Structural question if I may.

[rerod]

Afternoon people..

I'm trying to design a walkout basement home with attached garage that I can have built without removing the mobile home I live in.. The mobile home takes up most of the hilltop walkout location, but not all.. What do you think about a angled ranch at 29 degrees? Ive seen a few homes angled, but they were probably closer to 45 degrees.

I chose 29 degrees because I can transition from a 32' deep garage to a 28' deep house with a simple roof with one valley and one hip. But in that process have created a pie shape section of roof I'm not sure how easily could be supported without a post in the slab floor area.

Could the builder stack four or five trusses side by side on the right gable side of the garage to support the roof area in yellow? Or is there an alternative when transitioning from a deeper garage to a narrow home without a cut up roof?

Thanks.

 

[mikegt4]

Houses are built all the time with a kink in them, often because of driveway issues. Probably the best advice for your question would come from your truss supplier.

 

[Torque&Recoil]

I'm with Mikegt4. I don't think this would be a problem for an accomplished builder. I ass_u_me that they would propose doing it the traditional way, with a beam on the ridgeline. The only thing that gives me pause, is that you note "clear span trusses". The way a truss works, is that roof loads are held up by the walls, while the horizontal part is in tension. Clear span trusses are more like bridge beams - they have to resist bending loads. So, yeah, you might have to double up (or something) on the garage gable end. If it was a normal truss, one or two at most would probably work.

Here's another way of looking at it. The roof load from the yellow triangle is going to go half into the existing house, and half into the garage. If a normal truss was at the garage gable end - the load at number "32" on the paper sketch is going into tension of the horizontal part. With a clear span truss, that load at number 32 is going to try to bend the clear span truss and bow the walls outward.

Again, your truss supplier might be able to tell you if their design is strong enough.

How much snow do you get where you live? That might be the determining factor.

 

[rerod]

I'm with Mikegt4. So, yeah, you might have to double up (or something) on the garage gable end. If it was a normal truss, one or two at most would probably work.

triangle is going to go half into the existing house, and half into the garage. If a normal truss was at the garage gable end - the load at number "32" on the paper sketch is going into tension of the horizontal part.

How much snow do you get where you live? That might be the determining factor.

Thanks. Iowa's been known to get 12" usually, and up to 20"

Good to be reassured this is easy for a accomplished builder. I found one but apparently my project isn't worthy enough, so I'll keep looking but it might have been we first talked about a garage, and then now I need a house too.

 

[rancherbill]

Not a problem on the trusses as has been mentioned.

The Problem I see is that you are connecting 2 structures. HERE there's a big problem with building movement due to seasonal movement (frost). Nobody thinks their building moves, but.... Here you have to properly tie the foundations together. It is done regularly, but it costs to get the buildings tied at the foundation. Talk to the building permit people and they can advise.

 

[rerod]

Not a problem on the trusses as has been mentioned.

Talk to the building permit people and they can advise.

There's no inspections in Iowa county.. You only have to submit a pdf so they can tax you.

I think I need a surveyor first, then a architect to draw it up. Then hope a contractor is interested.

 

[mikegt4]

There's no inspections in Iowa county.. You only have to submit a pdf so they can tax you.

I think I need a surveyor first, then a architect to draw it up. Then hope a contractor is interested.

I wish that was the case where I am, we have to get a permit just to think about a project.

 

[rancherbill]

There's no inspections in Iowa county.. You only have to submit a pdf so they can tax you.

I am not talking about inspections. I am talking about your building foundation moving. They will tell you if it's an issue. Here as soon as you say buildings are going to connected there is a proper way to do it. It may or may not be an issue where you live. It is better to do it right before Mike Holmes comes and body slams you.

 

[rerod]

I am not talking about inspections. I am talking about your building foundation moving. They will tell you if it's an issue. Here as soon as you say buildings are going to connected there is a proper way to do it. It may or may not be an issue where you live. It is better to do it right before Mike Holmes comes and body slams you.

You mentioned this before and I'm still listening. Or a link to what your referring to would work also.

 

[rerod]

I wish that was the case where I am, we have to get a permit just to think about a project.

I thought no inspections was a bonus when I bought the property, but now realize it opens the door for jackery at my expense.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My first thought is if you talk to a builder, he's going to tell you to make it a 30° angle. I believe that works out to something like 7/12 in a roof pitch and should be an angle he's more comfortable working with when it starts to roll in the math area of construction.

