Truss Versus Stick-Built Roof Construction

Labor

• Using roof trusses saves labor costs since the trusses are built off site and are simply erected on site, as opposed to stick-built roof structures which are constructed entirely on site, meaning that the on-site crew spends much less time building the roof, and fewer workers are required to erect the roof. Labor savings are a factor in the cost of the trusses themselves as well, because the trusses can be built quickly and efficiently in a production facility, reducing the overall cost of the roof further.

Materials

• Material costs are lower when roof trusses are used. Engineered roof trusses achieve the same strength as stick-built roofs while using smaller-sized lumber, resulting in a material savings of up to 40 percent. Not only does this savings reduce the cost of construction, it lessens the environmental impact of the building, and the decreased weight of the roof framing allows for greater flexibility in the design of the building.

Precision

• The precise design of roof trusses allows for the strongest possible structure with the least amount of material usage and and waste. Trusses are manufactured to exact specifications, so there is less chance that on-site construction will be delayed by errors or alterations that often plague site-built structures. Builders can be sure that trusses will perform in the way that they were designed to perform.

Design Flexibility

• Flexibility is the area in which stick-built roofs hold an advantage over prefabricated roof trusses. Although trusses can be designed to fit into a variety of building structures, they are not necessarily good choices for complicated roof designs, such as those incorporating dormers or shapes other than typical gables or hip roofs. Buildings in which the roof structure must accommodate attic rooms or cathedral ceilings are not suitable for truss construction, and since roof trusses can't be modified without compromising their strength, truss roofs can't be changed during remodeling.