Deciding to build a granny flat is simple, designing and building the extension can be a lot harder. You'll have a lot of questions to answer along the way. Can you use a general contractor or is is better to use one who has built a lot of granny flats before? Is a template design better than a customised one? Should you let the person who'll live in the flat have a say in what it looks like? Luckily, I'm here to help. My name is Maria. We moved my Mum into a purpose-built granny flat last year, so I've had to answer all these questions and more. I thought it'd be useful for other people to see how we managed the process, so here we are — get reading!
Which type of timber truss should you choose?
Whether you are renovating your home or building an entirely new property, one area where you can't afford to cut corners is the roof. The roof covers and protects your property, keeping you and everything inside your home safe from the outside elements. You might think that the roof design is something that you can address at the end of the design process but, in fact, the design you choose for the roof can have a big impact on the floor plan of your home. What is easy to forget about a roof is that it needs to be supported by more than just the outer wall of the property. It is the nature of this internal support that will dictate the arrangement of the rooms around your property. If you like large open-plan areas then you will need to find a way for the roof to span long distances without support. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a timber truss roof.
Which timber trusses are right for your roof?
Not only does the right timber truss allow your roof to span greater distances but, along with timber wall frames, trusses perfectly support your roof and create a solid structural fabric for your home that will last for many years. While timber wall frames are generally fairly standard in design, a roof truss can be produced in at least three major ways, and the design which is most suitable for your home will depend on the roof style you are considering.
W-type trusses
The W-type timber truss involves multiple joints and angles. This design takes up a considerable amount of space in your attic, but the timber trusses are short and easy to install, making this a cost-effective design if the span, pitch and projected load of your roof are all suitable.
King post trusses
If you want to minimize your labour costs then king post timber trusses are the most practical option. They consist of a common vertical support connected to a pair of angled supports to form the truss. The disadvantage of this type of timber truss is that it is only suitable for use with short-span roofs.
Scissor trusses
Scissor trusses are probably what most people think of when timber trusses are mentioned. If you enter a home with exposed beams exuding rustic charm then you are probably looking at scissor trusses. Most scissor trusses available today are prefabricated, making them straightforward to install and simple to work with.
Whichever type of timber truss you decide to purchase, remember to talk through your options with your timber truss supplier. They will know which type of truss is most likely to be suitable for your home.