Roof Truss Prices

For a 2,000-square-foot home, roof truss installation typically costs between $7,200 and $12,000. You'll spend anywhere from $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot of building area for materials alone, or between $35 and $150 per truss, though extremely long and complex types can reach $400 each. Labor runs anywhere from $20 to $75 per hour. Ranges in both materials and labor are due to location, size and roof complexity.

A roof truss is a premade frame for a roof. These prefabricated units reduce labor costs and make assembly both quick and easy. They are manufactured with steel plates at the joints, increasing the initial price but lowering overall labor costs since this doesn't have to be done on-site. The truss is made up of three parts:

1. Bottom chord: A horizontal beam also called a runner or tie beam
2. Top chord: Two boards angled up from the ends sometimes also called rafters
3. Webbing: A series of bracing boards or runners

These systems are cheaper, faster, and stronger than traditional framing and ideal for larger homes with open concepts. Professional installation streamlines planning, helps prevent mistakes and warranties the project. This guide covers the costs of roof truss systems (not stick stick-framed trusses).

On This Page:

1. Roof Truss Cost Calculator
2. Steel vs. Wood Costs
3. Estimates
4. Framing by Building Type
1. New Houses or Structures
2. Pole Barn Buildings
3. Garages
4. Lean To/ Additions
5. Labor Rates
1. Replacing
2. Repair Costs
6. Truss Types
1. Common Styles: Attic, Kingpost and More
2. Hip, Mono & Other Shapes/Pitches
3. Scissor Roof Truss
4. Gable & End Trusses
7. DIY Build vs. Hiring a Roofer
8. FAQs

Roof Truss Cost Calculator

Trusses run anywhere from $35 to $400 each. If you know the board feet, you can estimate between $0.60 to $1.50 per board foot. Large and complex roofs need specialized trusses at a higher price.

The only equipment you should need installation is a crane, which can run anywhere from $300 to $1,000 depending on how long the job takes.

Labor tends to run between $20 and $30 per hour though can run as high as $75 per hour.

The roof assemblies are premade, which means little if any scrap or waste is left over. Expect to pay an extra $100 to $200 for disposal fees for waste.

Average Steel vs. Wood Truss Costs

Wood Truss Costs

Wood range anywhere from $35 to $400 per truss depending on the size of the roof. Predominantly used in residential construction, wood trusses are about half the cost of steel but suffer from warping and movement because of moisture or extreme temperature fluctuations.

Steel Truss Prices

Steel trusses cost about twice as much as their wood counterparts. Running between $150 to $600 each, they are used for pole barns, commercial garages and prefabricated metal buildings, like sheds.

Metal trusses are usually reserved for the light industrial, commercial and agricultural markets. Steel framed homes usually have custom steel framed roofs - very similar to stick framing where the structure is framed one board at a time. Though it's possible to use steel in residential roof construction, it's cost-prohibitive and hard to find a contractor with the experience to complete this unique project.

Truss Estimator by Size & Pitch

Pricing increases by $3 to $5 per foot of span, or the length of the bottom chord from outside end to outside end. Though prices increase with pitch, the exact amount depends heavily on the type of truss, the type of roof, and the grade of materials needed. The steeper the roof pitch, the longer the boards. With more length and height comes increased need for webbing support and material costs.

It's also worth noting that sometimes an increase in size doesn't always create a noticeable increase in price. This is due to the number of boards needed to support your roof. For example, a 10-foot span may need just as many boards as a 12-foot span.

There are too many variables in truss engineering and lumber market fluctuations to pinpoint an exact price. The table below shows only average ranges for popular common truss types. Your specific project will vary so talk to a licensed contractor to get accurate pricing for your project.

*Raw lumber prices have fluctuated dramatically over the last 10 years hitting an all-time high in 2017-2018, double the price from 2010-2011.

** For Gable and end trusses add 25%.

Framing by Building Type

Rough carpentry costs include roof truss installation. Typically, you'll spend anywhere from $7 to $16 per square foot for framing alone. When you add in sheathing and insulation and shingles, roof framing can run upwards of $30 per square foot or more.

New Houses or Structures

Home framing costs for an average 2,000-square-foot home runs between $14,000 to $32,000 or more. It costs half of that, or about $7,200 to $12,000, for a truss roof. A new roof costs $10,000 to $20,000 on average.

Pole Barn Buildings

Pole barn roofs cost between $5,000 to $10,000. They are typically less expensive than residential because they don't need to support a ceiling or insulation. Pole barns are excellent candidates for steel trusses due to the large, open areas. These trusses between $250 to $500 each.

Garages

Adding a detached garage roof costs an average of $7 to $16 per square foot or more depending on whether the garage is finished and the type of roofing. Detached garages tend to cost slightly less than an attached garage because no home tie-ins are necessary. Actual attached garage pricing will vary depending on your location but can be as high as $30 per square foot.

Lean-To & Home Additions

Most additions cost between $21,000 and $72,000 with the framing costing anywhere from $10 to $30 per square foot including sheathing. Additions, like a lean-to, use mono truss systems with a single slope.

