Hi all-

This thread (and others) from a few years back: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/remodel/msg110044375723.html had some good ideas.

I'm working w/ an an engineer (a must!!) but I'm still doing my homework and thought some of you might have some input that we wouldn't have thought of based on your own experience.

We have a 25'x25' living/dingin/kitchen space w/ 8' flat ceilings carried at present by fink trusses 2' on center. I think the roof pitch is slightly steeper than a 4:12 (common for ranches) -- call it 5:12. My research so far suggests it is possible to do this in at least 3 main ways:

1) convert to full-vaulted by sistering rafters to top chords of the trusses and introducing a ridge beam, then deconstruct the trusses. But of course you have to have a sensible place for the end posts to carry the beam. Unless we want a post in front of a window (now there's a look!) this may not work for us.

2) convert to scissor trusses by putting in half trusses and then mating them in place. the problem with this approach is you're going to compromise the degree of vaulting quite a bit (by half at the peak I've read).

3) some contractors may say don't delude yourself that you're saving that much money -- it's easier to rip off the roof & trusses and give you whatever what you want.

Anybody have any input or clever things they did? Thx!