Garage Trusses - Resale?

[gabriel08]

Hey all,

I have been a long-time lurker here and have started the process of having my garage built and was hoping for some friendly advice. It is a 30x30, 2x10 construction, with 2 garage doors, and a breezeway that leads to the house. I am having room trusses put on, but there was a little bit of a communication gap between my builder and myself. This has resulted in me having a smaller than needed room on the second floor. My wife was adamant about having at least a 12x30 area with 8ft ceilings for her gym setup, but with the trusses that were ordered, this will be a 10x30, with max ceiling heights of 7ft 6in. To me, I feel it is workable, but this was her part of the garage, so I'm doing my best to work this out.

What are the chances that I can sell these trusses (21 trusses with 2 gables, 12/9 pitch) and recoup potentially a portion of the money I spent (around 4.2K). If I knew that I couldn't resell these, I would probably push to just work with the 10x30 area. If I knew I could sell these trusses, I would consider suffering the financial hit and ordering the trusses with the largest room size afforded in a 12/9 pitch.

Sorry this isn't a typical question for here, just looking what others may think.

 

[Youngandfree]

People sell all kinds of stuff every day. Post it up in your local area.

 

[BillK]

You will regret it later if you don't get what you wanted now. Get the correct trusses and maybe let the truss plant know what you have and maybe they can get rid of them for you ?

 

[WisJim]

I had a similar problem a few years ago with my garage, and the trusses were obviously not what was on the approved plans, so the contractor ate them.

 

[bakmopar]

Hey all,

I have been a long-time lurker here and have started the process of having my garage built and was hoping for some friendly advice. It is a 30x30, 2x10 construction, with 2 garage doors, and a breezeway that leads to the house. I am having room trusses put on, but there was a little bit of a communication gap between my builder and myself. This has resulted in me having a smaller than needed room on the second floor. My wife was adamant about having at least a 12x30 area with 8ft ceilings for her gym setup, but with the trusses that were ordered, this will be a 10x30, with max ceiling heights of 7ft 6in. To me, I feel it is workable, but this was her part of the garage, so I'm doing my best to work this out.

What are the chances that I can sell these trusses (21 trusses with 2 gables, 12/9 pitch) and recoup potentially a portion of the money I spent (around 4.2K). If I knew that I couldn't resell these, I would probably push to just work with the 10x30 area. If I knew I could sell these trusses, I would consider suffering the financial hit and ordering the trusses with the largest room size afforded in a 12/9 pitch.

Sorry this isn't a typical question for here, just looking what others may think.

For your wife, what is the bigger issue, losing the 2 feet of floor space or the 6 inches of ceiling height?

 

[gabriel08]

You will regret it later if you don't get what you wanted now. Get the correct trusses and maybe let the truss plant know what you have and maybe they can get rid of them for you ?

Yeah, I know this to be true.
I'm not certain they will help, but it is worth checking for sure.

 

[gabriel08]

I had a similar problem a few years ago with my garage, and the trusses were obviously not what was on the approved plans, so the contractor ate them.

Sadly, the contract I have is too general and does not contain these specific details.

 

[gabriel08]

For your wife, what is the bigger issue, losing the 2 feet of floor space or the 6 inches of ceiling height?

Both, really, but if one had to choose, 2 feet of floor space.

I am fairly ignorant on trusses, so I have been sitting here for the past hour, trying to figure out what is the maximum supported room for a 30x30 garage on a 9/12. Doesn't seem to be a universal standard (at least what I'm finding so far).

 

[cgrutt]

Just throwing this out there and have no idea if it would work or not but could you get the extra ceiling height needed by extending top plates and/or adding a small knee wall around perimeter of building and using what you already ordered?

 

[chris142]

Don't count on it. I worked forxa truss company and they had several goofs that just sat and rotted.

 

[PCustoms]

Sadly, the contract I have is too general and does not contain these specific details.

Who is your contract with?

Who ordered the trusses?

Seems the truss spec should have been in the contract to the truss company....

Where are you located? You might get lucky and sell, but who knows how long it will take, and I bet you won't get the full cost.

 

[gabriel08]

Just throwing this out there and have no idea if it would work or not but could you get the extra ceiling height needed by extending top plates and/or adding a small knee wall around perimeter of building and using what you already ordered?

Who is your contract with?

Who ordered the trusses?

Seems the truss spec should have been in the contract to the truss company....

Where are you located? You might get lucky and sell, but who knows how long it will take, and I bet you won't get the full cost.

My contract is with the builder.

It is a slightly long story, but ultimately I have no recourse.

I am located in KY. I would be happy getting 1/2 back.

 

[gabriel08]

Don't count on it. I worked forxa truss company and they had several goofs that just sat and rotted.

That is my fear

 

[PCustoms]

My contract is with the builder.

It is a slightly long story, but ultimately I have no recourse.

I am located in KY. I would be happy getting 1/2 back.

Happy wife, happy life...

