beginning the wooden construction of your home
  
  
• Framing the walls
  
  
• Floor Joists
  
  NEXT
• Sheathing the roof

Build your new home step by step

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