How far is the corner of the house to the corner of the garage ?

What is you pan to do with this area ? Storage ? Extra room ?

Is this is built like a typical house, i.e. house with basement and garage, and a normal foundation is built, I see no worry when it comes to seasonal movement.

 

[rerod]

The reason for 29 degrees, actually 28.955 degrees, is the hypotenuse is 32' and the house 28. If I increase to 30 degrees the house becomes narrower.
It's 15.49' corner of the house to the corner of the garage and this triangle is a parking space for my grocery getter. Agreed, no worries about the foundation "if" properly poured.

 

[NUTTSGT]

The reason for 29 degrees, actually 28.955 degrees, is the hypotenuse is 32' and the house 28. If I increase to 30 degrees the house becomes narrower.
It's 15.49' corner of the house to the corner of the garage and this triangle is a parking space for my grocery getter. Agreed, no worries about the foundation "if" properly poured.

Your builder will more than likely tell you, this is how wide the house is and at this angle, it makes the garage "this" wide. I highly doubt they are going to get into minimal measurements when laying it out to get exactly what you want in the garage width.... I'd accept the garage width being 31' 11" (whatever it lays out to) rather than fighting and arguing with the builder (extra $$).


As far as the multiple trusses go, I'd think the architect or builder would suggesting incorporating an glulam in the mix, sized accordingly. Then use hangers and rafters to fill the roof line.

 

[rancherbill]

You mentioned this before and I'm still listening. Or a link to what your referring to would work also.

I will not give you links from here. You have to address the issue there.

You said you were on some sort of hill. HILLS MOVE.
You live in Iowa. The GROUND FREEZES. Ground movement is inevitable.

You have to talk to people who are in the know. Building departments have seen problems for 100+ years. They will not let you knowingly make a mistake.

Ask around with people and if you can't get an answer go ask the county. Wear a Groucho Marx Glasses and Nose so nobody recognises you and ask this question. "I am thinking about _______ , what will I need to get a building permit?" Ask someone above the front desk clerk. Nobody will know who you are and raise your taxes. You dont want walls perpetually cracking, doors sticking, snakes coming in the gap, and the building falling down in a big storm due to structural failure caused by ground movement.

 

[rerod]

I will not give you links from here. You have to address the issue there.

You said you were on some sort of hill. HILLS MOVE.
You live in Iowa. The GROUND FREEZES. Ground movement is inevitable.

Thanks and you are correct. Every structure on my hilltop was tipping down the hill, unless it was centered on top. And since we can all level pictures on the wall, if you look close you'll notice most homes already tipping down the hill they are on..

I was just in the court house, beautiful old structure, and there is no building department. Only a

Pre-Construction Application for Iowa County Residences​

 

[egdede]

So now you need to find out who that application is going to and ask them (with the groucho mask on of course : )

 

[dcg9381]

As far as the multiple trusses go, I'd think the architect or builder would suggesting incorporating an glulam in the mix, sized accordingly. Then use hangers and rafters to fill the roof line.

The architect I worked with and most of them in my area - they don't do the structural engineering. They send the "lumber" company the house plans / foundation plans and it's the "lumber" company that sends back a bid for the trusses, LVLs, beams, etc with an associated stamped drawing. My architect takes their drawings and integrates them to the plans (usually as a simple page addition that keeps the stamp).

Not saying you can't do it differently, but I don't think many GCs / architects are wasting their time designing trusses in most "normal" residential circumstances.

I say let the truss provider (and their associated engineer) figure it out....

 

[duneslider]

None of this makes sense at all. Houses are built on hills all the freaking time. My yard slopes over 12 feet front to back, my house isn't moving anywhere. Houses that are built with proper engineering don't move. Part of proper engineering is doing a soils analysis and then building the structure in a way it won't move. If stuff is moving it wasn't done right.

Anyway, you can't make the roof line up perfect if the widths are different. This isn't a big deal though, its done like this all the time and is super simple.

The angle between the house portion and garage portion doesn't matter, it can be whatever angle you want it to be. Whatever you draw is what they are going to build. You put a set of plans together and then it gets built however the plans are drawn, nobody cares what the angle is.