Tondelver House - Shipping Container Build

Haha...no but the dog trotted through it and left paw prints EVERYWHERE! It's my frank spencer moment I'll never live down. God that garden sounds pretty amazing...dinner and dessert in there!

My roof trusses are still obstinately squatting on the ground. It's a hectic time of year ATM (partner and I both had our birthdays 2 weeks apart) and each time I get out to site it's extremely windy (recently had 100+km hour winds.) One of my container steel wall offcuts @ 2.4m x 1m was picked up off the pile and blown 10 metres. No way I'm getting up on the roof in that weather!

The instructions that came with the trusses are very generic and seem mainly to apply to standard gable type roofs.

In the box of accessories are two tie down types. The first (A) seems to be the same as the diagram I found online - fixing the truss bottom chord to the joists:



Piece B I'm not sure of. Any ideas? (Front and side view shown)

As my trusses were delivered in two halves (being over 14m long) could they serve as a connector for the two halves?

Also I wasn't supplied with metal truss spacers but c.5m lengths of timber batten which I assume I cut to size. Again, not sure of how these should be attached between the trusses. Attached like noggins? Seems these days according to the internet, most people are using steel truss spacers so finding info on wood spacers has been difficult.

In the meantime I've taken delivery of over half a kilometre of framing timber so I can continue framing up inside while the roof is on hold.



And in the bottom right of the picture you can see that I went for the "overkill" option for the verandah beams - 300x45. Hell...why not make 'em a feature!!

I have also decided to employ roof installers for the tin as I don't fancy handling 14m lengths of roof sheeting. Slightest breeze and I could be doing a Mary Poppins

I think the type B connectors are used to fix the trusses down to the wall frames.

No idea what the pieces are for!

Totally getting you on the wind though, my gosh it's been hectic!

Belated happy birthday!
We had the same issue with the wind when we were doing our roof. We would start early in the morning. There were a couple of times we could only work up to midday as the wind would be crazy.

get your 'as supplied and engineered plans'. The smaller one is a universal triple grip. Used everywhere as noted on your plans. The next (depending on who you talk to) is an overstrap or understrap or cyclone tie. As mention connects your truss to your stud, top plate or lintel. USE THE CORRECT ENGINEERED NAILS. All these connections should be listed in your truss Plans. You need to have these all fitted as per plan to get your frame inspection complete and signed off.
Did I mention look at your plans?

I just had a flick back if you want to be $neaky $neaky (with your verandah) you should lift your LVL (bressumer) for your verandah up into the roof cavity, run some joist hangers off the LVL to support the rafters that support your trusses. Nail off the last truss to the outside of the LVL. You can then have a flat roof under your verandah instead of a visual LVL. You could then sit your LVL on your container. You just need some restraint to stop the LVL from falling over on the container.

i also think you will need to have a LVL supporting the end of your Trusses over the opening an not unsupported double top plate.

Download DesignIt for LVL design. Using this program you can also use other timber, MGP10, f7 f11..... its a great program and free.

Unfortunately the roof is still sitting on the ground.

But I did manage to get the deck done. My poor aching back















It might seem a bit premature to be building the deck now - but soon I will be putting in the back sliding doors which will then become the main entrance while I continue to build.



Once that was done I was able to start framing inside.

School holidays began on December 16th so I have been out at the house every day since.

With all of the ceiling joists finished, I then made a start on the wall studs:





And I also made the first cut out of the exterior walls to try putting in a window. This is the 'study nook' window so it is low so I can see out of it when sitting at the desk:









View from the window over the veggie garden towards the road:



And I love being able to use 'old' technology - a plumb bob to line up the top and bottom plates. Simple and effective:



I have also begun to box in the steel roof beams:





Hopefully I will get a lot more accomplished before school returns at the end of January.

Today's effort. The cupboard/wall structure that separates the main bedroom from the lounge.

Thanks to the wonders of SketchUp I was able to plan the structure beforehand.



And buying a Paslode nail gun was a smart move as it is not only fun to use but makes work so much easier.





Bedroom side completed. Will attempt the lounge side tomorrow.

Looks fantastic! Your decking looks great.
How did you find the window? What a relaxing view over the veggie garden

Thanks BB7 - when I initially designed the house I had custom sized windows planned throughout.

