Raising a ceiling isn’t a cheap process by any means. In this article, I will answer your question, “how much does it cost to raise a ceiling?”
The amount you raise it by and the cost per square foot both play significant factors in the price, so generally, the larger the building, the more expensive it is to raise its ceiling.
Because of this, there’s no accurate average price for raising a ceiling, as it also varies from room to room.
How Much Does It Cost To Raise A Ceiling?
To raise a ceiling, the average homeowner spends about $60 per square foot. Depending on the type of home and region, this project costs between $50 and $75 per square foot. The entire cost of a project to install a raised ceiling is around $19,200 but can range anywhere from $16,000 to $24,000 or even higher.
Like most construction, it will depend on the size of the house. We’ll discuss below some of the questions you may need to consider if you want to raise your ceiling.
How Can I Raise the Height of My Ceiling?
If you’re not looking to use a contractor, the simplest way to raise the height of a room’s ceiling is to get rid of anything obstructing the ceiling. For example, some rooms feature beams and rafters on the ceiling. Removing those can free up space, but hiring a professional is often better if you want to actually raise the ceiling.
How do I raise the height of my ceiling?
Can You Lift the Ceiling In a House?
Yes, you can lift the ceiling in a house. The critical point to remember about raising a ceiling is that it often isn’t doable unless you restructure the roof to fit the new ceiling height. Restructuring the roof can prove time-consuming depending on the layout of the rest of the house and the amount you want to raise the ceiling.
Is it Difficult to Raise Ceiling Height?
Raising the ceiling height is difficult because of the number of variables involved. Since it requires restructuring the roof, you have to ensure that the layout of a house won’t conflict with the restructuring.
Doing this is often a step that structural engineers can navigate, but it requires time and careful planning. Otherwise, raising the ceiling can lead to severe issues.
What Is the Best Ceiling Height for A House?
The best ceiling height for a house largely depends on the layout of the house. However, the average room in most homes is between nine and 10 feet tall.
The height of first and second floor rooms is where you’ll see the most significant discrepancy. Still, all rooms typically exceed at least eight feet.
You’ll often find rooms that feature ceilings lower than eight feet in older houses, as builders emphasize making newer homes feel more spacious.
Convert Flat Ceiling To Vaulted Before And After
You’ll notice the difference between converting a flat ceiling or a drop ceiling to a vaulted ceiling is a significant amount of space.
Vaulted and cathedral ceilings form an arch shape, and while they’re less common than flat ceilings, many homes feature them both for the space they provide and their aesthetic.
Cost To Convert Vaulted Ceiling to Second Floor
Converting a vaulted ceiling to a second floor can cost several hundred thousand dollars. The primary factor that dictates the cost is how much of the ceiling will become a second floor and how high up the second floor will be.
You’ll also likely have to completely restructure the roof framing that came with the vaulted ceiling design and remove the inward arch.
Cost To Raise 8-Foot Ceilings
Again, the cost to raise a ceiling depends on the number of square feet in the room, but most people only look to raise an eight-foot ceiling by two or three feet. To raise an eight-foot ceiling, you should expect to pay around $20,000 at a minimum and $40,000 at a maximum for a larger room.
The best thing to do is have an inspection done to see what’s in the attic, like roof trusses, and get estimates from contractors to learn what average prices they’re offering.
How To Raise Ceiling Height in 2 Story House
Raising the ceiling height in a two-story house can require you to increase the ceilings of both floors to keep everything proportional. It doesn’t matter much if you have a gable roof, Dutch roof, flat roof, or another design, as ceiling height affects them all.
In some cases, raising the story of one floor in a two-story house is not feasible, so consider that before making any decisions. However, there are options, like tray ceilings, that can have the appearance of a lifted ceiling without changing the whole structure.
Cost To Raise Ceiling Height in Ranch House
Traditionally, ranch-style homes are single stories that rarely have a second floor. However, raising the ceiling height is still possible, like in any other home.
It’s also a rather advisable change, as ranch houses already feature a very open design. So, making the ceiling higher will make the already open interior feel even more spacious.
