New roof on an old double wide?

[vintage steel]

I am looking at purchasing a piece of property with an old 24x56 double wide trailer on it. The trailer is set on concrete pads and braced along the perimeter. exterior walls are 2x4 studs.
The pitch of the roof is really flat, (like) a 12-2, maybe a 12-1.
I plan on stripping the old alum. siding, re insulating and sheeting with OSB Tyvek and traditional siding.
My question is; is there any reason I couldn't remove the existing roof/truss system and replace it with 24' free span trusses? I would like to achieve a 4-12 pitch to deal with North Idaho winters.
I have looked and couldn't find anyone who has done this.
I realize it would no longer be "mobile" and It wouldn't add to the value of the "structure".
Can it be done?
All information is appreciated.
-Russ

[DCDiva]

I would have a truss company come look at it and instead of tearing off the old roof--they can design a truss that would work with your current roof. I do not know much about double wides but I assume that if you took off the current roof,it is part of keeping the 2 half's together that you would have many issues with the double wide. But roofing over the current roof will work out. Since you are replacing the siding I would do this at the same time and add another seal plate,bolt it down into the old plates and do a soffit too.
Melissa

[DCDiva]

By the way--when you add a new roof and siding all the things sticking out you can remove like in photo the angle pieces and the little over extension in the top,just extra--you can make it look like a square house. We removed ours with no issues.

[JD]

I am thinking it might be difficult to find a professional company that would be willing to do your rafters as that type of structural revision would not get code approval. I doubt that an engineer would be able to draw up plans that would satisfy a code office. That is not saying that some contractor would not take the job and try, but his license and your home would be in jeopardy.

A 4/12 polebarn roof over the home would be legal in most areas and probably would not be as expensive as trying to build new trusses for the home legally. JMO

[vintage steel]

No contractor. Just me and my cousin's Kenworth boom truck. I don't want a pole barn because,
...it would look like a trailer with a roof over it.
I don't want it to look like a trailer.
also, a completely new truss system would allow for much better insulation. Unless I am missing something? it seems that the bracing along the perimeter of the trailer should keep the walls from sagging due to the added weight.
with the sides sheeted over with OSB the two halves would effectively become one. With a free span truss system all weight would be transferred to the side walls down to the concrete footing, eliminating the need for even the married wall.
I'm NOT a carpenter but, it seems reasonable to me. If I am missing something, PLEASE point it out to me. This is all just theory to me and I don't claim to be an expert, That IS why I am asking!!!I don't want the roof falling on my wife's head (we don't really care about my head).

On a side note I have done this to an old 1971 single wide (2x3 wall studs and no perimeter bracing) it has been fine for 10 years. ...But that ain't a 24' double wide!

[JD]

Probably would be a good idea to contact a truss company like Melisa suggested. I have never seen 24' trusses on a home, so I wouldn't know. When going onto uncharted paths like this, you really need to trust the person doing the work, be it you or a contractor.

[72 mobile]

JD had the only practical solution, a pole barn style roof and it don't have to look like a "trailer" when it's done. the way you want it done will be a life long job just correcting the problems that it will cause.
trusses have to be designed by an engineeer. To install them on a roof, the outside walls would have to be removed so the cheap 2 bys studs holding the roof up now can have more studs sistered up the them to hold the weight, which means disturbing the wiring, even all the peremeter bracing may not pass an inspection to add the extra weight.
6X6 set on concrete peirs which are 4.5 ft in the gd and a carring beam on top is the best way to get a roof that should be good for over fifty yrs.maybe new shingles every 30 yrs, then you may be able to put the trusses on 24" centers using plenty of clips where the plywood meets. then you could easily put 10" 15"s of insulation up there.
I don't think there is a way to make a trailer so it dosen't look like a trailer, the old saying, you can put lipstick on a pig but.

[TappanTrailer]

VintageSteel: I'm in CA, and so is JD I believe - and his comment about meeting code. Anyway, the state of CA does allow for a built up 4:12 roof, and they have pre-approved plans to do this. I'm not sure that Idaho would allow the same thing, but at least you'll have reference for how it is done (properly) if you decide to go that route. It isn't a matter of just contacting a truss company. Here is a copy of the email I sent a contractor who was doing quotes for me, that outlines the general process of what would have to be done:

so here's what I came up with: standing seam metal will be about $12-13k (OUCH!!!). I did receive the plans for a built up roof from the state - here is a quick run down - and I'm sure the existing sheathing and comp must come off first, then: 2x4 plate laid flat lengthwise on the ridge (on top of existing trusses), then double 2 x 4's edge wise on top of that, with another 2 x 4 laid flat on top of those in order to create the new pitch. Then on top of that 2x4, there would be 2 - 2x8 placed edgewise to create the new ridge beam that the 2 x 6 rafters (24" o.c.) would butt into and attach to. 2 x 6 blocking needed at outside wall edge. They also call for R-19 insulation to be added to the existing R-11 (I guess that's what they think is here.....) Then sheathing, tar paper, comp shingles. I also would have to do new perimeter piers all the way around the house at 6 feet o.c. Finally, all my vent stacks would have to be brought up through the new roof. So, in short.....by the time all that happened, I'm pretty sure I'd be back to the $12k range just for a comp roof, if not more. So, now standing seam metal doesn't seem quite as bad, haha!