Replies

1. 
   skids | May 17, 2003 08:00pm | #1

   where at in so cal raymond? you need to do some basic figuring to determine how much room yer gonna need in there but i like between a 5:12 or 7:12. on my house it is 5.5:12 and it looks really good from the inside and out.  you may not have quite enough room inside with that pitch so you may want to consider extending the height of exterior walls a couple feet for more inside room with carefull consideration to how it will look when done. to flat and it looks like a modular to steep it just doesn't fit. also if you are going to address the roof you have to think about whatever changes you might need to make under it first, the roof kinda comes last in the framing sequence. are you sure existing flat roof will handle the load? what about the walls, any additional support needed there? are you taking into consideration any future remodels where you might want to relocate bearing walls etc. where will the stairs go? the framing is not really very expensive. but when you have it torn up is the time to do all those other things and before you know it your way over budget. i've been a builder all my life and to me the planning is always the toughest part, lots of thought goes into it and still when you are done is always something you wish you had thought of before.

2. 
   BossHog | May 17, 2003 10:40pm | #2

   You'll need to post more info to get some useable answers.

   The size of the structure would be a good start. And how much room you want to end up with, etc.

   It's a good thing we have gravity, or else when birds died they'd just stay right up there. Hunters would be all confused.

3. 
   ScottMatson | May 18, 2003 04:08pm | #3

   Talk to an architect

4. 
   Piffin | May 18, 2003 05:01pm | #4

   In your location, you will need a lot more to get a permit than what you will find here. Dog is right, youwill need an archy or a design/build firm.

   Adding weight to the structure means being sure the foundation was desingend and built to be able to handle it. Probably but maybe not.

   The roof is one that I will presume cannot handle a floor load. Southern California may have once been a place where the roof would have been framed for a fifteen ponf live load. A floor will need to be structured as a fourty poung live load.

   Depending on what size your structure is, you will probably need knee walls or more to get usable headroom.

   Believe it or not - this could be more design work than a new building is .

   .

   Excellence is its own reward!

5. 
   JohnSprung | May 21, 2003 02:56am | #5

   Where in Southern CA?  If it's Los Angeles, you'll need a structural engineer or no permit for you.  I can recommend one in the Hollywood area.  If you know what you want, he can do the drawings for you and pull the permit without an architect.  Your existing ceiling joists will definitely not be adequate for a floor, and your engineer will have to look at the bearing wall and foundation issues, too.

   -- J.S.