To comply with building regulations we need to vent the space under the ply. At the eaves we have a vent strip supplied with the log house “kit”. Close to the ridge we have made these vents to permit air circulation in the insulated roof space. We have put one on each side of the ridge and carefully calculated the area they need to provide to match the eaves vent strip.

Finally we can start to put the plywood sheeting on the roof. It may be a bit of overkill but we decided to put 1″ ply on for strength and peace of mind. It’s only a couple of hundred pounds more than using 3/4″ or 18mm as we must now call it but it is a small amount now rather than having a big problem later.

The first 4 foot ladder truss is lowered in place. Begins to look like a roof now.

To get the large 8 foot ladder trusses for the roof overhangs on the south side of the site into place we decided to bring them all the way round on the teleporter across the fields, as there was not enough room to bring them round the side. The double V effect is 2 x 6 inch material to brace them as without this they are very flexy in this orientation.

The roof suppliers are good to their word and the replacement longer ridge beam arrives and is quickly craned up. Now we can crack on with the roof construction.

While we wait for the replacement roof trusses to come we use the otherwise idle small crane to lift up the heavy balcony doors and windows for the upstairs whilst there is access from above through the incomplete attic joists. Another job it does with ease!

Work stops for over a week while we try to resolve problems with fitting the roof to the house. So far the log stacking has gone fine, but the North American supplier sub contracted the roof design and supply to a UK supplier, and a communication break down means the roof does not fit the house we have built. The trusses were designed to sit on the logs but the logs have been supplied and assembled to sit higher than the roof designer expected. Meanwhile the crane is on hire doing nothing. We eventually resolve the design with the help of the UK supplier and our building control officer and work should restart in 10 days time once the new trusses and a longer ridge beam arrive. It’s not unusual for this sort of problem to arise when parts of the build are sub-contracted by the prime contractor and at least we are getting the replacement parts from the sub contractor who is only 100 miles away instead of 2,000.