Why should you use trusses?
If you’re in a market dominated by trusses, it might not ever occur to you to ask this question. You’re familiar with the benefits of components, which include much faster jobsite installation and dry-in, but also includes less jobsite waste, less theft, better cost control, and all-in, lower cost in your homes.
If you’re in a region where stick-built homes are the norm, you may not yet have heard these success stories— or you may have heard outdated or factually untrue information about using trusses, particularly trusses for custom roof and ceiling framing. Below are a few commonly-held ideas about trusses that are simply not true anymore, with the now common 3D framing (BIM) software and the advances in automation used in component manufacturing?
- Myth: My customers want custom features, and custom trusses are too expensive, or not practical.
- Fact: Today’s truss manufacturers can produce even trusses with custom ceiling profiles at a nearly production speeds and sensible costs. And with the lower labor costs in the field
- Myth: Trusses are complicated to order.
- Fact: CMs are very good at taking even difficult and complicated designs, and giving you accurate estimates, layouts and sometimes even 3D models of your framing. And today the precision-automated saws and other equipment are often driven by the same software that designed the truss and its structure. So their accuracy is awesome.
- Myth: Trusses can be complicated to figure out on the jobsite, and I need truss specialists to set them.
- Fact: You should always choose your crews wisely, but a reputable framer will likely be capable of setting trusses very well on your project. Especially now, as the truss jobs come with 3D details and section, all the tricky corners are detailed with great accuracy, and easy to see before they go in place. One of the great benefits to truss design today is that it takes most of the thinking out of the field and make your project easy to assemble correctly and safely.
Find a good truss manufacturer and a good framing crew. They could be your best friends to building your homes with better cost control, better quality control, faster installation, and a better bottom line.
Faced with a complicated design, many builders assumed sticks are the best way to go. Fewer and fewer builders make that choice anymore, now that today’s technology allows you to use components to frame even your most complicated plans.