Raising A 78-inch Ceiling (entire House)

neolitic

I'm trying to find out how the guys
wanting to drop the elevation of the
entire first floor are planning to deal
with the exterior grade.
Sounds like they are proposing that he
turn it into a sort of "garden level"
affair.
Just wondering what I missed.

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KennMacMoragh

That's where you need to be creative.

neolitic

I don't, he does.

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Willie T

It CAN be done. Whether legally or not..... ???

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Bill Everett - St. Petersburg, FL

LetItBeLEED

Great ideas, however cranes are not an option because the driveway includes a narrow bridge across a mountain stream. Location of the house at least is central PA. There is a basement... it's not quite a walk-out. There's a lot of foundation wall exposed in front and the grade in back is 12" below the sill... but the lay of the land is such that we could drop in back 24" or so, so the notion of dropping the floor joists into the basement is interesting, but would require a lot of electrical/plumbing/HVAC. LoneFramers idea of LVLs on the top plate is interesting also. Thanks for the great ideas to check out.

72chevy4x4

least expensive method might be to drop the floor system down 18" assuming you're high enough above grade. If you're in an area that requires permits and engineer specs for work, an engineer's report may be necessary to confirm the foundation is up to the added weight of 'lifting' any portion of the house, at which time you may be required to bring it up to spec, assuming a 100yr old foundation is NOT up to today's specifications.

have you considered building an addition onto the place and converting the 6.5' tall space into bedrooms for the kids?

how tall are the doorways on the first floor? I would imagine less than 6'?

Home Work Pro

Dropping the floor into the basement doesn't make sense. You would ruin the basement space and you would end up having to make a ledge around the perimeter. Not to mention door issues and steps.

I think Lone's idea is the only one that makes any sense but I would raise all load area's with steel beams. They could be easily posted and enclosed.

Extend all mechanicals in the 1st floor walls, rebuild the step area, repair the exterior and repair or re-drywall the 1st floor.

Or just rent it to short people.

72chevy4x4

I would think it likely the basement is not full height...maybe the OP can comment

ClemS

didn't think anyone in 1910 knew what platform framing was. correct me if I'm wrong.

Paulie

Why change it? Does the proposed change justify spending all that money on a 100 year old house? I guess everyone will have their own answer but for me I wouldn't even think about it.

JamesKB2

I think you're right Clem. That is most likely a balloon framed structure.

If it is, raising the second floor off the "supposed" top plate of the first floor walls is not an option, because there won't be any top plate there.

More than likely the floor for the second story is ledger, either let in or sistered to studs.

I'd have to see it to come up with a viable solution. There might not be one!

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LetItBeLEED

Well, the date of construction was just a guess, and probably a dumb one based on Clem's comment. It's a platform. The basement is same height as the other floors, BTW.

Another issue, of course, with lifting the 2nd story is changing the footprint of the stairs which would have to be redesigned since otherwise they'd extend into the kitchen or the doorway to the kitchen. It's busting the bank, though I still may ask some hand-tool weilding Amish guys what they'd charge to do the lift the old way.

LIKELY CONCLUSION: the short people can probably talk us down in price.

THANKS FOR THE IDEAS FOLKS!

LetItBeLEED

JamesKB2

Well, if it's platform, then it could be done. You still have utilities to deal with too, wire runs will be short, HVAC changes, plumbing if there's a bath upstairs.

If you didn't buy it right, with a gut and jack in mind, you're not going to do well with it. Stairs are just one of the worries.

I'd have bought it cheap if it was burnt out, with a total gut in mind. Otherwise....

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cooks

just jack the second floor. cut out the short walls and drop second story to first floor level. then build addition next to it and use doors and windows from cut out section if you want them to match. problem solved.

neolitic

This is far from comprehensive,
but it's a start when trying
to guess a date.
(Toilet tanks have long had the
date stamped inside,which can
at least help date the last remodel.)

http://www.inspect-ny.com/interiors/AgeofHouse.htm

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LetItBeLEED

Thanks for the toilet-tank tip, Neolitic. I never realized that.

Cooks, good idea but the edges of the rooms are under sloped rafters + dormers. Of course, you didn't know that since I left that detail out of my prior posts. Simply removing the first floor and setting the second floor on the foundation would make for a very strange look.

Thanks again one and all.

neolitic

LEED,
You did notice the link too

http://www.inspect-ny.com/interiors/AgeofHouse.htm

didn't you?

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KellyD&B

You can always go from a 2 story with low ceilings to a 1 story with high ceilings...

Nailerconstruct

Revised


Tear it down and start fresh or keep it the way it is.