Cost To Vault Ceiling in Living Room
There is a wide range in price, the cost to vault ceiling in a living room cost as little as $4,800 or as much as $38,000. The average price is $19,900.
These expenses are dependent on a number of elements, including the type of vaulting and any roof alterations that are made.
Vaulting offers a broad number of design options, including raised ceilings, which create more open and airy rooms throughout the house.
How much does it cost to open a ceiling?
The average cost to open a ceiling is $19,900, with a low cost of $6,800 and a high cost of $40,000.
The average living room is about 330 square feet, and the price to raise the ceiling of a room that size is around $19,900.
This number doesn’t consider elements such as the type of roof, the fees charged by the company you use, and any structural changes that will need to occur to support a higher roof.
On average, vaulting a ceiling in a living room will cost $10,000 to $25,000. In addition, you’ll have to pay the labor cost for whatever contractor you use and any additional custom designs necessary for the ceiling.
Raise Ceiling Into Attic
Raising a ceiling into the attic is often necessary when you want to vault a ceiling, making the process much more difficult.
The main issue is removing anything in your attic that will prevent the process from succeeding. Before beginning the process, you’ll have to clear out insulation, vents for your HVAC unit, and any other obstructions.
Cost To Raise Roof and Add Second Floor
Look to pay $100,000 to $400,000 to raise a roof and add a second floor. The price will come out lower if you’re looking to turn a specific section of your roof into a second floor.
However, converting the entire roof into a second floor is extremely expensive, especially if you want to add multiple rooms to the second floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to raise a roof?
It costs an average of $50,000 to raise a roof but ranges from $15,000–$125,000. You’ll frequently need to elevate the entire roof if you want to raise the ceilings in your home. You can also alter the angle of your roof or open up attic space by doing this.
The scale and intricacy of the job will determine how much it will cost to raise a roof. In general, raising a roof is not inexpensive.
How much does it cost to raise 8 foot ceilings?
To raise 8 foot ceilings, it costs $60 per square foot to raise a ceiling into the attic of your house. So, raising 8 foot ceilings ranges from $480 to $600.
Older homes typically have a conventional ceiling height of 8 feet, as you can see with so many variables, costs can vary substantially. 9-foot ceilings are typical in new homes to give the inside a roomier feel.
How much does it cost to raise roof 2 feet?
To raise a roof 2 feet, the average homeowner spends about $60 per square foot. Depending on the type of home and region, this project costs between $50 and $75 per square foot.
In addition to material expenses, skilled roofers charge $1.50 to $3 per square foot. As an alternative, they might bill by the hour.
How much does it cost to raise an attic roof?
It costs an average of $70,000 to raise an attic roof. Attic renovation costs may vary and it depends on the finishing, so if you open up the attic space of your home’s ceilings, it further increases the costs.
How much does it cost to raise one side of the roof?
When adding a complete second or third floor onto your home, the cost per square foot might start at $300 and go up to $500, depending on the scope of the project.
You might also choose to build only one cantilevered room, which is essentially an expansion that hangs over the ground floor.
This comes out to a lower cost than constructing a complete floor, which can range anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000.
Is it possible to raise the roof on a house?
There are a few different reasons why you would decide to raise the roof of your house. One of the most typical reasons is to generate additional space inside your room.
When you raise the roof of a home, you have the option of either adding another story to the structure or raising the ceiling height of one of the existing stories.
The addition of dormers or the conversion of a room’s ceiling to a different material are two more good reasons to jack up the roof.
Conclusion
So, how much does it cost to raise a ceiling? The answer is that it depends, but regardless of whether it’s for a kitchen, living room, or even a basement ceiling, you should expect it to pay a minimum of around $20,000 in most cases.
Final Thoughts about How Much Does It Cost to Raise You Ceiling
The average cost to raise a ceiling in a home is approximately $60 per square foot. The price range for this project, which is between $50 and $75 per square foot, varies based on the type of home as well as the location.
So, in this detailed guide you have learned the actual cost to raise ceiling in living room.
Resources:
How Much Does it Cost to Raise a Ceiling Height? (link)