Raise The roof (ceiling technically)

[sharpshooter]

Have a garage with 8 ft ceilings ( no clue why anyone would do that) but none the less, the garage has trusses. Has anyone ever altered the trusses to raise the ceiling. Ideally I would like to do kind of a tray ceiling type of deal to where I would have one part of the ceiling 12 ft, Just enuff for a car to raise up. Is that completely unheard of, or would that actually be doable? Any other ideas?

 

[rwhite692]

It's not unheard of BUT The only way you should even consider entertaining the idea would be to consult an architect, who could examine the existing trusses, do the necessary load calculations, and then determine if they could be modified.

If you have the construction drawings for the house, with a drawing of how the trusses are configured, that would make the job a lot easier.

 

[sharpshooter]

Nope dont have any type of plans, The house is about 40 yrs old but the garage is less than 5. When I purchased the house the garage was totally insulated with foam board (walls and ceiling) I was hoping when pulled the foam from the ceiling I would be staring at rafters but that wasnt the case... It makes no sense to do this the way they did it. There is sooo much space that could be used in the attic if they would have went a different route. The roof is a good 8 ft from the bottom of ceiling out in center.. I really wish there was a way for me to reconfigure this. I could gain sooo much overhead space..

 

[rieferman]

I would think that you could have an engineer figure out the truss design that would carry the load and meet your desire for ceiling height. And then you would, one by one, modify the existing trusses to meet that design. Since you would be going one-by-one, the load would be carried by the other trusses while you make your modifications.

That's not a professional opinion though, that's just how I'd think through it if it were my place.

 

[sharpshooter]

I will be checking into this. Only problem is I have NO clue on where to start on trying to find someone that could tell me the info I need...

 

[70redbee]

Just look in the phone book and find a structural engineer. They will come look at your truss and do their calculations. Then they can give you a repair detail to modify the truss for your application. Really not too hard,just follow the details closely,cuts,nailing patterns,gusset size etc. and you will have a truss that works for you.

 

[snyder]

Your local lumber yard should be able to reccomend someone..

 

[stroked93]

somebody needs to do load calculations on those homemade sawhorses under all that sheetrock

 

[TONE]

LOL...................reminds me of the firetruck the little rascals made to get pulled behind that mule.

somebody needs to do load calculations on those homemade sawhorses under all that sheetrock

 

[z28toz06]

somebody needs to do load calculations on those homemade sawhorses under all that sheetrock

 

[atari]

somebody needs to do load calculations on those homemade sawhorses under all that sheetrock

Looks like they are holding just enough to me!

 

[Red05GT]

You could sister a rafter on the side of each top chord of each truss, then remove
the siding in the gable end and insert an LVL beam on each side about 4-6' in from
sidewall, to transfer the roof load to the front and rear walls. Install a collar tie at
new desired ceiling height, and cut out bottom chord, and diagonals. A lot of work
and expense, but it could be done.

 

[brwbier]

Why go to all the expense of an engineer or architect. Just tear the roof off leaving the front and back walls and either stick frame a new roof or buy vaulted trusses or attic trusses to fit your need.
Brwbier

 

[texas-saluki]

ok...I am surprised no one has suggested this yet... Jack up the entire building off the foundation and pour a new stub, I would go up 1-2 feet it you can. We did this on my uncles garage when I was in high school and it was not that hard.

 

[KMR Construction]

temp support the 2x's that create the roof pitch. Then sawzall a notch at the peak and install a 2x10 ridge. Cut and sister 2x8 rafters on to the 2x4 top cords of the truss. Nail the daylights out of this connection. Then come 1/3 of the way down the rafters and install 2x8 coller ties. Cut out the remaining truss and have a nice fire with it.

 

[sharpshooter]

Got all that sheetrock on the walls and Im still using those sawhorses LOL... Cant beat free right... Im gonna be checking with a few local contractors so see what I can get figured out...

 

[woodbutch]

the reason for using trusses is to give you a roof with support at outside edges of building envelope ( walls), the reason for having attic space is to pile **** your offspring will have to haul off when you go T.U.

 

[NUTTSGT]

ok...I am surprised no one has suggested this yet... Jack up the entire building off the foundation and pour a new stub, I would go up 1-2 feet it you can. We did this on my uncles garage when I was in high school and it was not that hard.

I was going to suggest raising the roof off the walls and framing in a short wall to reach the required height.


As far as making sense to why they did it, this is normal construction practice.

 

[sharpshooter]

I know its a normal practice, I just cant figure out why you would wanna waist all that space...and as far as jacking up the roof, how far do you think I could actually go? I mean could I raise it 6 or 7ft or would 2 or 3ft be the most I need to go?

 

[Red05GT]

Building a knee wall on top of the existing wall and tying it in so that it is structurally
secure against wind shear, would be more labor intensive than just just replacing the
roof trusses with new scissor trusses or refabricating the existing trusses in place to
turn them into a vaulted ceiling. The cost of altering the existing trusses using the
method KMR Construction or I previously mentioned would be cheaper and easier
than jacking up, adding on to walls or foundations etc.

 

[Iroc-Z]

ok...I am surprised no one has suggested this yet... Jack up the entire building off the foundation and pour a new stub, I would go up 1-2 feet it you can. We did this on my uncles garage when I was in high school and it was not that hard.

THIS!!!!! But I would go up 3-4 feet. Problem solved.

 

[sharpshooter]

I would need to go atleast 4 ft if I went that route.. That would give me a total of 12ft clearance, Im ultimately trying to get a full sized lift in there and not have to be hunched over working on stuff...