Hello,
After much thought, my husband Moss and I have decided to embark on a roof raise for our bus.
We are leaning heavily towards metal and we are hoping to get some advice from those who have done it.
Since our bus already has taller that normal ceilings ( about 6 feet) we would like to raise only the front 6 to 8 feet of the bus up about 3 to four feet, just big enough for a sleeping loft.
Although we have done all the rest of the conversion thus far ourselves, we do not plan on doing this ourselves, but rather paying someone knowledgeable in fabrication and welding to help us.
I was wondering if anyone could tell me how much a project like this may cost, at minimum ?
Any other tips, advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.
We have saved a few thousand for the project and posted an add on craigslist for a welder/fabricator, and would like to start in Nove.
On that note if there is anyone in Eugene Oregon area that can do this job, let us know.
~ Pixie
Enchanted Gypsy ~ Travel Diaries
Metal Roof Raise ~ Questions...
Moderator: TMAX
Hi Pixie, it goes without saying that raising your roof is best done in the summer when the weather will be less of a factor. If you find a fabricator, make sure that they have an enclosed shop to work in, or else try to find a barn or warehouse space to rent for the job. Trying to get anything done outdoors in the winter is a PITA, and no fun whatsover. Ask me how I know...
As for construction technique, metal is the only way to go, in my opinion. If you are raising the existing roof, the job won't require loads of material, and you should be able to reuse nearly all of the old roof material. The cost of steel and aluminum has gone, well, through the roof, I'm very glad I got my bus roof done before things got too out-of-hand pricewise. Try to find used/remnant steel at Schnitzer Steel, it will be cheaper.
Roger Beck used to have a very good picture gallery of Sam's bus' roof being raied on his web site, but it apprently hasn't been "constructed" yet since his move to the new server. His book shows this bus having it's roof raised in a barn, and you might be able to get a lot of good ideas from that.
Watch out for your overall exterior height when deciding how much to raise. Don't go much over 12 feet, or you'll regret it. While it's true that highway regulations for big trucks allow up to 14 feet, they aren't usually taken into the same places as an RV/bus. Think gas station canopies, low bridges on back roads, and power wires in alleys and driveways. I once took out a whole grocery store parking lot full of triangular banner flags when I drove through and snagged them on my stovepipe. Had to park blocks away, remove them from all over my truck, and then sneak back to the store to buy food, hoping nobody recognized me...
As for construction technique, metal is the only way to go, in my opinion. If you are raising the existing roof, the job won't require loads of material, and you should be able to reuse nearly all of the old roof material. The cost of steel and aluminum has gone, well, through the roof, I'm very glad I got my bus roof done before things got too out-of-hand pricewise. Try to find used/remnant steel at Schnitzer Steel, it will be cheaper.
Roger Beck used to have a very good picture gallery of Sam's bus' roof being raied on his web site, but it apprently hasn't been "constructed" yet since his move to the new server. His book shows this bus having it's roof raised in a barn, and you might be able to get a lot of good ideas from that.
Watch out for your overall exterior height when deciding how much to raise. Don't go much over 12 feet, or you'll regret it. While it's true that highway regulations for big trucks allow up to 14 feet, they aren't usually taken into the same places as an RV/bus. Think gas station canopies, low bridges on back roads, and power wires in alleys and driveways. I once took out a whole grocery store parking lot full of triangular banner flags when I drove through and snagged them on my stovepipe. Had to park blocks away, remove them from all over my truck, and then sneak back to the store to buy food, hoping nobody recognized me...
I have heard of one or two professional estimates for a full school bus roof raise, and it was well into five figures.
I did my own, and it wasn't all that difficult.
If you are going to bother at all, I suggest you raise the entire roof, like I did on "Millicent". This will gain you precious space for almost free, and you can eliminate the awkward transitions from low to high and back.
The important part of the job is the planning. And it took a lot of time to install all the new skin. The actual lifting was a snap -- see the picture. The jacks were overkill -- a handful of friends could have done it. The key is the guides that keep the roof from moving sideways while it is detached.
