Roofing truss for loft conversion

[jerksy]

I am about to undertake a loft conversion with a dormer. This will be my first ever loft conversion. I am enthusiastic to do the majority of the work myself and I also want to save myself the quoted £35,000 - £50,000 price.

Are there any other DIY'ers who have done loft conversions themselves? E.g. installed trusses, installed steels, installed dormers, modified roofing hips, modified roofing ridges and modified gables?

Is it more cost effective to outsource the entire timber roof manufacture portion to a roofing truss company? If the answer is yes, which are the best roof truss comapnies?

 

[stuartturbo]

Considering the the biggest job i had under took was putting my TV on the wall but i am currently right in the middle of a dormer loft conversion.
Doing all myself except the scaffolding and the SE,draftsman
This last week I have been doing the exterior of the dormer.
So far my materials have been about £4k this is strengthening the front and rear dormer.
I have now steel work at all so very DIY'er
http://carters-loft.blogspot.co.uk/
That was done for my family and my benefit so not the best

 

[jerksy]

Hi Stuartturbo,

Thanks for the reply. I will be read your blog "http://carters-loft.blogspot.co.uk/".

How much time have you allocated for the entire project?

At what stages are you calling the Building Control officer to inspect your work?

Does £4K include the cost of all the materials required? Timber, battens, felt, tiles?

Are you following a manual or guide? If yes, then can you please share it or recommend one?

I was told by one of the builders who quoted me 50K, that all of the floor joists and the entire roof has to come down for a a loft conversion. Is this what you have had to do?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

 

[stuartturbo]

How much time have you allocated for the entire project?

As long as it takes the dormer structure and exterior is nearly finished and that has been 11days on my own no assistance at all. But i did start in April and is been mainly done on the Sunday off i get

At what stages are you calling the Building Control officer to inspect your work?

This has been a couple of structural stages so far next time is when the insulation is fitted

Does £4K include the cost of all the materials required? Timber, battens, felt, tiles?

Yes but bear in mind that is a small rear dormer on a 1903 terrace. and that cost will go up as the interior needs completing

Are you following a manual or guide? If yes, then can you please share it or recommend one?

No guide have the SE calc drawings and what the drafts man half completed with the councils additions and modifications, most of this could be found searching, ie falt roof specs etc

I was told by one of the builders who quoted me 50K, that all of the floor joists and the entire roof has to come down for a a loft conversion. Is this what you have had to do?

My floor joist sit in between old ceiling joists and half the roof came of when the dormer frame was built.
I was only quoted ~£25k so differing starting prices