Thread: Missing gusset plates?

This town home was built in 2003 and at the roof ridge, there are no gusset plates. Collar ties are present on all but one area. It appears to me that the plates are missing. While not impossible, seems strange that this defect made it through various inspections/contractors. What do you think?

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Originally Posted by Randall Clark

What do you think?

Looks like Engineered Truss System may or may not be a problem ( check the drawings. )

Originally Posted by Billy Stephens

Looks like Engineered Truss System may or may not be a problem ( check the drawings. )

It appears to be either a modular/manufactured house built in two halves, or two piece trusses. Either way, the plans should spell out how the trusses should be joined. I suspect they would call for plywood or OSB gusset plates.

Originally Posted by Randall Clark

This town home was built in 2003 and at the roof ridge, there are no gusset plates. Collar ties are present on all but one area. It appears to me that the plates are missing. While not impossible, seems strange that this defect made it through various inspections/contractors. What do you think?

First picture (Pidge/peak) are not factory-cut ends.

Originally Posted by Randall Clark

This town home was built in 2003 and at the roof ridge, there are no gusset plates. Collar ties are present on all but one area. It appears to me that the plates are missing. While not impossible, seems strange that this defect made it through various inspections/contractors. What do you think?

I took another look at the photos. I noticed that the trusses on the right appear to be a different design than those on the left. That is not necessarily a problem, but the way the horizontal 2x6s (these are not collar ties) connect the the trusses appears to be wrong. They would probably be compression member and at the left side they connect below the joint. This is generally wrong. Also, it would be likely that the nailed connections would be inadequate. Appears to be a case of someone not following the truss installation drawings. The only way to figure that out is to get the installation drawings of have an engineer analyze the truss design and specify a repair.

Originally Posted by Billy Stephens

Looks like Engineered Truss System may or may not be a problem ( check the drawings. )

What drawings?

Corey

Originally Posted by Corey Friedman

What drawings?

Corey

Each Engineered Truss Company ( look on the truss ) will have a set of drawings for their manufactured truss systems.

Engineered Roof Trusses

Originally Posted by Billy Stephens

Each Engineered Truss Company ( look on the truss ) will have a set of drawings for their manufactured truss systems.

Engineered Roof Trusses

Hi Billy,

My comment was actually sarcastic (sorry). I am quite familar with truss drawings.

This was not a new construction inspection. So, what drawings? The homeowner would not likely have any truss drawings, blueprints or anything else. Additionally, checking drawings is way beyond a regular home inspection.

Corey

Originally Posted by Corey Friedman

Hi Billy,

My comment was actually sarcastic (sorry). I am quite familar with truss drawings.

This was not a new construction inspection. So, what drawings? The homeowner would not likely have any truss drawings, blueprints or anything else. Additionally, checking drawings is way beyond a regular home inspection.

Corey

Yes beyond the Scope of Regular HI, (Report what you see at that time.)

*drawings would be essential to defend yourself / client at a later date.

The peak cuts are definitely not factory made. I bet the bottom stringers were cut too. Collar ties on trusses? No way. Looks like left overs cut to fit another job. Definitely requires SE review.

Looks like it was planned to have a ridge board installed on site on those particular trusses.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

Looks like it was planned to have a ridge board installed on site on those particular trusses.

A ridge board would not be the answer. Structurally it looks like the only way that those trusses would be ok as installed is if there were bearing walls below the vertical webs, and that seems unlikely. I had a thought that maybe someone modified some trusses designed with a steep pitch and cut out the center vertical web and parts of the top chords.

It would not nice if the OP has any more photos or more details regarding the house. Otherwise, we are all just guessing. Regardless, from a home inspection standpoint, this is one where it is clear that a home inspector cannot tell what they did wrong, but should be able to tell that this certainly needs further evaluation.

Originally Posted by Mark Reinmiller

A ridge board would not be the answer. Structurally it looks like the only way that those trusses would be ok as installed is if there were bearing walls below the vertical webs, and that seems unlikely. I had a thought that maybe someone modified some trusses designed with a steep pitch and cut out the center vertical web and parts of the top chords.

It would not nice if the OP has any more photos or more details regarding the house. Otherwise, we are all just guessing. Regardless, from a home inspection standpoint, this is one where it is clear that a home inspector cannot tell what they did wrong, but should be able to tell that this certainly needs further evaluation.

It's a good chance that the trusses ordered were the wrong size so they modified them. Note the collar ties that don't have gusset plates and the ridge that was roughly sawn and toe nailed at the top. Modifying trusses without an engineer or architect signing off on the changes is just wrong.