Any Builders in/around Hertfordshire? Garage Roof Truss mod for 4 post lift

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rockits

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Do we have any builders or anyone able to look at modifying the trusses in my garage so I can get enough height for a 4 post lift? Or any recommendations of someone that could look at if this is possible and to do the work.

I have the roof height but have 4 trusses that will need to be removed to allow the lift clearance.

I might extend the garage a smidge sideways to give another space as well if the costs are bonkers.
 
Do we have any builders or anyone able to look at modifying the trusses in my garage so I can get enough height for a 4 post lift? Or any recommendations of someone that could look at if this is possible and to do the work.

I have the roof height but have 4 trusses that will need to be removed to allow the lift clearance.

I might extend the garage a smidge sideways to give another space as well if the costs are bonkers.

I think you need a structural engineer rather than a builder, google "find an engineer" you should be able to get a list of a few local engineers from the IStructE website who can help you.
 
Don't discount total roof replacement. Sometimes a more cost effective solution.
 
I think you need a structural engineer rather than a builder, google "find an engineer" you should be able to get a list of a few local engineers from the IStructE website who can help you.
Thanks. I've had a structural engineer come to site & written/drawn a full structural report with recommendations for the works. I just need a builder to do the works.
 
Don't discount total roof replacement. Sometimes a more cost effective solution.
Not sure that will be very cost effective really. The removal of 4 trusses with a few steels in replacement & a few other little bits isn't really much work. Maybe 3 days works for 2 men tops so only a few k. A roof replacement for the size of my garage would be 10k+ I would imagine. I have 16 solar panels on the rear pitch.

I would do it myself with my dad but I really don't have the time.
 
Thanks. I've had a structural engineer come to site & written/drawn a full structural report with recommendations for the works. I just need a builder to do the works.

Excellent, I was just worried you may expect a builder to know about structure (can you tell what I do for a living).
 
No worries. I think I can guess. Shame I didn't know before as I'm sure you would have been a better option than the recommendation I was given & used.
 
Funny thing is I have now contacted 5 builders and 1 roofer on Checkatrade. The roofer replied and came round but suggested it wasn't a job for a roofer and better suite to a general builder. Fair enough. He gave me the details of a builder he recommended.

I contacted the builder. Heard nothing back. Chased him after a week. He replied and apologised and asked me to send over my address and he would contact me later. I sent over my address. Not heard back from him and not going to chase him again. That was 3 weeks ago.

Only 2 of the 5 builders I contacted on Checkatrade replied. One replied after I chased them all a second time to say sorry he was on holiday but would contact me when he was back. He was back two weeks ago...heard nothing. Not chasing him again.

The other builder who replied seemed ideal. A father and son business, local only in Brookmans Park. Problem was he could only start the job in 12 months time. I understand people are busy and that is a good thing but not sure I can wait a year for a small job that is going to take maybe 3 days.

The other 3 builders have never contacted me once. I have chased each of them 3 times. Not going to chase any more.

It seems chuffing hard work to get someone to come and do a fairly simple job. Not sure what I am going to do when I start building houses!!

Is it me or have others experienced similar issues?
 
I would hazard a guess that they think the job is a ball-ache to do and can earn easier money elsewhere!
 
Would be an easy job if they actually came to see it!

I thought.abiut 3k for the job was about right. Therefore I reckon about 1k materials tops & 3 days labour for 2 men. Therefore 2k labour for 2 men so 333.33 quid a day per man. Or 433.33 for senior man & 233.33 for junior man. Not too bad really.

Easy job really. If I can't find someone soon I'll get my old man up for a few days & we will do it ourselves. Crazy really.

You reckon I am about right and fair on my numbers?
 
Have you mentioned to these builders how much you think the job will be? If you have, they may have silently disagreed with how long the job will take and decided that it's not worth the hassle, I mean the job sounds a headache to me and not something that's straightforward to price i.e. once they start stripping off the roof etc they might create more problems etc.

Or they could all just be ignorant or even have that much work they're simply not bothered!
 
Funny thing is I have now contacted 5 builders and 1 roofer on Checkatrade. The roofer replied and came round but suggested it wasn't a job for a roofer and better suite to a general builder. Fair enough. He gave me the details of a builder he recommended.

I contacted the builder. Heard nothing back. Chased him after a week. He replied and apologised and asked me to send over my address and he would contact me later. I sent over my address. Not heard back from him and not going to chase him again. That was 3 weeks ago.