I'm shocked trusses for a 30x30 were $4k plus. How many trusses are there?

Any chance the builder will work a deal? Seems he could use them on the next garage he builds

 

[gabriel08]

Happy wife, happy life...

I'm shocked trusses for a 30x30 were $4k plus. How many trusses are there?

Any chance the builder will work a deal? Seems he could use them on the next garage he builds

Very true

21 trusses, and 2 gables.

I was told that he has done only a handful of room trusses for garages over the many years he has been doing this - that most people don't want to spend the extra money for them, so he wasn't interested.

 

[Tom Sestito]

I see them for sale quite a a bit on marketplace, so you're certainly not alone. I think you could get something for them, especially if they are simple trusses.

I would try to sell them. You'll always know about them, and you want your wife to be happy.

If your situation is anything like my situation, you are getting the greater benefit of the building. So you need to make sure that her benefit is just what she wants and she shouldn't have to compromise, especially if you have the money to get replacements

My two cents, with a happy wife

 

[rburke65]

Raise your top plate

 

[PCustoms]

Raise your top plate

How does that help his attic room?

 

[Farmall450]

I see them for sale quite a a bit on marketplace, so you're certainly not alone. I think you could get something for them, especially if they are simple trusses.

I would try to sell them. You'll always know about them, and you want your wife to be happy.

If your situation is anything like my situation, you are getting the greater benefit of the building. So you need to make sure that her benefit is just what she wants and she shouldn't have to compromise, especially if you have the money to get replacements

My two cents, with a happy wife

I can see them selling, but I think half price would be the starting point - anticipate less (beats having a bonfire). Can you store them?

 

[PCustoms]

Very true

21 trusses, and 2 gables.

I was told that he has done only a handful of room trusses for attics over the many years he has been doing this - that most people don't want to spend the extra money for them, so he wasn't interested.

Interesting, seems like that would be 16" O.C.

He did the truss design? Without additional info I suspect he may have made some errors....

 

[gabriel08]

Interesting, seems like that would be 16" O.C.

He did the truss design? Without additional info I suspect he may have made some errors....

He uses a lumber company that does the design. They have software that uses the Simpson strong tie component solution - I believe that software is what controls their design.

 

[bakmopar]

 

[gabriel08]

I can see them selling, but I think half price would be the starting point - anticipate less (beats having a bonfire). Can you store them?

Ha - I was just saying that to my wife a bit ago, that if we ended up keeping them, they very well could end up in my burn pile and be an expensive bonfire.

Unfortunately, I have no covered storage for as big as they are. My barn isn't large enough, so they would be in the weather elements.

 

[bakmopar]

Example of an attic truss. Raising top plate does nothing for the size of the room in the truss.

 

[gabriel08]

If only that would have been the design (except 30'). 14ft, 6ft min, and 9ft high ceiling would be a dream.
Don't think that would be an option with a 9/12 though.

 

[bakmopar]

Just a random example I found online. Pitch is 12/12, steep.

 

[PCustoms]

Unfortunately, I have no covered storage for as big as they are. My barn isn't large enough, so they would be in the weather elements.

Simple solution: use trusses to build 2nd barn.

 

[bakmopar]

My garage is 38x26 with attic trusses. The attic area is used for storage and measures 38x8x6.25H. I am unsure of the exact roof pitch.

 

[cgrutt]

Yeah if bottom chord of truss is the floor joist raising top plate or knee wall won't work. Sorry I was thinking they were something more like a scissor truss like this.

 

[finn]

I dismantled a 24’x28’ section of a house as part of a rehab a number of years ago. The trusses were about five years old at the time.

We carefully removed, stacked and tarped them for future use. After tripping over them for a while, I put them on Craigslist. They sold the next day. I don’t remember what I got for them. Probably 50% of new.

The guy that bought them was going to build a garage. They were standard trusses, not storage trusses.

 

[duneslider]

You are pretty limited on a 9/12 and what size room you can get.
That truss posted above is pretty close to what I got over my garage but I have a 14/12 pitch.
I am sure you can sell the trusses and recoup some of your money but I do not think you are going to get the room you want at 9/12, I think you will have to go to 12/12. That said, in my area not just every framer and every roofer will do a 12/12, make sure your framers and roofers will work on it.
You should work direct with a truss company and not just the lumber yard.
Also, roof trusses are usually 24" on center. If you are having a gym up there and there will be jumping around and heavy gym equipment you need to let the truss company know AND I would put them on 16" centers. Mine feels sturdy at 24" centers but it is a hangout room with couches and tv and stuff but if the kids are up there horsing around you know it.

 

[ybnormal]

I dismantled a 24’x28’ section of a house as part of a rehab a number of years ago. The trusses were about five years old at the time.

We carefully removed, stacked and tarped them for future use. After tripping over them for a while, I put them on Craigslist. They sold the next day. I don’t remember what I got for them. Probably 50% of new.

