FAQs & SELF-BUILD ADVICE

Q: My electrician is running a few wires along my roof can he drills holes in the timber to feed the wiring through?

A: STOP! Never cut, drill or alter trusses. They are designed to support your roof, and assembled from the highest grade of structural timber. Any such alterations may lead to design failure and may end up costing hundreds of pound in engineer design fees and extra timber support to ensure the structure is strong enough for the roof load. If in doubt, please ask ETS before cutting. We can always check if the alteration is feasible. 

Q: I’ve read through this site and I’m still unsure of which trusses to order. What should I do?

A: Email us on sales@etstrusses.co.uk or phone us on 01952 771170

Q: I’m doing a self-build and do not feel confident enough to produce a roofing plan with the correct specifications for you. What should I do?

A: Contact us for advice! We are happy to help you over the phone if we can. Depending on location, ETS can arrange to visit your site to produce an accurate drawing from which we can supply your trusses.

Q: You don’t appear to have supplied enough infill timber with your roof trusses! Where is it?

A: Check the ETS Infill Timber Installation Drawing alongside the cutting list. All of the truss projects designed by ETS carry sufficient infill supply (on larger projects we even include extra lengths of infill timber). If you follow the drawing and cutting list you will find there is sufficient infill timber – and you have installed your roof correctly!

Q: I had a delivery of trusses. How long can I keep them exposed to weather?

 

A: Trusses should be installed and covered as soon as possible. If stored they should be placed on bearers to keep them clear of the ground. ETS doesn’t recommend storing trusses uncovered for longer than 1 month.

Q: Why should I use easi-joist® for floor joists?

A: They are lighter and stronger than conventional timber and we can precision make them to save you stress and labour. Their unique wood and metal construction means you can run wiring and plumbing services through them quickly and easily without the risk of structural weakening caused by drilling or notching conventional solid timber joists.

Q: I would like to put a pool table on the first floor of my house are joist strong enough to support the load?

A: Ideally, pool tables and other unusual specific loading should be allowed for at the design stage. That way, ETS can ensure you get a solution that supports your specific need.

Q: My architect has drawn my attic roof as loose timber and steels construction. Does this mean that the roof can’t be designed using roof trusses?

A: Not necessarily. ETS can almost certainly offer a feasible truss rafter alternative and we have successfully completed many such projects, successfully removing the need for costly steels and long construction times on site. Alternatively, we can design the attic using our trussed rafters and avoiding using steels.

Q: What are the differences between ETS Room in the Roof and a conventional loft conversion?

A: Conventional conversions simply convert existing space, so if you have a shallow roof pitch, the amount of usable internal space created can be minimal. ETS Room in the Roof can create substantial extra living space by altering the pitch of the roof (steeper pitch = more useful internal space) and building in such features as dormer windows.

Most existing roofs are constructed of timbers that are insufficient in strength to support the additional loads that converting a loft into a fully functioning room/s will create. Many people are finding that a new attic truss roof is a cost effective alternative to a more conventional extension. Taking the opportunity to apply for permission to raise their roof pitch and remedy any existing roof defects that “under designed” roof timbers have caused.

Q: I’m putting attic trusses on my house conversion, but don’t intend on using the attic space until a later date. Can I cut a stairwell opening in my trusses after they have been installed?

A: It is wise to allow for a stairwell opening at the design stage of your attic roof. Any retrospective alteration to trusses can be very expensive, so it is best to include for these now rather than face complex and costly additions in the future. design your stairwell opening when installing the trusses. Although this will cost extra, it will be much cheaper than the structural engineer’s fees at a later date.