Page 1 of 2
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:46 pm
by Dave_L
House collapse due to snowfall
What's everyone's view on this?? I can't see it being due to the snow? Wonder how the insurance will view it?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 6:57 pm
by Tony McC
There's not a lot of snow on that roof!
Let's be over generous and say that there's 100mm. With the uncompacted density of snow somewhere around 400-600kg/m³, that's only somewhere around 50kg per m². The sodding roofers put more of a load on those trusses than has the snow!
Why has the pike collapsed? Probably iffy work, but highly unlikely to be that dusting of snow!
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:42 pm
by rab1
my bet is thats nothing to do with the snow and more to do with dodgy building work.
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 8:17 pm
by lutonlagerlout
total and utter bollox
the roof hasnt collapsed
the gable has been pushed out
completely different scenario
that gable can only go over if its pushed or hit
LLL
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 8:38 pm
by mickg
I agree Tony, its a trussed roof so the weight is on the front and back wall plate, looks sparse with truss bracing but difficult to tell from the photo
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 9:35 pm
by rab1
that's my idea, if it was the weight on the roof the trusses would have failed or the walls not the gable end.
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 9:36 pm
by gonchy
looks from the picture there is no lateral straps holding the gable .snow can cause a fair bit of trouble on truss roofs as they buckle without correct bracing which with cut gables with no straps leads to the problem of pushing out the gable
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:03 am
by darrenba
Apparently they had a large car port that was supported only by the wall
so a canopy type thing..
Obviously added some extra stress to the wall with the weight of the snow
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 10:17 am
by local patios and driveway
Ahh now THAT makes sense. Lot of weight pulling on that gable end. Add the snow and its game over. Poor design
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:00 am
by Dave_L
Good find that man!!!! Thats terrible design & build!!
Someone could have been killed 
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:29 am
by Carberry
You wonder what goes through the mind of the guys who put stuff like that up.
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:33 pm
by digerjones
makes sense now, so it was down to snow on the roof.
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:51 pm
by gonchy
christ that canapy is some size to be unsupported even if it was caterlevered it would still go
lucky because if that roof and gable have been tied together correctly it could of took the roof with it
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:07 pm
by lutonlagerlout
those canopys only weight about 50-100kg
some kind of plastic bolted on to the wall
of course with 300mm of snow on they might weigh 500kg then the fail comes
LLL
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:54 pm
by GB_Groundworks
makes sense now, bet they thought they were really clever doing cantilevered without design thing is two supports and it would have been ok