Can someone translate this for me please?

[aargh]

Hi, we have been told in our new house survey about the following work that apparently needs to be done, but I know very little about roofs so it is a bit meaningless to me, can someone help?

Apparently "the head of the king post roof truss joint has opened up", and they recommended securing the joint with a susset plate, whatever that is, as a precautionary measure. So my questions are:

- What does this involve and is it something we could do ourselves or likely to need a professional?
- If it is likely to need a professional, what sort of person would it need to be (roofer, builder?) and roughly what should we expect to pay for it? Also is it a big job, or the sort of little job it is sometimes hard to get someone to do?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Deluks]

That'll be gusset plate. A metal plate that fits over all the timbers in the joint and holds them together.

Something like this.

Not difficult to DIY, you could mock up a template in thin ply or hardboard and take it to a metal fabricators or engineering company. 8mm plate to be on the safeside and do one front and one back. Bolt together with M12 bolts.

Or: It could be something silly which only needs a couple of nail plates that you can get in Wickes for a quid.

Don't suppose you can get a pic can you?

 

[aargh]

Oh, interesting! It definitely says "susset" in the survey, must be a typo.

I haven't been up there myself and apparently the access is not that great as the loft isn't boarded and has v. thick insulation so you can't see the joists easily... so not that easy to get a pic especially as I am juggling a new baby and toddler at the moment. But might see if we can get one. Not just now though as baby just started shouting again...

 

[Nige F]

Oh, interesting! It definitely says "susset" in the survey, must be a typo.

...

like the Irish Jay then