Trussed Roof Loft Conversion
Trussed Roof Loft Conversion
Many houses built from around the 1960s onwards were built using prefabricated trussed rafters rather than the older style of roof construction found in Victorian and Edwardian homes. A trussed roof is made up of triangular timber frames, often with diagonal timbers running through the middle of what would otherwise be open loft space. These timbers are usually load bearing across the whole width of the roof, which means you cannot simply cut them out the way you might with an older, more traditional roof structure.
Converting a trussed roof means the existing trusses have to be removed or altered under proper structural engineering, with new steel or timber beams put in to carry the load that the trusses used to carry. This is a more involved job than converting an older cut roof, and it needs a structural engineer involved from the very start, along with temporary roof support while the work is carried out.
Who this for
This service applies to homes built from roughly the 1960s onwards that were constructed with trussed rafter roofs rather than a traditional cut roof. If you are not sure which type of roof your home has, this is usually one of the first things we check during a survey, since it changes the whole approach to the job.
Project Process Steps
Our structural engineer identifies the type and loading of the existing trusses and works out what new structure is needed to replace their role.
We put temporary roof support in place before any trusses are removed, so the roof stays safe and stable throughout the work.
The trusses are removed or altered and new load bearing beams are installed in their place, following the engineer's specification exactly.
Once the new structure is confirmed safe and signed off, the loft conversion continues through the usual construction and interior stages.