The guy that bought them was going to build a garage. They were standard trusses, not storage trusses.

that's a thought . with the current price of lumber and availability, might be easier to sell them now instead of later

 

[jack stand]

My contract is with the builder.

It is a slightly long story, but ultimately I have no recourse.

I am located in KY. I would be happy getting 1/2 back.

I see actual used trusses for sale all the time. Having new and unused will make yours more desirable than the others, usually used.
Go online and look locally on Craigslist under "materials" to get some ideas on pricing.
There's plenty of folks willing to build "around" a good deal in terms of size.

 

[gabriel08]

You are pretty limited on a 9/12 and what size room you can get.
That truss posted above is pretty close to what I got over my garage but I have a 14/12 pitch.
I am sure you can sell the trusses and recoup some of your money but I do not think you are going to get the room you want at 9/12, I think you will have to go to 12/12. That said, in my area not just every framer and every roofer will do a 12/12, make sure your framers and roofers will work on it.
You should work direct with a truss company and not just the lumber yard.
Also, roof trusses are usually 24" on center. If you are having a gym up there and there will be jumping around and heavy gym equipment you need to let the truss company know AND I would put them on 16" centers. Mine feels sturdy at 24" centers but it is a hangout room with couches and tv and stuff but if the kids are up there horsing around you know it.

This is where I'm struggling to understand. I haven't been able to find a true rule of thumb for what a 9/12 gets me on a 30x30 build. I believe I have seen trusses up to 14ft wide, but the other specs were missing. I do know I can get a 12ft wide, with 8ft high ceiling (partial width of the 12ft wide room).

 

[PCustoms]

Someone else caught something I overlooked when I commented on truss spacing.

What's the expected load in this gym?

 

[gabriel08]

Someone else caught something I overlooked when I commented on truss spacing.

What's the expected load in this gym?

This is something I started worrying about as well since mentioned.
This isn't going to be a ******** gym, just a treadmill (200-300lbs), some free-weights (200-300 lb weights total), and a couple pieces of equipment (maybe 200lb average). Both my wife and I are around the 140 - 160lb mark.

 

[paredown]

I'm on Facebook marketplace a lot looking for affordable building materials. I see trusses for sale almost every day on the 'What's new' or whatever they call the items that they serve up when you first look.

I've certainly thought about getting trusses and then designing a garage around them if the price were right. But you want to be aggressive in your pricing--consider it part of the cost of your "education" and move on. Everyone I know who works on construction has a story about the day they goofed or miscommunicated or screwed up--it makes you more careful the next time!

Even if you take a bath on the trusses, I agree with the others that argue for building the garage you want with as few compromises as possible.

 

[gabriel08]

I'm on Facebook marketplace a lot looking for affordable building materials. I see trusses for sale almost every day on the 'What's new' or whatever they call the items that they serve up when you first look.

I've certainly thought about getting trusses and then designing a garage around them if the price were right. But you want to be aggressive in your pricing--consider it part of the cost of your "education" and move on. Everyone I know who works on construction has a story about the day they goofed or miscommunicated or screwed up--it makes you more careful the next time!

Even if you take a bath on the trusses, I agree with the others that argue for building the garage you want with as few compromises as possible.

I have been looking on FB marketplace and craigslist and I do see some. Most are not priced at what I would consider a bargain - but I suspect they are prepared to go down. I am not a haggler, so I would probably start a bit less than 50% and hope I get lucky.

 

[duneslider]

With a 9/12 there isn't much of the ceiling that will be at 8', so you have to keep that in mind. I also think trying to get 14' is probably pushing it. Whether you are getting it inspected as living space I don't know but for living space it can't have walls shorter than 5' and 50% of the room needs to be 7' tall or more.

Personally, I probably wouldn't put a treadmill up there unless I specifically engineered it for that. That is a whole lot of impact loading, probably wouldn't hurt anything but I am sure it would feel like an earthquake when someone was running.

If by free weights you are just talking dumbells it is probably fine but this wouldn't be a good area for any sort of bar work. You may find the ceiling situation not good for a lot of things. Anything requiring arms up and jumping could be tough.

 

[gabriel08]

With a 9/12 there isn't much of the ceiling that will be at 8', so you have to keep that in mind. I also think trying to get 14' is probably pushing it. Whether you are getting it inspected as living space I don't know but for living space it can't have walls shorter than 5' and 50% of the room needs to be 7' tall or more.

Personally, I probably wouldn't put a treadmill up there unless I specifically engineered it for that. That is a whole lot of impact loading, probably wouldn't hurt anything but I am sure it would feel like an earthquake when someone was running.

If by free weights you are just talking dumbells it is probably fine but this wouldn't be a good area for any sort of bar work. You may find the ceiling situation not good for a lot of things. Anything requiring arms up and jumping could be tough.

I was able to get ahold of a truss company near me. He gave me a few options, 12ft, 13 and 14. It looks like it would be rated for 40psf, which seems standard for upstairs.

Would the design I am attaching concern you?