I have a guy who has asked me to make some major changes to his house that just went through a serious hailstorm. His house is a 2-story “60’s style” house that has the roofing go over the walls on front & back to make the house look like a barn (sorta). What the customer has requested is to remove the roofing off of the front and back walls of the house, remove the sloped upper level walls and square them for siding.
That would in my mind require me to remove some “excess framing” on the upper walls to get rid of the sloping appearance, then add some extensions to the rafters to create some kind of soffit over the top of the walls to make the roof look right. Does that sound reasonable or does someone have some ideas on how to frame this out.
I have not done a remodel of this scope yet in my small business but want to make sure I am doing this customer right. There is a lot of additional work to do at this house, but this is the part that I am looking for some expert advice.
And how do you bid something like this?
Thanks for any suggestions…Tom
Replies
>> ... roofing go over the walls on front & back to make the house look like a barn (sorta).
Something like this?
http://www.sonierllc.com/loghomes/sampleinfo/gambrel24x36.jpg
yeah but not so dramatic..., the roofing goes down the 2nd story at about 10 degrees away from the actual wall. the actual roof is flatter and the walls are straight, just taper away from the wall. the roofing stops about 3/4 ths the way down the 2nd floor to a 2 X 10 on edge behind the roofing (probably to provide the taper)
found an image that shows basically what the roof looks like...the main part of this house on the right side, with the inset windows on the 2nd floor is a pretty good representation. if i strip the roofing over the sides, flatten the walls, extend the top limb of the truss to extend out just 24" or so, just to add a sofitt. sounds like you guys think im crazy. i won't argue that point, but this seems really doable, and not a huge stretch. am i really missing something?
look here : http://www.thomasconstco.com/scrapbook/view.nhtml?profile=scrapbook&UID=10007
by the way, thaks all for the input on this, sure didn't think I would get any real suggestions...'preciate ya...tom
Are you talking about leaving the existing roof framing in place and adding new vertical wall framing and sheathing?
Yeah. I think if I take the sheathing off then i should be able to get to the trusses, then "scab" boards onto them for the soffit. It looks like the additional roofing is purely for effect and has no structural element whatever to the house. Customer would like standard siding banded around the entire 2nd floor wall, and a basic soffit. he actually wants some type of portico added to the front as well. the guy is serious, and will get this done by someone. i could just use the work.
I'd be thinking of this..remove all the side sheathing, add studs to the existing top plate, up to a new double top plate. Sister new rafters with the overhang desired. Reshingle the whole roof above.
The slight jog of the existing (where it goes beyond the wall plane) would be cut off, new sheathing and siding. The area where the existing is leaned inward becomes dead space, no inulation is needed unless the current upstairs walls are insuffiecient (likely) and if so the insulate this dead space.
Venting the roof.??.V.I.F. what has to be done..might have open at the old top plate and add baffles. From inside. Could get messy.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
got a pic of a mansard for him? That's what I'm envisioning.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
That was my second guess. Google image search for "mansard" showed me lots of pictures of old Victorians, and several commercial buildings with short sheet metal mansards. I ran out of patience without finding one that looked representative enough to post.
I once saw a drawing that showed and named a bunch of different roof style, like more than a dozen, but I neglected to bookmark it and have never seen it again.
I re-slated one once..not a fun job, all the slates were patterend as well..choppin slate all day to maybe get a square up..and it is sumptin like a 22/12 pitch...argh.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Step #1: Check with your liability insurance company. See if they will acknowledge your existence if you take this job.
Step #2: Check with the local building inspectors. See if they will even issue a permit.
Step #3: It might do some good to read the thread in the tavern about the Darwin Awards. Then be absolutely certain that you will not qualify for the next round.
Step #4: Follow Nancy Reagan's advice. (Just say "no").
Seriously, if your business is new, then now is not the time to take on a job that changes the exterior style so completely -- a change that will clearly affect the roof framing.
Dance a bit with the customer so that you can get the other jobs that you really want. But don't mess up the roof -- the potential liabilities are enormous.
Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.
The roof is a gambrel , typical barn roof. In a house the gambrel may be stick built or trusses. A real barn with heavy loads is built differently. Purlins and post and beam construction are generally used here. If I were doing this job, I remove the entire roof . Then start from scratch with new second floor walls and new roof framing.
Otherwise you are going to run into more problems than you want. The upper roof rafters are too short , same with almost vertical sidewall roof. You may want to pass on this one and let a framing contractor do it.You will need to protect the living area below from the elements, this isn't a one or two day job.
mike
FHB ran an article on a similar sounding project several years back. Not that same exact thing, but close. It is issue #113 starting on page 96. Have a look and hope it gives you some ideas.
Dan
"Life is what happens when you are making other plans." - John Lennon
Edited 6/3/2004 9:38 pm ET by dan_lott