Ceiling height upgrade new construction

5 years ago

I'm trying to understand how this ceiling height upgrade option works In a yet to be built new construction home.

The builder has quoted about $3k per floor to add a foot of ceiling height. I then asked to raise all the floors to 9'. Builder said that's not possible because "we aren't actually raising the house height nor the roof line, we're just pushing op into the attic space." Only 2 feet of total raise allowed.

I decided to raise the walkout basement and the second floor. But now I have many unanswered questions on how this affects the home.

If the roof line / house height isn't changing, what happens to windows that are already nearly flush against the roof eaves? There's no wall space to move them up...
And if it's just pushing up into attic space but the roof is the same, will this add new "vaulting" or angles on the top floor walls that previously didn't exist?

If all you can say is to change builders etc. please keep scrolling. In this crazy market builders are NOT responsive and will ditch you if you ask too many questions. I'm hoping someone on here has been through this before and can explain what happens to windows etc. with this kind of ceiling extension.

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Comments (8)

Jennifer Miyazaki
Original Author
5 years ago
And yes I do have a buyer's agent but he does not know the answer.
res2architect
5 years ago
Makes no sense to me.
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cpartist
5 years ago
What do the current plans show?
shead
5 years ago
What is the ceiling height per the plan and what are you raising it to?

Is this a tract home or a custom build on your own lot?

Regardless, what you’ve said so far makes no sense construction wise to me so there seems to be missing information or misunderstandings about what the builder is saying.

Posting a plan and elevations will generate better answers.
res2architect
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
The house must be one story because there can only be one attic floor that could be raised a foot. When that happens, the attic floor joists are called rafter ties.

The builders are treating this like a renovation which is pretty silly. I would not trust them. Perhaps you should have a professional working for you.
3onthetree
5 years ago
And if it's just pushing up into attic space but the roof is the same, will this add new "vaulting" or angles on the top floor walls that previously didn't exist?

Yes. There's probably some misinterpretation/inadequate explanation. If you've raised the basement, they are extending the foundation pour height. If you are raising the 1st floor, they switched to using 104 5/8" instead of 92 5/8" studs.

If they are saying they cannot raise the walls on the 2nd floor, then maybe other things are at play. Maybe (actually absolutely) the $3K doesn't cover it. Maybe your overall height would be beyond zoning allowable. Maybe the stair footprint won't allow the extra risers. Maybe in their development they have contracted with their wall panel builder that allows a set number of house plans to have an option for the 1st floor wall raise but not the 2nd.
Jennifer Miyazaki
Original Author
5 years ago
It is a 3 story with a walkout basement (technically 4 story?). Raising the basement and second floor from 8' to 9'. However some of the second floor is "bumped out" so it has its own roof and run into the window/vaulting problem on the second alone.
3onthetree
5 years ago
If some of the roofs and roof slopes tie-in to some 1st floor massing, then lifting the 2nd floor roof a foot may mess up a lot of things. I would suggest having a more in-depth conversation with the builder's design arm to understand what the short answer means.