10 ft or 9 ft ceilings PLEASE help!!!

12 years ago

We are building a 3500 sq ft house with a two story foyer and somewhat open floor plan. Should we go with 10 or 9 on the 1st floor? Will we even notice the difference? I want kitchen kabinets to go up to the ceiling, so I would do a soffit. Please advise.

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PRO

Charles Ross Homes

12 years ago

last modified: 12 years ago

With regard to ceiling height there are a couple of things to consider:

1. Larger rooms require higher ceilings or they tend to feel "squatty." Smaller rooms, such as Powder Rooms can feel like a silo if the ceiling is too high. If the room dimensions for your new home are similar to your existing home, then you have a frame of reference for what feels right to you for a particular size space.

2. Our rule of thumb is that 1st floor and 2nd floor ceiling heights shouldn't differ by more than one foot, so a 10 ft 1st floor ceiling height would require a 9 ft 2nd floor ceiling height.

3. For homes with a historic look, a 10 ft first floor generally looks more authentic when viewed on the exterior. Have your architect/designer draw it both ways so you can see the difference before committing to either ceiling height.

4. You will need additional risers on the stairs for a taller first floor ceiling so you'll need to ensure the design allows for that.

5. For a 10 ft ceiling we suggest taller windows and 8 ft doors. Make sure the doors are solid core because 8 ft hollow core doors feel flimsy.

6. In our experience, a change from a 9 ft ceiling to a 10 ft. ceiling generally requires larger crown mouldings or multiple-piece mouldings and taller base. You can make the determination after the drywall is installed by having your builder install a couple of sample pieces of each and seeing what looks right to you.

7. The cost difference between the two ceiling heights is not trivial. Consider that you'll be installing longer studs, more exterior sheathing material, more house wrap, more insulation, more drywall, more exterior cladding (brick, siding, stone, etc.), taller windows, larger mouldings, taller doors, taller cabinets and built-ins, etc. and it all adds up. Check with your builder for an estimate of the difference in cost.

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Comments (39)

abick2
Original Author
12 years ago
Better pic
PRO
Sustainable Dwellings
12 years ago
I prefer at least ten foot...It gives the illusion of more space and feels completely different. It will add to the cost.
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PRO
User
12 years ago
9' ceiling you can still use standard height doors. 10' ft should have 8' doors. I am 6'4" and I love our 9' ceilings. I always dislike the extra 2 steps on 2 story with 10' ceilings.
juudean
12 years ago
In my new house I have both. Not crazy about soaring ceilings so we put a 10' 6" in the great room, and 9' in the adjoining kitchen and dining "room." Love the way they help define the space.
PRO
A Crew of Two
12 years ago
9 ft
Claisabel I
12 years ago
10'
abick2 thanked Claisabel I
SG
12 years ago
10 with larger doors
abick2 thanked SG
PRO
PPF.
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Consider using both. The piano room 10', dining will feel more intimate with a lower ceiling. Also a good way to help define the space.

If your upper and lower floor plans align, this is also a way to add interest to the 2nd floor.

I'll comment on the overall height issue in the other thread.
MMS
12 years ago
10' gives a much better scale to the room IMO, but if you don't want to spend that much extra, I've seen people go with 9' but use the larger doors and openings and it helps create some of the feeling of 10'
abick2
Original Author
12 years ago
Ppf how can I use both if I have a second floor above?
PRO
Lampert Dias Architects, Inc.
12 years ago
The 10' ceilings will always be a classic choice and an sign of a more expensive house.
( even though it doesn't add that much extra to the cost )
You should also use 8 foot door header hetights throughout and make sure that your windows also are placed with higher header heights. You probably want clerestory windows above your regular windows for air circulation and more light and air..............
abick2 thanked Lampert Dias Architects, Inc.
abick2
Original Author
12 years ago
I will go with 8 ft doors if I proceed with 10 ft ceilings. The architect put down 5'10 for most of the windows on the 1st floor.
PRO
Ingalls Custom Contracting
12 years ago
If you go with 10' ceilings you can install coffered ceilings on the first floor and they will make a statement and you will then still have a 9' ceiling below the coffered ceiling once it is installed. If you install 9' ceilings and want to install a coffered ceiling you would be back to 8' ceilings once complete. Take a look at our website we have a few pictures of this www.ingallscc.com. If you are concerned about your kitchen height being too tall, you can build to 10' and build a whole room with a lower ceiling in certain areas if you are still in the design phase of your planning.
PRO
Douglas Allen Custom Homes and Remodeling
12 years ago
I would do 10' down and 9' up. I would do 54" tall upper kitchen cabinets with a large crown mold and definitely wouldn't do any soffits.
abick2 thanked Douglas Allen Custom Homes and Remodeling
abick2
Original Author
12 years ago
I am not a fan of coffered ceilings although I know it's very popular. I do like the rope light or cove lighting I think it's called. Also I would prefer for the cabinets to meet the ceiling that's why with 10 I would consider a soffit and some sort of soffit above the island with some interesting lighting in it. Haven't gotten that far ahead yet.
christywilson
12 years ago
110% TEN FOOT!!! They will give the house much more value and they will look and feel the best!! We have nine foot and really wish we had ten.......
abick2 thanked christywilson
lucyellenh
12 years ago
Sorry for not addressing the question about the ceilings, but a thought about your piano: consider rotating it 90 degrees so that when open, the sound is directed toward the seating area (the audience) instead of into the corner next to the foyer. Yes, the piano player has her/his back to the room's entrance (though mostly facing the audience), although it also makes it that much more welcoming to the pianist: "Come sit and play."

