Q&A / 

Roof Truss Substitution

DEAR TIM: We just put a contract in on a new production home in central Oregon. The builder is quite reputable and builds homes from $200,000 custom homes up to $2,000,000. We loved the model home and bought one just like it. We realized some of the finish options would be different, but yesterday when we toured the jobsite, we found a fairly significant structural change in the home that caught us by surprise.

The model home featured a vaulted great room with 2-foot transom windows above a sliding glass door to the back patio. However, we were told, after our purchase, that the vaulted part of our home utilized more cost[effective manufactured trusses rather than stick frame construction used in the model, which had resulted in a slight reduction in vault height.

We can probably live with the slightly reduced vault height. But when we looked at the home, we were surprised to see that the ceiling pitch did not match at the walls because the bottom ends of the trusses are flat for about 18 to 24 inches beyond the top of the header plate at the top of the walls. In other words, the ceiling extends out at 90 degrees flat from the wall junction about 18 to 24 inches before angling up to form the vault.

What do you think of this? Is this common? We could find no reference to trusses of this design on the web, and to us, it looks like a mistake in the framing. Also distressing is that the nice transom window will now be only about 1-foot high and the ceiling about a foot lower. We are distressed, but wondered how much of a deal to make of this. Is this an example of bait and switch with the design standards, or just the way it goes? Becky Kearns, Corvallis, OR

DEAR BECKY: I am at a significant disadvantage since I do not have access to your signed contract, any referenced plans and any written specifications. My experience tells me that the answer is there in black and white.

The truss that you describe is a common commodity. We call them scissor trusses with a partially extended bottom chord. It is debatable whether the trusses save money for the builder as there are some instances where a common-framed roof can cost less than a truss roof.

Look at all of the documents and determine if there is wording that says if your home was to match the model home. Look at the plans carefully to see if the structural cross section shows the roof framing as it is in the model or the way you see it at your home.

The written specifications may also have valuable clues. Look for sneaky language that allows the builder to make discretionary substitutions. I feel this kind of language in a contract can lead to abuse on the part of the builder and agony for the homeowner.

Your only leverage lies in the written documents. There is a strong possibility you are a victim of a bait and switch, especially if the salesperson told you that your new home would match the model home. But I hate to say that it is your responsibility to ensure that what is promised is put in writing.

I urge you to immediately meet with some of the top level management of the builder to discuss your extreme disappointment. If this is a smart builder, he will try to work with you so that you are happy. Make it very obvious that you are unhappy, but under no circumstances should you threaten him. That is very counter-productive. There is common ground and you need to find it rapidly before it costs too much to frame the roof the way you want it done.

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