Case studies - Fabricated Truss

Burma House, Swaythling, Southampton

Client: The Swaythling Housing Society
Main Contractor: Drew Smith Ltd
Installed By: William Cooper Ltd

The flat-to-pitch roof conversion was a key element in a major refurbishment programme at Burma House. The overall project was overseen by Welling Partnership, a property and consultant specialist, who liaised directly with Swaythling Housing Society Ltd.

Drew Smith Ltd were responsible for the main contract of the project, which included stripping the tiled fascia from the 3rd storey, replacing all the doors and windows, and reinstating the concrete tiles to rejuvenate the buildings exterior. The buildings interior was also painted and redecorated as part of the main contract.

The geometry of the building was causing a challenge for the architect, as the final design brief was to have the roof facetted around the curved area to compliment the profile of the building, with the lift housing as a feature standing proud of the main roof. The rest of the roof would be a double hip ended duo-pitch roof at 15º.

As part of the FTP package, a fabricated truss system provided the 15 º structure – its point of contact being the timber wall plate provided by Drew Smith Ltd, which eliminated the need to point load any area of the existing roof structure. William Cooper Ltd rapidly erected the trusses at 3m centres allowing FTP’s bespoke manufactured 15 º purlin to span with ease. Every individual section is proved, incorporating external loadings and dead loading, to at least a 3:1 safety factor by means of structural calculation.

The white plastisol fascia, vented soffits and the ridge and hip flashings were site measured and provided by FTP Systems, while LaFarge Roofing supplied TerraPLEGEL Hi-Load 0.9 bold rolled ridge to eaves tile effect sheet, Spirtech 250 vapour permeable underlay and other associated products.

Yet another project completed ahead of programme and under budget.