A successful construction project starts long before materials arrive at the jobsite. When working with prefabricated building components like roof trusses, floor trusses, and wall panels, proper planning can help prevent costly mistakes, unnecessary delays, and unexpected changes.
At Truss Components of Washington, we've seen firsthand how small discrepancies in building plans can create significant challenges during construction.
In this guide, we'll cover some of the most important details to review before your components are designed, manufactured, and delivered.
1. Make Sure Your Building Plans Match
One of the most important steps is ensuring that the different pages of your building plans agree with one another.
It may sound obvious, but discrepancies between foundation plans, framing plans, and architectural drawings are more common than you might expect.
For example, imagine ordering roof trusses based on the dimensions shown in your framing plan, only to discover that the foundation was poured using different dimensions.
Even if the trusses were manufactured exactly according to the framing plan, they may no longer fit the structure.
Before submitting your plans for design, double-check that your foundation dimensions match your framing dimensions.
2. Verify Your Roof Design Details
Roof designs contain numerous details that need to be consistent throughout your plans.
Some of the most common discrepancies include:
Roof profiles: One drawing may show a hip roof while another shows a gable roof.
Roof pitch: An elevation might specify a 3/12 pitch while another drawing indicates 4/12.
Overhangs: Different details may show cantilevered overhangs, standard rafter overhangs, or raised heels.
Blocking requirements: Architectural and structural plans may call for different blocking configurations.
These details affect how your trusses are designed and manufactured.
Resolving conflicting information early allows your truss designer to work with the correct specifications from the beginning.
3. Identify Vaulted Ceilings Before Design Begins
Vaulted ceilings can make a room feel more spacious, but they also affect the design of your roof trusses.
For example, your building plans might originally show a flat ceiling in the living room, but you decide that you'd prefer a vaulted ceiling.
In many cases, that modification is possible. However, it's important to communicate the change before the trusses are designed.
If the designer completes the package using a flat ceiling and later discovers that the room needs to be vaulted, the design may need to be revised.
That can affect pricing, scheduling, and your original budget.
The earlier you communicate design preferences, the easier it is to account for them.
4. Confirm Bearing Walls and Load Paths
Bearing walls play an important role in supporting roof and floor systems.
In some designs, a truss manufacturer may use an interior wall, such as the back wall of a garage, to support part of the roof system and reduce the load carried by a girder truss.
However, architectural changes can complicate these support locations.
For example, a garage wall may include a recessed section to accommodate a water heater or HVAC equipment. If the wall no longer provides continuous support, additional coordination may be necessary.
Your truss designer needs to know where structural support is available and how loads will transfer through the building to the foundation.
Addressing these details before manufacturing helps avoid structural conflicts during installation.
5. Review Wall Panel Openings and Structural Requirements
If your project includes prefabricated wall panels, there are additional details to confirm.
Rough openings: Make sure the required rough opening dimensions for doors and windows are provided. Finished opening dimensions alone may not give the manufacturer enough information.
Shear walls and hold-downs: Identify shear wall locations and hold-down requirements so the manufacturer can account for appropriate sheathing attachment and structural connections.
Load paths: Coordinate girder and beam loads that transfer through the wall panels to the foundation.
Providing this information early helps ensure that your wall panels are manufactured to match the project's requirements.
6. Prepare Your Jobsite for Delivery
Once your components have been designed and manufactured, the next challenge is getting them safely and efficiently onto your jobsite.
Roof trusses, floor trusses, and wall panels are often transported on large delivery trucks that require adequate access and unloading space.
Before delivery, consider the following:
Is the driveway wide enough for the delivery truck?
Is there sufficient space for the truck and its boom equipment?
Are building materials or other obstacles blocking the unloading area?
Has the unloading sequence been coordinated with the manufacturer?
Will the components be delivered in the order they're needed?
The order in which materials are unloaded can affect how they're loaded onto the truck in the first place.
Coordinating these details ahead of time can make the delivery process much smoother.
7. Communicate Changes Before Manufacturing
Changes during construction aren't unusual.
Maybe the garage was made deeper, a bay window was added, or another part of the building was modified after the original plans were completed.
The important thing is making sure those changes are communicated to your component manufacturer before production begins.
You should also confirm that any outstanding Requests for Information (RFIs) from your designer have been addressed.
Unanswered questions or uncommunicated changes can delay manufacturing or result in components that don't match the finished structure.
Start Your Project on the Right Foot
A little extra preparation can make a significant difference in how smoothly your construction project progresses.
By reviewing your plans, confirming structural details, communicating changes, and preparing your jobsite for delivery, you can help avoid unnecessary complications.
At Truss Components of Washington, our goal is to help builders receive components that are designed and manufactured with the correct information from the start.
Download our Jobsite Checklist to review the details you should consider before ordering roof trusses, floor trusses, or wall panels.
And if you have questions about your upcoming project, contact our team. We're happy to help you get started.