2019-07-01 Homebuilding & Renovating

Design& Materials cutvSprefabvS paneliSeDrooftruSSeS

trusses,lightenoughtobehauled

upintoplacewithouttheneed

fora crane.A roofstructure

couldbebuiltina fewhoursand

fora greatdeallessmoneythana

traditional,hand-cutroof.

Formanyyearsthetrussed

rafterruledtheroofingroost.

It halvedthecostanddoubled

thespeedofconstructionbutit

didcomewithonesignificant

drawback.Oncesetinplace,it

becameverychallengingtoalter

theroofinfuture,asthethin

crossmemberswereallstructural

andthetrusseshadtoremainas

theyweresetinordertomaintain

theirstrength.Thismeantthat

alterationsand,inparticular,loft

conversionsbecamea complex

andexpensiveengineering

challenge.

Bythe1980s,withlandprices

risingrapidly,theloftconversion

wasseenasa verydesirable

wayofextendinga homeand

housebuilderswerealivetothe

newrealities.The1960s-style

finktrussstartedtoslipoutof

fashion,tobereplacedbyattic

trusses,whichweremuchbulkier

andmoredifficulttofit,butcame

withanemptyroofvoid,enabling

thespacetobecomelivingspace.

Thesedays,rooftruss

manufacturersofferseveral

84 homebuilding.co.uk

oakwrights use a

panelisedroofing

systemthatcomes

preinsulated.it can

be craned in and fixed

within a day.

for

yea

trus

rule

roo

it h

the

dou

speed of

construction

image: oakwrights (above); ian rock (right)