What is the cheapest roof truss?

Roof truss prices fall anywhere between $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot for materials, but the total price of the roof truss depends on the building area, the pitch of the roof, and the type of truss. For a 10-foot-span, a truss roof costs between $30 to $50, while a 60-foot-span costs between $300 to $320.

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Highlights One truss costs an average of $220 .

Roof trusses cost between $1.50 and $4.50 per square foot .

The overall cost depends on the size of the roof, material type, and more.

Labor for truss installation runs between $25 and $75 per hour .

Scissor trusses cost 15% to 30% more than a common truss, and attic trusses are more than that.

Installing trusses is dangerous work best left to professional roofers.

Get quotes from up to 3 pros ! Enter a zip below and get matched to top-rated pros near you. Find pros Without a roof, your house is just an open box filled with rainwater and bird droppings. Without a truss, your roof has no support, as the truss provides a backbone for everything from gutters to shingles. These necessary components are made from wood or metal and cost around $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot, with the average installation cost for a whole roof clocking in at $8,500. The average cost of a truss by itself ranges from $45 to $400, with an average roof requiring anywhere from 10 to 16 trusses. This typically boils down to about $200 per truss. This average cost fluctuates according to the type, accessibility, size, materials, labor prices, and more. Low Cost Per Project Average Cost Per Project High Cost Per Project $5,000 $8,500 $12,000

What Factors Influence Roof Truss Costs?

Overall, roof truss prices fluctuate due to location, size, and roof complexity. Here are some things that influence the final cost of the roof truss.

Roof Truss Size

Roof truss prices fall anywhere between $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot for materials. For a 10-foot-span, a truss roof costs between $45 to $135, while a 60-foot-span costs between $300 to $400. Talk to a local framing contractor to get accurate pricing for your specific project. Roof Truss Size Cost (Materials only) 20 square feet $25 – $80 30 square feet $45 – $135 40 square feet $60 – $180 50 square feet $75 – $225 60 square feet $300 – $400

Building Type

Some building designs require fewer planks or beams to build a truss and, as such, lower both materials and labor costs. On the flip side, some building types require different truss types to cover the roof, adding to the expenses. New homes : Building a roof truss for a new home costs $7,200 to $12,000 , assuming 2,000 square feet of materials. To put that into perspective, framing out an entire house costs $14,000 to $32,000 , so a roof truss represents a moderate percentage of this. Pole barn house: This type of metal home uses post-frame construction, simplifying the process to install a roof truss. The poles support the truss and not the walls. Installing a roof truss on a pole barn structure costs $5,000 to $10,000 . Garages : Adding a truss to a detached garage roof costs $3,500 to $9,000 , depending on the size and related concerns. It is less expensive to install a truss on a detached garage, as the process does not require any home tie-ins. Home additions: This depends entirely on the size and what kind of connections are required to the rest of the home. For small add-ons like a new bathroom, the cost is low. For multiple rooms, the cost gets higher. Placing a roof truss over a new home addition costs $3,000 to $12,000.

Pitch of the Roof

The bigger your roof, the more you’ll end up spending, and the same goes for steeply-pitched designs. Steep roofs necessitate more complex, and potentially dangerous, installation procedures. They also require more beams or boards to account for the pitch, especially when compared to relatively flat designs. The pitch (or angle) is calculated by the number of inches it rises vertically for every 12 inches it extends horizontally, so talk to your pro and ask if your pitch impacts the overall cost.

Truss Material

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When it comes to trusses, there are two main materials to choose from. Wooden trusses excel with residential constructions, though find some use with commercial buildings. They also represent the more budget-friendly option, at $35 to $400 per truss. Wood trusses are easier to install than metal trusses, but are susceptible to extreme weather conditions, boring insects, and more. Metal trusses, which are typically steel, are often found in the commercial and industrial sectors, though certain pole barn residential designs require steel trusses. Steel trusses cost $150 to $600 each, though metal stands up extremely well to extreme weather and is at no risk of being invaded by mold or insects.

Labor Cost

Labor costs land at around $25 to $75 per hour, depending on the expertise of the contractors and the demands of the job. Contractors sometimes charge by the square foot, particularly when adding a truss to a new construction. If this is the case, labor amounts to $4 to $10 per square foot. For pre-existing structures, demolishing the old truss adds another $4 to $5 per square foot. Labor costs are generally higher in urban areas when compared to rural sites, due to easier accessibility to job sites.

Equipment

A crane (with operator) costs $300 to $1,000, depending on how long the job takes, though your contractor has likely developed relationships with nearby crane operators to allow for occasional discounts. Pros and amateurs alike also need tall and sturdy ladders, which contractors provide. Buying the ladders on your own costs $100 to $500. Pros even bring various high-powered saws to the job site to cut beams and boards to the specific required lengths and thicknesses.

