Roof question/introduction

Started by Annie, July 06, 2006, 12:38:42 PM

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Annie

Hi!

I'm glad I found this place.  First, some background.  My Mom has Alzheimer's and lives with me now.  I am sole caretaker, and currently live 80 miles from my hometown/nearest sibling.  I am finding it difficult to continue this way, working full time, taking care of Mom, and my own hobby farm with livestock.  My brother was killed in a car accident in October.  He had 8 acres near my hometown, in SE Minnesota, in the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi,  and had septic, well, and a walkout basement (app 26 x 34) with a roof, plumbing rough-ins, electricity, and heated it with an outdoor wood boiler. He did everything himself, building as he could afford it.  I am contemplating/daydreaming about buying it and finishing it off, with at least another story.  Mom can't handle steps anymore, so I need to fit everything (2 bedrooms, bathroom with roll-in shower, kitchen/living/dining/office) on the one floor.  I have a lay-out in Sketch-up, and if you all promise not to laugh at my bad Sketchup skills, might even post that for input.  I have no building/design experience, and don't know the minimum sizes, for example, for a bathroom with  roll-in shower, etc.  

My question, at last, is this.  As I mentioned, the basement has a roof.  Is it possible to raise that roof, on jacks, crane, ?? build the frame, and then reset the roof?  Money is an issue (of course) and I just like the idea that the roof over my head was built by my brother and dad, who are no longer with us.  Or is the best I could hope for is to re-use the trusses?  

John Raabe

Assuming the roof structure is solid, it can be raised. Some of the builders on the forum may have more information about how they would do this. Partly it will depend on the size, shape and weight. Certainly a house mover would have the equipment to do this but there may be lower tech and lower cost ideas as well.

None of us are as smart as all of us.


glenn kangiser

Hi Annie - welcome to the forum.  I have no Sketchup skills because I don't have time to play wih it so you are way ahead of me. :)

Please post your drawings and if possible some digital pictures of the place would help.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

n74tg

Welcome to the forum Annie.  None of us were born knowing how to use SketchUp, so we've all been there.  Keep playing with it and you'll be amazed how quickly the drawings will begin to look better.

Several of the people on this forum are just beginning their projects (including me), so don't worry about your inexperience.  The experienced ones are a real asset to this forum and share their knowledge generously.

I'll be interested in all the advice you're given on jacking the roof and building under it.
My house building blog:

http://n74tg.blogspot.com/