You are here:

Architecture/remodeling questions

Advertisement

Expert: - 9/17/2008


Question
Hi. I have a few remodeling questions. First, is it possible to push up the ceilings in an apartment? If a townhouse has 4 levels, is it possible to make it 2 or 3? Does square footage of a room include floor to ceiling measurement? If an apartment is planned out as a 3 bedroom, can it be remodeled to fit a 4th room if there is enough space? Or, are there some sort of zoning laws? Thanks

Answer
Hi Danielle - thanks for your questions!

Raising ceiling heights within a building structure is usually a complex and expensive undertaking.  Without going into detail, exterior walls are stacked on the floor/ceiling system and the floor/ceiling system holds the walls in place - removing the floor/ceiling can seriously compromise the structure of the building.

The "area" of a room is just the 2-dimensional floor plane; adding the third dimension (height) results in volume.

And finally, zoning and building codes and health regulations often regulate the number of bedrooms in an apartment - but each situation is different.  Check with your local building department or with a qualified design professional to find out what applies to you.

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
www.rtastudio.com
www.rtaplans.com

Architecture

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Richard Taylor, AIA

Expertise

Ask me about all aspects of house, remodeling. , and room addition design and construction. Ask me about historic homes, renovation, and restoration. Ask me about materials and techniques, and about how you can get the best value for your design and construction dollar. Ask me how you can make your home a very special place. I can't, however, answer specific structural engineering questions in this forum - that's something you'll need on-site observation for.

Experience

I own a full-service residential architectural firm, and have been designing custom homes, remodelings, and room additions across the country since 1983. Check us out at Richard Taylor Architects and RTA Plans. I have written and been published extensively on the subject of residential architecture.

Organizations
American Institute of Architects, City of Dublin Architectural Review Board, Vice Chair of City of Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission, American Planning Association, Board Member Historic Dublin Business Association, Past Editor of SPLASH (a software forum), Past Editor of Open Directory Project, Assistant Scoutmaster, Boy Scouts of America

Publications
Business First of Columbus, Suburban New Publications, About.com, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Columbus Dispatch Residential Architect Custom Home Architect Remodeling Architect

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Environmental Design (Architecture) Miami University 1983
For more about home design, check out my blog at Sense Of Place and join the conversation on our Facebook Page.

Awards and Honors
2010 Dublin Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.