Considerations for Raising Your Home's Roof or Ceiling
Posted on: 20 November 2015
When it comes to home renovations, one of the most dramatic and impressive changes that you can opt for is raising the height of a ceiling or roof. What all potential buyers are looking for in a home is space, and that space doesn't always have to be horizontal, and that's why increasing vertical space can also add significant value to a property.
With higher ceilings, you will have a greater sense of grandeur and opulence so that you can hang statement items like chandeliers. But before you hire contractors to get on with the work, keep these considerations in mind.
Which kind of roof do you have?
Roofs are not one size fits all, and some are easier to raise than others, to the point where some roofs just might not be worth the investment. Generally speaking, there are stick roofs and there are truss roofs, and one easy way of telling if you have a stick roof is if you have an attic. Truss roofs cannot house attics underneath, and they are also much harder to raise. But you are in business if you have a stick roof. If you are unsure which roof you have, a construction company will be able to confirm this for you.
You could raise the walls
Instead of raising the roof, you have the option of raising the ceiling by extending your walls and then placing the existing roof back on top. This would seem like an easy task if you could extend walls from the top, but this is not possible from a structural perspective. Instead walls have to be extended in height from the bottom. The simplest way of doing this is by installing taller wall studs alongside the studs that already exist. A remodelling firm will be able to advise if raising the ceiling or raising the roof is best for you.
This project is not cheap
Before you totally fall in love with the idea of raising your roof, know that the cost is not insignificant, and this can never be a DIY project — you will need a team of construction professionals to complete the job for you. The total cost can be between $18,000 and $25,000 and there are many ways that kind of money can be spent on the home. Having said that, this certainly can be a good investment and a higher roof can even raise house value by 25 percent.
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