Only 2 of the 5 builders I contacted on Checkatrade replied. One replied after I chased them all a second time to say sorry he was on holiday but would contact me when he was back. He was back two weeks ago...heard nothing. Not chasing him again.

The other builder who replied seemed ideal. A father and son business, local only in Brookmans Park. Problem was he could only start the job in 12 months time. I understand people are busy and that is a good thing but not sure I can wait a year for a small job that is going to take maybe 3 days.

The other 3 builders have never contacted me once. I have chased each of them 3 times. Not going to chase any more.

It seems chuffing hard work to get someone to come and do a fairly simple job. Not sure what I am going to do when I start building houses!!

Is it me or have others experienced similar issues?

It's experiences just like this that gives the building trade a bad name. There's no excuses whatsoever. If it's too small a job OR they're too busy, a quick phone call/text/email is all it takes to put you in the picture.

Unfortunate that the guy giving a 12 month start time is too busy. But at least he was honest rather than simply saying 'I'll be in touch'.
 
It really isn't a hard job or much hassle. They haven't got to touch the roof. Just acro it up to support it temporarily. Cut out 4 trusses over about a 2.4m span Cut out 2 wooden wall plates on top of the front/back pitched roof walls, replace with maybe a 3m steel each front & back. Then put a steel front to back one near the gable wall and the other steel front to back in the middle of the garage. Then run some diagonal/horizontal wood to link the existing trusses maybe 2 each side of the gap created to brace everything together.

My dad has already said it is pretty easy & he has been plastering/building since he was 14.

Maybe your right Lee that they all have it far too easy elsewhere & earning too much elsewhere. I don't think so if I'm honest. Many seem to be working for companies now & there seems to be far less smaller general builders than I am sure there was many years ago.

I have never said what price I think or indicated a budget or anything. I don't believe in budgets....it costs what it costs...if I don't have the money I can't afford it.

There is no excuse for bad or zero comms though. If you can't be ****d then let me know. Don't ignore me. Just plain rude.
 
Fully agree with your feelings about them not getting back to you to let you know one way or another, it really really bugs me too, but I've found it's mostly down to people not liking confrontation and telling you No.

When I was developing property, it took me a while to sort the wheat from the chaff, and the price they charged didn't always correlate with the standard of the work. If you can manage the work yourself I'd say the best tradesmen I found were in their early to mid 20's; young, hungry and didn't have big outgoings at home so didn't need to charge £80 to hang a door (as I was once quoted by a 40 something joiner!)
 
Totally agree. It seems exacerbated down south by high prices, poor workmanship & too many small developers.

Down south 80 quid to hang a door seems cheap! I might be better off going back to school to learn a bit more to improve my basic trades skills [emoji6]

Seems to be becoming a bigger issue than it ever was. I'll pay whatever it costs & always do so not a tight ****. Also I'm quite a decent bloke and easy enough to work worth most of the time. I always pay people even often when I probably shouldn't.

Sad state of affairs really.
 
Hard working, honest, decent, law abiding citizens seem to be very much in a minority.
 
Well it as been a long and frustrating time trying to get my garage converted with the necessary adjustments/works to allow me to get a 4 post lift installed. I have experienced a terrible situation in that over several months and contacting no less than 10 builders I managed to get none of them to either respond or have much of a desire to do the works I needed. I had a good response from one father & son but they had a year of worked booked so that was not much of an option.

I already had paid for a structural engineer to do a full site survey and create a plan with drawings for me. After a chat with my dad we decided we could do it ourselves. My dad is a plasterer by trade and had a building business for many years so has lots of knowledge and experience. Jobs like this are a walk in the park really but he is not as young as he used to be so I was loathed to use this option. However if I could do most of the work (I'm fairly handy btW) with his help, guidance and assistance then it could work out OK. I am more than a little handy so would have no issue taking on the job myself but the missus would have gone nuts so and the help would be of course useful so done deal.

My dad came down last Friday and we started the work leaving Saturday & Sunday. I am now 75% through the work now with probably 2 weekends needed to finish on my own now. We needed some 4.2m x 4" x 9" purlins to replace the 6 roof trusses I would be taking out. There would also be a small rear steel of 2.32m x 152mm x 90mm bolted to the back wall and also sat on the existing steels above the rear window & door. Then a massive 7m x 152mm x 152mm UC steel from back to front. I bought a new 1 tonne engine hoist to assist with moving the steel. I also have a ton of kit & tools leaving us well equipped to do whatever was needed.

Here are some pics showing the before. I will do some during and after later as well.

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A few more during pics:

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