I’ve seen that happen too—folks get excited about green roofs or solar panels, but forget the old rafters underneath weren’t built for all that extra weight. My uncle’s place had a similar issue after he added solar; ended up with some nasty sagging. I’m curious, for those who’ve gone the truss route, did you notice any downsides? I’ve heard they can limit attic space, but maybe that’s not a big deal for everyone.
- Totally hear you on the attic space thing—trusses can seriously eat into it. If you’re hoping for a walkable attic or storage, they’re not ideal.
- That said, I’ve seen way fewer issues with sagging or shifting loads compared to stick-built rafters, especially when folks add solar or heavy stuff up top.
- On a couple jobs, we did get some weird drywall cracks below after trusses went in, but I think that was more about rushed installs than the trusses themselves.
- If you’re not using the attic much, the stability’s worth it. But yeah... if you want a big open attic, trusses can be a letdown.
I’ve seen trusses hold up better in high-wind areas—less shifting, fewer call-backs after storms. But yeah, you lose that open attic. If you’re in a spot with hail or heavy snow, I’d lean truss for peace of mind. Just make sure whoever installs them actually takes their time... rushed jobs always show up as cracks or squeaks later.
Trusses are definitely the safer bet if you’re anywhere that gets hammered by wind or snow. I’ve lived through a couple of those “hundred-year storms” and watched neighbors with stick-built rafters patching up cracks and chasing leaks, while my truss roof just sat there like it was bored. But yeah, you do lose that big open attic space—if you’re dreaming about a future bonus room or just want to be able to crawl around up there, it’s a trade-off.
Honestly, I’d rather have a solid roof than extra storage. I learned the hard way that a leaky attic is just a fancy way to ruin your holiday decorations. And whoever said rushed jobs cause problems is spot on... My first place had a roof put on in a weekend “special” and I swear every time the wind blew, the whole house creaked like it was haunted. Pay for good labor, not just good materials.
- I totally get wanting to avoid leaks, but man, I do miss having a walkable attic. My last place had rafters and it was handy for tossing up boxes and old furniture.
- With my current house, we went with trusses because the quotes were way cheaper and the builder said they’d handle our heavy snow better. Haven’t had a single issue (knock on wood) but yeah, there’s barely any crawl space up there now.
- One thing I noticed—insurance was a bit cheaper with the truss roof. Maybe that’s just my area?
- Anyone here ever try to add storage or a small loft to a truss attic? I’ve heard some people regret not planning for that upfront, but I’m not sure how much more it would’ve cost.
Curious if anyone has managed to get both: solid truss support and usable attic space, without blowing up the budget...
