Is It Better to Buy Trusses Pre-Made or Build Them On Site?

Many builders searching for a “truss company near me” are actually trying to answer one question:  is it better to use products from Roof Trusses Manufacturers in San Diego or try to build trusses on site?  In almost every case, builders find that buying pre-made trusses is simply more cost effective and easier than trying to build them themselves, even if they have experienced workers to do so.

Why Are Pre-Fabricated Trusses A Better Option?

There are several reasons pre-fabricated trusses outperform rafters or trusses built on site, including:

●       Volume.  Roof trusses are manufactured in high volume.  This allows truss manufacturers to get the best prices on wood, fasteners, metal plates and everything else that goes into making trusses.  Individual builders simply cannot match the deep discounts that a large truss manufacturer can get for the materials they use. 

●       Labor.  Labor is one of the largest costs associated with any building project.  In fact, conventional wisdom is that any building estimate should include double the cost of materials to incorporate labor as well.  When a builder must pull workers to build trusses or rafters, a great deal of labor is being diverted to this effort rather than to other things that might be done.  Because building trusses or rafters by hand is so labor-intensive, this cost can add up very quickly.

●       Storage.  Not only does a builder who wants to hand-build trusses have to worry about the cost of materials and labor, but he or she must also think about storage.  On any job site, materials that are not used immediately must be stored safely away from weather and possible theft.  With the rising cost of all building materials, this is becoming an increasing problem for contractors.  Having prefabricated trusses delivered to the job site as needed alleviates the storage issue since the trusses are only dropped when they are ready to be installed.

●       Uniformity.  Trusses that are manufactured to stringent standards of safety and uniformity will perform reliably in all applications.  Trusses that are built by a number of different people of different skill levels may not be as predictable.  In order to guarantee safety and integrity of construction, prefabricated trusses are usually a better option.  Furthermore, unlike stick-built trusses, prefabricated trusses often come with a guarantee from the manufacturer for repair or replacement if necessary.

Overall, it simply makes more sense to invest in well-made pre-made trusses than to spend the time, money and energy it takes to create your own.  By buying prefabricated truss products for flooring and roofing, builders can save a great deal of time and money and deliver higher quality finished homes!

At Stone Truss, we want to provide you with quality, dependable roof and floor trusses in San Diego for all your building needs.  Give us a call today to get started designing your next project with one of our professionals and find out how simple it can be to order pre-made truss products for your construction business.