But when it came to pricing them I received quite a shock! So the 4 main x 2.1msq double glazed front windows were custom made and the rest (such as that study window) ended up being ordered through the Big Green Shed.

They are Ecoview Polar windows and I'm quite happy with their look.

Veggie garden is coming along this season - my first time trying squash and 2 plants have suddenly been throwing out huge numbers of fruit. Some are huge ( I had to wait until their colour was right before picking.)

I like the dimensions of the study window! Grand but not overstated can't wait to see the rest go in!

Wow they are amazing squash! We only started our veggie garden when we moved in, getting a bumper crop now which is great, can't wait till next season though

I've had a fairly constructive three weeks and the build is beginning to feel a bit more like a house and a bit less like sardine cans!!

I finished framing in the bedroom/living area wall:


All of the boxed in beams:


Framed out the kitchen and installed the kitchen splash back window. I made one of those last minute changes and raised the height of this window as originally it would have given me a great view of mostly the ground!










This is looking out of the kitchen window:


I have also framed the bathroom putting in the window, and most of the guest bedroom. The bathroom window can be seen 2 photos above and below:


The cavity door is there temporarily as it needs to go in once the proper floor level is put in. The guest bed still needs the 2 glass sliding door and the external door to go in.

Back in the main bed yesterday I installed the second strip window:




And looking out of this window:


It's been good to have an uninterrupted time on the build. I'm away tomorrow until Sunday and if the weather is decent on Monday and Tuesday I will start the roof. (And school goes back next week...sigh!!

Super progress, hope you get some good weather before school starts back

Schools back and I was surprised to get some teaching work in the first week. But I still had the opportunity to get to the house and make a start on the roof trusses.

Then I fell off the ladder (again!!) It was on the deck and I was on the top rung (where the ladder CLEARLY states you shouldn't go). So I fell off, the ladder tipped over and we both fell off the deck together. I must be a tough old bugger - all I suffered was a grazed elbow and a badly twisted ladder!

The problem is I am 60 next year but I think I'm 22.

I lugged the larger half of the trusses up onto the roof (each is around 40kg I think) but before starting to set them up I realised I needed to put in the verandah joists so I have something to attach the lining to (D'oh!)

So up went the joists:


(There's the so and so hiding in the corner)

Then today I made a start on the trusses.

The first two were tricky - especially on my own. (each being 7.2 metres long)



Once they were stable and square the next three went up relatively easily.







I've found out how to use the Universal Triple grips and cyclone ties and have attached them to these trusses.

Also the wooden 'temporary braces' have been nailed on.



One attached to the underside of the top chord, the other on the bottom chord. (Shown above in green.)

I have a question for anyone in the know - they were referred to as 'temporary braces' in my itinerary. Can they be left there as extra bracing if they are not in the way of any other part of the roofing structure?

Also - is there any reason why I can't add a little extra tie down (strapping) for peace of mind?

I had to stop at 5 trusses (there are 12 this half and another 12 for the other half) as all that wispy cloud in the photos vanished and it got very hot up there on the tin cans.

I would like to try and get the rest finished by the close of Sunday.

Rightly or wrongly I left my temporary truss bracing in place and only removed those bits that fouled my ceiling rafters.

One item I did not interfere with was the permanent truss bracing (as shown on the truss manufacturers shop drawings) even though they compromised the location of manholes and air/cond duct work.

Mini update:
Nature played decorator yesterday morning with some nice shadows created by the verandah joists and container corrugations:


I tackled the other 7 trusses yesterday and today. As I was leaving yesterday luckily I noticed I had put one of the trusses in upside down It was only temporarily fixed so I righted it this morning.

The majority of today seemed to be spent nailing the triple grips and cyclone ties - a laborious job.

So half the trusses are up - the lower half to go.
(And it's been as hot as Hades the last few days - perfect timing to be up on the roof!

Looks fantastic - we've left the temp bracing up on our outbuildings if it wasn't in the way.

Glad you weren't hurt falling off the ladder, my hubby is still having his teeth fixed nearly 6 months after falling and hitting his face on the top rung

Good progress so far but now you have started, the pressure will be on you to finish and get the roof sheeting on. The roof timbers should not be left exposed to the elements indefinitely

Not getting on the bl***y roof today!!