Labor Rates to Install Engineered Trusses

Labor can range drastically from $20 to $75 per hour. Many bids list hourly rates though some include labor as a measure of square feet. Framers charge an average of $10 to $30 per square foot, though prices are typically lower for truss installation since it doesn't take as long as stick framing a rafter roof. Range depends heavily on your location. Dense urban areas like New York or San Francisco cost much more than rural areas where labor and permits are cheaper and access to the job site tends to be easier..

Replacing Trusses

Slow rot or a fallen tree might necessitate replacing one or more of your trusses. Demolishing existing trusses costs $4 to $5 per square foot. Disposal run in the range of $300 to $1,800 though it can be as low as $100. Once demolition is complete, installing a new one is about the same as new construction at $4 to $10 per square foot.

Repair Costs

Average roof repairs cost $900, though they can range between $150 to $5,900 or more. Rot, water, insects and even joint failure may cause a roof truss to weaken. Though pricing can vary, expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $75 an hour plus materials.

Repair pricing is very job specific and dependent on many variables including age of the home, location and type of damage, accessibility and location. This is not a DIY job. These carefully engineered assemblies require manufacturer or engineer advice for repairing properly.

Common Premade Truss Types & Shapes

Classification and naming is based on two factors:

1. The exterior shape of the top and bottom chords
2. The shape of the interior supports or webbing

Any combination of external shape and internal webbing is possible.

Popular Web Styles

Common trusses and its derivatives - Fink, Fan, Howe and Queen - make up most popular types used in residential construction. The variations are all due to the various style of supports, or webbing, inside the triangle structure. The various names come from the variety of web configurations needed for larger roofs and different load-bearing needs. The longer the bottom chord, the more webbing needed.

1. King Post: Simplest type with a single post placed vertically in the middle
2. Queen: Three posts originating at the center point of the bottom chord and fan upward with one vertical center post like a king post
3. Fan: Similar to a queen but with two fans originating at two points along the bottom chord
4. Howe: Three spaced vertical supports with two angled cross supports between them
5. Fink: Two supports both starting at the peak and angled down and away from each other. Modified Finks create a "W" shape. Used extensively in long configurations.
6. Attic: Creates usable space in the attic for storage or additional living space
7. Gable or End Truss: Use vertical webbing for capping the ends of a roof

Hip, Mono & Other Basic Styles of Shapes & Pitches

Exterior shapes denote the style and have different names and uses.

1. Common: All perfect triangles with equal length top chords
2. Hip: Any type with a small flat portion on top
3. Mono: Any type with only one pitch. It looks like half of a truss
4. Gambrel: Any type with two pitches to a side like a barn roof
5. Flat: Uses parallel top and bottom chords with "W" shaped supports Used for flat roofs
6. Scissor: A special type that uses a modified bottom chord

Cathedral & Scissor Truss Prices

Scissor trusses cost 15% to 30% more than a common truss. Scissor styles are unique in that they only refer to the shape of the bottom chord. By splitting the bottom chord and angling the two sections upward it creates a vaulted ceiling. Another term for vaulted is cathedral. It's usually a modified Howe or Fink truss.

Gable or End Truss

Gables cost about 25% to 50% more than a standard truss. Gables, also known as end trusses, cap the ends of a roof with perfectly vertical supports. No matter the styles used throughout, almost all residential roofs use gable trusses to cap the ends.

DIY Building vs. Hiring a Roofer

This is not a DIY job. Hiring a competent and experienced architect or engineer is the only way to guarantee proper installation. DIY jobs often void the manufacturer's warranty. Improperly installed trusses can lead to roof and interior wall damage. Plus, there are dozens of varieties of trusses often used in combination with each other for various interior and exterior design and engineering needs. Professionals know the right combination to use and how to install them properly.

FAQs

How much does it cost to build your own trusses?

Unless you're a structural engineer, it's a bad idea to build your own trusses. Roofing specialists, architects and structural engineers carefully design prefabricated roofing.

How much does roof framing cost? - Truss vs. rafter framing.

A typical 2,000 square foot home framing costs between $7,200 and $12,000 for a truss roof. Stick framing is slightly more because of increased labor. Expect to pay between $7 and $16 a square foot for rafter framing.

How many trusses do I need?

You will usually need a roof truss every 24 inches on center. To determine how many you'll need, measure the roof lengthwise along the slope (in feet), divide by two and round up to the nearest whole number.

How do you measure trusses?

Measuring trusses depends on how much overhang you want, length and pitch of the roof. The pitch (or angle) is calculated by the number of inches it rises vertically for every 12 inches it extends horizontally. A 4/12 pitch would rise four inches for every twelve inches of roof width.

How do you secure a truss?

Secure trusses to the exterior walls and almost never to the interior walls. It will vary by manufacturer, type of wood and overall size. Only attach them where the manufacturer has specified, or it voids the manufacturer's warranty and can cause damage to your home and the roof.