We recently tweaked the floor plan in new construction to accommodate our antique Bluthner grand piano, putting it into the designated dining room and leaving off a wall to turn a study/3rd bedroom into the dining room.
PRO
LineBox Studio
12 years ago
10' But pay attention how that effects the rest of the house (exterior and interiors)
MMS
12 years ago
What a comprehensive, well thought answer from Charles Ross Homes! I enjoyed reading it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
Nancy Walton
12 years ago
A 9' ceiling would require 10' studding cut down, so you wouldn't really be saving on the framing. The same goes for sheetrock, which is standard at 4' wide. Yes, a 9' might save a little, but not all that much, and 10' of sheetrock would be an easier install, I would imagine.
PRO
REORLANDO HOMES
12 years ago
Whatever you need to do in order to avoid soffits. They will make a brand new home look dated.
ryanmeeuwsen
12 years ago
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PRO
User
12 years ago
Drywall is available 54" wide, so you can have one tape joint on 9' ceilings. You would need to specify that to the drywall contractor.
PRO
Dino TURCHI design
12 years ago
10 - you'll never look back!

Don't build a hi
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
12 years ago
@Nancy Walton, in our market we purchase studs pre-cut for 9 ft wall assemblies (allowing for a single bottom plate and a double top plate), so no, we're not cutting down 10 ft studs to fame a 9 ft wall; studs for a 10 ft wall are indeed more expensive, and there is additional labor cost due to the additional wall sheathing required.

Drywall in our market is available in 48" and 54" widths, so when installed horizontally as per best practice, there is a single horizontal seam in a 9 ft wall, but two seams in a 10 ft wall. The drywallers are handling and finishing more boards for a 10 ft ceiling height, and the cost of labor and materials goes up accordingly.

Assuming the home is a single story, going from 9 ft exterior walls to 10 ft exterior walls adds 11% to the cost of all materials and labor for the wall construction plus the cost of taller windows, doors, and larger trim. If the home is a straight up two-story and the change to a 10 ft ceiling on the 1st floor drives a change from an 8 ft second floor to a 9 ft second floor, add that cost, too.

Anyone considering a change in ceiling height would be well served to have their architect/designer draw the exterior of the home both ways and get a cost estimate from their builder before committing to the change.
Sigrid
12 years ago
I vote for 9'. The higher the ceiling, the harder it is to change lightbulbs. I have to get my heavy, steel, 6" ladder to change lightbulbs. Washing the windows is an even bigger pain. Forget ever taking your curtains down. Plenty of people find they have big empty spaces that dwarf their artwork. Heat rises. You are going to be heating all that dead space in the winter.

I have high ceilings in my current house and don't see any great advantage. Oh, and the window and curtains in the atrium, where it's double height? Never been washed. The curtain is an attractive old linen color, which would be nice, if I didn't know it had once been white.
Nancy Walton
12 years ago
I guess the product has changed with demand then. When I built a house in 1999, framing lumber was only available in 2 ft. increments, and all drywall was 48". I stand corrected, thanks Charles Ross Homes.
Leslie Brooks
12 years ago
We did 9' in our new build. Upstairs is 8'. I'm very pleased with the look. You can have standard doors and windows. Remember that going with taller windows with 10' ceilings would also necessitate longer drapery which gets expensive.
Margaret
12 years ago
As other posters have noted, ceiling height is part of the rooms proportions and may have a significant impact on how it feels. A very large room with a low 8' ceiling will feel a bit oppressive - this is why so many offices converted to "open plan" wind up with exposed ceilings - it's the only way to get the height the large expanse needs.

I once rented an apartment with a 12x12 bedroom. It felt really spacious because it had 12' ceilings. Living in it I would have preferred a bigger room, so consider whether you money is better spent in wall height or floor space. If you are footprint but not height constrained higher ceilings will make your rooms feel bigger.
abick2 thanked Margaret
mrgerardmartin
11 years ago
If you go for 9 ft., would french patio doors of 8 ft. be too much?
User
11 years ago
Actually, you can obtain pre-cut 9' studs just about everywhere!
PRO
Maltby Design
11 years ago
The higher the ceilings, the greater the air volume you will pay to heat.
User
11 years ago
I would do both. You could do 9ft in kitchen and 10 foot or more in the living room. It just depends on the feel and look you are going for. Like earlier post have said taller ceilings give the illusion of a bigger space. Good luck!
abick2 thanked User
info12628
10 years ago
L
William King
10 years ago
No soffit! No, no, no! Bring wall cabinets to the ceiling height or just below. (I believe that to-ceiling height is more timeless but that's a matter of personal taste). Use uppermost cabinets for storage of esoteric items such as soup tureens, holiday-themed dishes, fine china storage, etc. The uppermost cabinets could have glass inserts if you're a collector and want to show off the items inside but filled door panels will have much more utility.
Jenny
10 years ago
We have 10' ceilings in our living room with standard height (7') doors. The builder added a thick trim moulding to the top of the door frames, which helps them look taller. I agree that the doors would look puny without the added height from the moulding, but with this accommodation, it's not necessary to switch to 8' doors (though they would certainly look nice!).
mikerear
10 years ago
9 foot ceilings with 8 foot doors and window headers at 8 feet. I feel like 10 ft ceilings are out of scale for average height people.
PRO
GTG Builders
10 years ago
Charles Ross did a nice job explaining some differences. Someone mentioned that the cost differences between 9' and 10' are minimal, I would call that a very inaccurate statement. The costs are distribute widely amongst many many items so they aren't noticed but can be sizeable. Since your second floor would/should be 9' if first is 10', increase in volume is fairly significant. Lastly, I think a 3500sq ft. house may be tight for 10'. good luck