Raising roof?

[amarsano]

I’m looking to raise the roof on my coops. I currently have 2- 5x12 chicken coops from Coops For A Cause. They are only 4’ tall at the height with an angled roof. I have to stoop over to clean it out, which is a major pain in my back. Is there an “easy” fix to raise the roof? Could I remove the roof and add a 2’ wall extension to the top plate then reattach the roof? My husband says doing this I might a well build new coops. Since these puppies ran >$2500, I don’t want to just get rid of them. Is this a stupid idea? It would also add much needed light and ventilation.

 

[DobieLover]

Yes, you can do that. However it is imperative that you put steel straps on the outside of the walls connecting the top studs to the bottom studs. You can buy Simpson Strong-Tie straps at your local Big box building stores. You'd want to get them a minimum of a foot long, 18" if they are available. I would put them on all four corners and at least every other stud on the load bearing walls and one at the center on the non-load bearing walls. I would also use hurricane ties to reattach the roof rafters to your new top plate.
You are also going to have to install new siding to cover up part of the extension. I would intentionally leave the upper six to eight inches secured with 1/2" hardware cloth and then attach the new pieces of siding. You can dress up the exposed cut edge by installing a piece of trim molding.

 

[saysfaa]

I’m looking to raise the roof on my coops. I currently have 2- 5x12 chicken coops from Coops For A Cause. They are only 4’ tall at the height with an angled roof. I have to stoop over to clean it out, which is a major pain in my back. Is there an “easy” fix to raise the roof? Could I remove the roof and add a 2’ wall extension to the top plate then reattach the roof? My husband says doing this I might a well build new coops. Since these puppies ran >$2500, I don’t want to just get rid of them. Is this a stupid idea? It would also add much needed light and ventilation.

Their website shows all the 5x12 coops have shed roofs. And raised floors. Is that what you have? Is the 4' you talk about from the raised floor? And is it to the top of the lower wall or to the upper wall? You might have options other than raising the roof straight up.

Aside from those questions, I think it is very doable. I added 2' sections of 4x4 to the tops of several of the 4x4 posts for my garden and it worked well. I used 6" (may be 5" or 7") corner straps - two for each post, on opposite corners of each post. Something like this picture - I remember we looked for ties that put the holes at different distances from the edge to spread out the strain. We drilled pilot holes and screwed them on. I was amazed at how stable they kept the joints over 5 years in the open; I probably shouldn't have been so amazed based on what they are designed to do. They didn't have much load, though, just fencing that I put up each spring and took down each fall.

If you put the new siding on so its joints are not in the same place as the joints of the posts, it will help stabilize the building. I think, if you set your saw to a shallow enough depth, you can cut the existing siding off while it is on the coop. I'd go 6" to 8" down. That lets you add a 2' strip (allowing for the open eaves at the top). It also lets you put the corner ties on the outside corners and directly on the existing posts (instead of through the existing siding).

I'd do the outside corners of the corner posts with the straps. For the inside of the corner posts and the studs, you could use scraps of wood to splice the joints.

There are other ways to do it, using timberframing methods, but they don't work enough better to justify the added skill and/or tools and time if you want the most practical route.

 

[iwltfum]

I’m looking to raise the roof on my coops. I currently have 2- 5x12 chicken coops from Coops For A Cause. They are only 4’ tall at the height with an angled roof. I have to stoop over to clean it out, which is a major pain in my back. Is there an “easy” fix to raise the roof? Could I remove the roof and add a 2’ wall extension to the top plate then reattach the roof? My husband says doing this I might a well build new coops. Since these puppies ran >$2500, I don’t want to just get rid of them. Is this a stupid idea? It would also add much needed light and ventilation.

How much building experience do you have?

 

[saysfaa]

Oh on further thought... I didn't think all the way through it. A 5x12 (plus slope) roof is pretty heavy. You would need either equipment or post jacks and bracing or... that is getting beyond my scope. Or to dismantle the roof.

 

[RoseHawke]

Could we have a photo of the coop, inside and out? While I appreciate that all the hurricane strapping and strong ties would indeed strengthen the structure, it does seem a bit overkill. If it were me, after removing the roof, I would build the wall extensions and lag bolt the bottom plate to the top plate of the structure. Once you've got four walls each supports the other, and the roof itself would tie everything together.

BUT, that said, the problem is that a 5x12 foot roof is going to be extremely heavy, and difficult to get off in one piece. If you've got back problems now (BTDTBTTS), you really won't want to mess with it. Trust me on this.

 

[RoseHawke]

Oh on further thought... I didn't think all the way through it. A 5x12 (plus slope) roof is pretty heavy. You would need either equipment or post jacks and bracing or... that is getting beyond my scope. Or to dismantle the roof.

Ninja'd!

 

[amarsano]

Their website shows all the 5x12 coops have shed roofs. And raised floors. Is that what you have? Is the 4' you talk about from the raised floor? And is it to the top of the lower wall or to the upper wall? You might have options other than raising the roof straight up.

Aside from those questions, I think it is very doable. I added 2' sections of 4x4 to the tops of several of the 4x4 posts for my garden and it worked well. I used 6" (may be 5" or 7") corner straps - two for each post, on opposite corners of each post. Something like this picture - I remember we looked for ties that put the holes at different distances from the edge to spread out the strain. We drilled pilot holes and screwed them on. I was amazed at how stable they kept the joints over 5 years in the open; I probably shouldn't have been so amazed based on what they are designed to do. They didn't have much load, though, just fencing that I put up each spring and took down each fall.

If you put the new siding on so its joints are not in the same place as the joints of the posts, it will help stabilize the building. I think, if you set your saw to a shallow enough depth, you can cut the existing siding off while it is on the coop. I'd go 6" to 8" down. That lets you add a 2' strip (allowing for the open eaves at the top). It also lets you put the corner ties on the outside corners and directly on the existing posts (instead of through the existing siding).

I'd do the outside corners of the corner posts with the straps. For the inside of the corner posts and the studs, you could use scraps of wood to splice the joints.

There are other ways to do it, using timberframing methods, but they don't work enough better to justify the added skill and/or tools and time if you want the most practical route.

That is the design I have. I don’t want to extend the bottom because it’s a safe space for them. I like your plan! I mainly want to add windows and venting to the top, so the load should be minimal. Thanks!

 

[amarsano]

How much building experience do you have?

We have some, and I learn as I go. I could build entirely new coops, but I really don’t want to. We have added a gable roof that covers both the coops so that the access to the nesting boxes are not impeded by snow. We just have it resting on the top at this point, but I want to make it more finished looking.

 

[amarsano]

Could we have a photo of the coop, inside and out? While I appreciate that all the hurricane strapping and strong ties would indeed strengthen the structure, it does seem a bit overkill. If it were me, after removing the roof, I would build the wall extensions and lag bolt the bottom plate to the top plate of the structure. Once you've got four walls each supports the other, and the roof itself would tie everything together.

BUT, that said, the problem is that a 5x12 foot roof is going to be extremely heavy, and difficult to get off in one piece. If you've got back problems now (BTDTBTTS), you really won't want to mess with it. Trust me on this.

We do have a tractor and jacks to help with removal. I was thinking that lag bolts could work. We did build a tree house that could be used as an in-law suite, so we do have some building experience