I used common mild steel for the structure, and aluminum skin panels that are normally used on 18-wheeler trailers.
For more information, this project is chronicled on an other forum. I can post a link if our Most Honorable Host Mr. Sharkey invites me to.
Elliot
1992 Bluebird TC2000 Front Engine, Cummins 5.9, Allison MT643
1992 Bluebird TC2000 Front Engine, Cummins 5.9, Allison MT643
Hi Elliot, welcome "back" to the forum.
For sure you should post the link to your conversion forum thread, this place is about sharing information, and the less of it I have to write myself, the better!
Nice job on the jacks. There used to be a site called the Blackman Family Bus, where Todd Blackman showed a step-by-step of doing a similar roof raise using jacks. That site is apparently long gone, as I just tried to find it while proofing the "Links" page for the new site development. It would be great to have somewhere to send folks who ask about raising roofs where they could learn how to do it simply and correectly.
For sure you should post the link to your conversion forum thread, this place is about sharing information, and the less of it I have to write myself, the better!
Nice job on the jacks. There used to be a site called the Blackman Family Bus, where Todd Blackman showed a step-by-step of doing a similar roof raise using jacks. That site is apparently long gone, as I just tried to find it while proofing the "Links" page for the new site development. It would be great to have somewhere to send folks who ask about raising roofs where they could learn how to do it simply and correectly.
-
Mark R. Obtinario
- Seasoned Nomadicista
- Posts: 340
- Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:19 am
- Location: Winlock, WA
- Contact:
Ahhh.... Sorry about the two week delay. Apparently, this forum does not automatically notify of new posts. Or I'm just not real hip about these konfounded komputors.
If this works (see above comment about computers)... here is "The Millicent Chronicles":
http://www.skoolie.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1709
It runs over 30 pages, and the bus is still not done! But I have already driven it over 10.000 miles, to many Kinetic Sculpture Races and two "Burns".
The word "correct" was mentioned. Well... Millicent is not being done "correctly". Millicent is being done the way Millicent is being done -- learning as I go.
Hopefully, you will find something of interest.
I remember the Blackman web site. Very impressive. That information ought to be kept alive on the interweb, somehow.
Elliot
1992 Bluebird TC2000 Front Engine, Cummins 5.9, Allison MT643
1992 Bluebird TC2000 Front Engine, Cummins 5.9, Allison MT643
Blackman family bus
http://busweb.freeservers.com/busweb.htm
http://busweb.freeservers.com/busweb.htm
roof raising
Hi guys,,
Is your bus the green one posted in your Travel Diaries? Very nice interior. I had an old GMC which looks very similar to yours and did a full roof raise. Judging by the work you've done on the inside I would guess you could tackle the raise yourself. The metal work is basic. The structural engineering is critical. In my thinking, it's best to keep the roof whole and raise the whole thing. I don't believe it saves you that much work or materials to do only the front half because you won't have to deal with bridging from the raised section to the original rear section. You may have to loose some o fyour original side windows but they make great skylights. The added space you gain in a complete roof raise gives you a very spacious feeling and room for things like ceiling fans, hanging plants, wood beams reading lofts and secret cubbies. It's worth considering.
Have Fun,
Trizbus
Is your bus the green one posted in your Travel Diaries? Very nice interior. I had an old GMC which looks very similar to yours and did a full roof raise. Judging by the work you've done on the inside I would guess you could tackle the raise yourself. The metal work is basic. The structural engineering is critical. In my thinking, it's best to keep the roof whole and raise the whole thing. I don't believe it saves you that much work or materials to do only the front half because you won't have to deal with bridging from the raised section to the original rear section. You may have to loose some o fyour original side windows but they make great skylights. The added space you gain in a complete roof raise gives you a very spacious feeling and room for things like ceiling fans, hanging plants, wood beams reading lofts and secret cubbies. It's worth considering.
Have Fun,
Trizbus
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