Ceiling Height? (new house, asbestos, construction)

[nzone]

minimum ceiling height is 7-ft. My house's basement is 7-ft and first floor is 7-ft 6-in. My condo is 8-ft. I like prefer 9-ft ceiling though, but lower ceiling saves energy cost (cooling or heating).

[mmyk72]

I agree about saving energy (at least heating) with 'normal' height ceiling. The last thing I want is cathedral ceiling or loft style where the living room ceiling is 2 stories high... it takes a lot of heat to make it feel warm at the ground level.

I really despise some 'contemporary' construction style (mostly from the 80's-90's) that I've seen where the house is chopped up into small narrow rooms but they have really high ceiling heights to supposedly make the rooms seem larger.

[accufitgolf]

Originally Posted by SpringMom3

How high do you think ceilings need to be to not feel claustrophobic?

Be a true, cheap New Englander. Go for low ceilings and not many windows. Small and dark but you know, a heating issue. Remember, Cardinal Cushing will roll over in his gave should you consider AC......LOL

[Parsec]

I was curious and just measured my ceiling. It's 7'4" in most of the house and 7'6" in the addition. This is a 1950's slab ranch in Natick. I remember feeling claustrophobic when I first walked into the house, but both my wife and I have gotten used to it. I'm 5'9" and my wife is 5'7". The foyer and living room in my new house is 20 feet tall, so even Yao Ming will feel right at home there

[luvthatmouse]

Ours are about 10 feet. At our place in Fl they were 10 feet also. My husband is 6'3 and I am 5'1, but we both like them about this high. Feels much more open.

[accufitgolf]

Originally Posted by Parsec

I was curious and just measured my ceiling. It's 7'4" in most of the house and 7'6" in the addition. This is a 1950's slab ranch in Natick. I remember feeling claustrophobic when I first walked into the house, but both my wife and I have gotten used to it. I'm 5'9" and my wife is 5'7". The foyer and living room in my new house is 20 feet tall, so even Yao Ming will feel right at home there

Try ceilings that low with a ceiling fan in he room. Talk about ducking or a cheap haircut.......LOL

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by accufitgolf

Try ceilings that low with a ceiling fan in he room. Talk about ducking or a cheap haircut.......LOL

It's funny you joked about that because I had a ceiling fan in my living room. One day it was on and a policeman who was 6'10" came into my house (don't ask why he was in my house). He nearly walked right into the fan which would've given him a nice gash across his nose.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by accufitgolf

Try ceilings that low with a ceiling fan in he room. Talk about ducking or a cheap haircut.......LOL

I would definitely buy a flush mounted fan for that house.

I just put a fan in my sun porch where the ceiling is 8.5' and it only has a 12" or so stalk on it. That feels just about right.

[joe moving]

I'm building a mid-range (wood floors, nice cabinets, good windows and plenty of them, good exterior trim work, solid doors) modular home and the builder has told me most people don't go above the default 7' 8" ceiling height on the 2nd story. The cost alone is not that much, but then it all keeps adding up . I am wondering how much priority I should give to raising the 2nd story ceiling by 4" to 8' from the default of 7' 8"?

What if we wanted bunk beds... or ceiling fans? I do like ceiling fans in all bedrooms.

Floor 1 is 8'.

[Guineas]

Lower ceilings (7-8ft) also makes a house cozier and more inviting. Taller ceilings tend to feel like a triple decker condo for me, looks nice and elegant initially but not as warm once you're living in it.