Waste Removal

You may pay an extra $100 to $200 for disposal fees for waste when laying down trusses on top of a new construction, with prefab trusses being your least expensive option here. The costs tick up when disposing of pre-existing trusses. Demolition here costs $4 to $5 per square foot and disposing of the old trusses costs anywhere from $300 to $1,800. Some pros wrap these costs into the overall estimate, so discuss them ahead of time.

Weight Load

Roof trusses are built to support the weight of remaining roofing materials, including insulation, and should be able to handle local snow-load averages. If you live in an area with a higher-than-average snow load, a bulkier truss design is often required. All of that snow is heavy and it adds up. Accounting for high snow volumes does increase the cost of the truss construction by around 25%. Talk to your pro, as they are well-versed with any local requirements to accommodate for this snow load.

Spacing

The vast majority of roof trusses are installed with a spacing of two feet, meaning each beam or rod is placed two feet from the previous one. If your building requires an extraordinary level of stability, pros recommend spacing your truss rods at 16-inch intervals. This translates to more labor and materials, as it increases the number of trusses the building needs. Count on paying 20% to 30% more for trusses that are spaced 16-inches apart.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Roof by Truss Type?

A roof truss has many types; each offering a different style of support and a unique price range. Learn the average roof truss prices for various types below.

Scissor Roof or Vaulted Truss Costs

Scissor trusses cost 15% to 30% more than a common truss, ranging between $45 to $500 each. A scissor truss, also known as a cathedral truss, is used to create vaulted ceilings or interesting ceiling shapes and is commonly found in residential constructions. The “scissor” in scissor truss refers to the shape of the bottom chord, as it is split into two sections and angled upward to create a vaulted ceiling. The increase in price comes down to labor and materials, as vaulted ceilings are steeply pitched.

Attic Roof Cost

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An attic truss costs two times more than the common truss, coming in at around $70 to $800 per piece. These trusses feature two vertical posts spaced apart to allow for more attic space and the potential for a loft space. This transforms the attic into a usable space for storage. The attic. An attic truss costs more due to the elevated pitch involved with a standard attic and increased installation complexity, as your pros perform a fair amount of the work indoors to attach the vertical posts and prepare the attic.

Gable Truss Cost

Gable trusses, otherwise called end trusses, cost 25% to 50% more than a standard truss, but they only cap the ends, so this increased cost is only applicable to several trusses within your roof’s structure. These trusses cap the ends of a roof with perfectly vertical support beams, no matter the style used on top of the roof.

Pre-made Roof Trusses Cost

The vast majority of the individual trusses available for purchase are pre-made or prefab designs. An average roof requires several different shapes and designs, but pros typically pull from pre-made options, though they are cut to size when needed. Pre-made trusses are more economical than custom trusses, coming in at around $100 to $300 per piece. Pros match up truss styles based on external shape and internal webbing. These range from the king post, which is a simple truss with a post placed vertically in the middle, to the Howe truss, which features three vertical supports with two angled cross supports between them. Your roof likely requires an array of designs and shapes, so talk to your pro.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Roof Yourself?

Building a roof yourself may seem like a great project to tackle, but unless you’re a skilled carpenter or licensed contractor, don’t put the tool belt on just yet. DIY will save $2,240 on labor—assuming your contractors would have worked the average number of hours (112 hours at $20 per hour) to complete this project. Though most of the time, roof trusses are prefabricated, which reduces labor costs significantly. A professional would just assemble trusses on-site quickly and efficiently, which would lower the overall labor cost. However, installing a truss is not a job for an amateur DIYer. You should hire a professional to avoid damage from an improper truss frame installation and to ensure your safety. “Until a truss is not only secured to the structure but also secured with temporary cross-bracing, it’s an extremely dangerous job,” says Bob Tschudi, Angi Expert Review Board member and general contractor in Raleigh, NC. “In addition to following all of the normal preventative measures, make sure the perimeter of the building is cleared of workers until the trusses are secure.” DIYing a truss may save you labor money, but it will also cost you: Materials : It will cost anywhere between $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot of building area

Equipment : The crane will cost $150 per day

Permits : You need to obtain a permit, which will cost $500

Warranty: Check with the manufacturer because DIY jobs may void the warranty

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

Sure, it saves money by going the DIY route here, but installing a truss (or 12) is extremely delicate and dangerous work that requires specialized tools and expertise. Amateurs run the risk of injury whenever completing roof work, but the dangers don’t stop there. Installing a truss incorrectly leads to structural issues down the line which puts the entire structure at risk. In other words, this is not for amateurs. Only a DIYer with plenty of roof and truss experience should attempt this procedure. Otherwise, contact a local roofer to keep things safe and efficient.

angi.com - How Much Do Roof, Scissor, and Attic Trusses Cost?