That’s interesting about the insulation—didn’t realize trusses made that part easier. I’ll admit, I was tempted by the look of open rafters too, but my budget just wouldn’t stretch for all the custom work. Trusses were way cheaper for us, and getting everything up in a day was a huge plus. Has anyone run into issues down the line with trusses sagging or shifting? I’ve heard mixed things, but ours have held up fine so far.
Trusses saved our bacon on costs, too. I totally get the appeal of open rafters—they do look sharp—but man, the quotes we got for custom work were wild. We went with trusses and honestly, no regrets after five years. No sagging or weird shifting so far, even after a couple of those heavy snow winters. I did worry at first since you always hear stories, but maybe it comes down to who installs them and local weather? Either way, sticking to budget and still getting a solid roof felt like a win.
I hear you on the trusses—cost-wise, they’re hard to beat, and I’ve seen plenty hold up just fine. That said, I’ve managed a couple older properties with open rafters, and there’s something to be said for the flexibility they give you down the line. Had a client who wanted to finish out an attic, and the open rafter setup made it way easier to run new wiring and ductwork. Trusses can box you in a bit if you ever want to change things up. Guess it’s one of those “depends what you need” situations.
I totally get the appeal of open rafters for future projects. I’m still learning as I go, but when we bought our place, the inspector pointed out that trusses would make it tough if we ever wanted to finish the attic. At the time, I just wanted a roof that didn’t leak, so cost won out. Now, of course, my partner’s dreaming up “bonus room” ideas and I’m realizing how boxed in we are. Guess you never really know what you’ll want to do until you’re living with it...
