Thanks again to all who replied. I haven't gotten the go ahead on this job
yet but I expect to.

Anyway - I was visiting a friends house last PM and he had a portico like in
my picture on his house. It looked almost completely prefab! It looks like
it came in a kit. The curved trim details were so precise (wood) that they
must have been cut on a CNC machine or at least with a template. This was
not a one off as there were others like it in his neighborhood. The ceiling
was a flexible vinyl 'bead board' that installed like vinyl soffit into j
channel. Has anyone ever seen these kits anywhere?

It would be interesting to compare materials costs. Higher is suspect. And
then to figure labor. Slightly lower I suspect.

Since in my business (A side business, nights and weekends sort of thing) I
am really only charging my time, something that makes the job faster will
only hurt me unless I start to fix price my jobs.

So, to stick build this, with attention to detail, will give my customer a
one of a kind design that will fit into their house and last 100 years. I
suppose a kit would loose some of the benefits for my customer.

Sorry for the ramble....

"No" wrote in message
...
Hello - I have a new project to build a small front porch/stoop roof. No
big deal except this one will have a barrel vault ceiling. Essentially it
will look similar to this one

http://www.peppel.com/portico/barrel_vault.jpg

The one in the picture has a bead board ceiling following the 2x4 rafters
and a curved plywood front. My customer wants a true barrel ceiling. I
have the plans for the design in my picture and everything is straight
forward but since the plans are for the ceiling following the rafters, not
the curve, I have a question or two.

First - The rafters - I figure I will use 2x material with plywood cut to
the appropriate radius to attach my, probably shop made, t&g boards to.
Construction adhesive and brads or finishing nails here. I'm not too keen
on nailing into the edge of ply. Any thoughts on this?

Second - THE MAIN QUESTION. How would you handle the details of the
connection between the plywood facade's radius curve and the ends of the
beadboard? Would you lap the bead board ends under the plywood and have
the end grain exposed to the front? Would you butt the ends of the
beadboard to the plywood and have the plywood edge exposed below? I think
I am leaning toward the second. If I go that route would you do anything
to finish the plywood edge or just paint it as was done in the picture
above?

Third - And a just curious question. How long would it take you to build
what is shown in the picture with the modifications I described above?
Support would be via brackets, not posts. Siding will need to be cut back,
j channel installed, roof applied and a light hung (Including new wire
from existing switch). Customer will paint, I will caulk, fill, sand and
back prime. Moldings are stock. Would you completely site build it or
would you build it in your shop and do final install on site? I'm thinking
of building the gable and brackets in the shop, install the brackets and
get someone to help me lift the whole thing onto the brackets then trim it
out, wire it and roof it. Barring that, I may build the trusses and
brackets ahead of time and then put it all together on site.

TIA