WHY TRUSS D&E?

 

Costs and Time. Let’s compare the cost to design an "L" style residential house using standard structural software and Truss D&E.

 

Total number of trusses in project:    Total number of trusses = 22 each

 

Gable truss @ main area — 1 each

 

Hip roof trusses @ main area — 9 each

 

Gable truss @ "L" area — 1 each

 

Hip roof trusses @ "L" area — 11 each

 

Standard Structural Software Design Costs

 

Engineer cost per hour - $150

 

Time to design one truss — 3.5 to 6.0 hours

 

Time to prepare simple shop drawing — 0.5 hours per truss

 

Time to prepare cost estimate for project — 2.0 hours

 

Total cost for project:

 

Design — 22 * 3.5 hours = 77.0 hours

 

Shop Drawings 22 * .5 hours = 11.0 hours

 

Cost estimate = 2.0 hours

 

Total Cost = 90.0 hours * $150 = $13,500

 

Truss D&E software

 

Gather design information, input and design first gable truss — 1.5 hours

 

Design Complete hip roof — 2 minutes

 

Review and summarize all truss designs — 1 hour

 

Total cost for project:

 

Design, estimate, summarize = 2.5hours * $150 = $375.00

 

 

 

Cost difference = $13,500 -  $375.00 = $13,125.00

 

Time difference = 90 hours – 2.5 hours  = 87.5 hours

 

Total Saved $13,125.00 and 87.5 hours!!!!!!

 

 

You could pay for the Truss D&E software in the design of the first house! Also, Truss D&E designed all the truss to truss connections, truss to support connections and truss to truss lateral bracing. The real question here is why wouldn’t you use Truss D&E?