new build Ceiling Height

THE DON FANUCCI

I am trying to work out something for my proposed new build.

If I want to have an arch glass surround over my front door but I have standard 8 foot (2440mm) inside ceiling height.
But the front door I've been looking at from munster joinery is door + arch comes to 2660mm.

Does this mean i'll have to use 9 foot ceiling (2740mm) ?

is there any other options or even is there a front door and arch out there that comes in under 2440mm?

Basically what I'm asking is do I need to raise the whole house by a block just to fit in this front door + arch

sydthebeat

2.44 m is definitely to small for an arch over a door.

You could create a bulk head over the door but that depends on the design and to be honest would look terrible.

So your two options are to change the door choice or raise the floor to ceiling heights.

To be honest there's no way id have a 2.44m f/c on a new build, especially if you have large open plan rooms.
You would certainly not regret going to 2.7, its a much better choice.

THE DON FANUCCI

Do you think that raising the ceiling would add much extra cost to the project?
I would def. regret not raising the ceiling by the sounds of it.

is there any other advantages to having a 9 foot ceiling and can i still keep the upstairs ceiling height at 8 foot ya?

sorry if these questions seem stupid

sydthebeat

Yes you can keep the first floor lower.

Costs wise there's nothing significant, especially if all the ground floor walls are plastered block. If they are timber stud there's a bit more playing with plaster board, but again nothing too significant.

THE DON FANUCCI

if i was to put a limestone stone arch surround around my front door.
does this stone arch sit on the outside leaf?

if this stone arch sits on the outside leaf alone then it wont add to my internal ceiling height.

sydthebeat

THE DON FANUCCI wrote: »

if i was to put a limestone stone arch surround around my front door.
does this stone arch sit on the outside leaf?

if this stone arch sits on the outside leaf alone then it wont add to my internal ceiling height.

That's nothing to do with the door

hexosan

Yrhe only way it'll look right and work is to raise the ceiling height to 2.7m as Syd has said. The cost is so minimal in the grand scheme

Dudda

Just be careful in raising the ceiling heights if it's going to raise the height of the house. That extra foot can matter in some cases.

rampantbunny

THE DON FANUCCI wrote: »

if i was to put a limestone stone arch surround around my front door.
does this stone arch sit on the outside leaf?

if this stone arch sits on the outside leaf alone then it wont add to my internal ceiling height.

Did you mean building a porch to the front of the house, and installing your arched door in that?

If not the above, if you arrange your first floor landing so that it doesn't run over the front door, then I can't see why the taller door would not be OK. Sure, it would be higher than your ceilings but with no ceiling directly behind the glass, what difference. Depends on your layout.

I've seen some houses with glass over the front door, and behind you can make out the line of the ceiling. Personally, I don't like the idea but if you went with opaque glass you could hide this. Depends what you want...you might want clear glass for example so this wouldn't work.

Also, if this is a new build, and with MHRV, have you factored in the space required for ducting/downlights/service cavity? This is more of an issue if you are using hollow-core versus web joist. Ducts sitting under hollow-core can take up a fair bit of room depending on the system you install, thus lowering your ceilings more than you think.

FWIW - I agree with Syd, an 8ft ceiling is too low to begin with, regardless of the height of door.

delfagio

Agree with Rampant on that one. Sometimes this is overlooked quite often.

I'd check with your architect what is the floor/ceiling build up on the ground floor ceiling/first floor.

A lot of times architects will specify a 2.7m ceiling height. Then at the construction stage the builder/client install precast concrete slabs this then means installing a dropped ceiling underneath the slabs to accommodate wiring, plumbing and ducts for HRV etc. which leaves a finished ceiling height of 2.5-2.55m. Which is a nice ceiling height also at 8 and a half foot.

However Original Poster, if this was the case with you, your ceiling height could end up dropping from 2.4 to 2.2m.

I'd run through it with your architect and look about increasing the ceiling heights to 2.7m.

My ceiling height on ground floor is 2.56m and I have a front door with an arched fan light about the door at about 300mm at its highest point about the centre of the door. It leaves me with about 100mm or so to the underside of the ceiling. Looks great but if not for the higher ceiling it would never have been possible.

As others have said increasing ceiling height by extra row of blocks in the grand scheme of things won't be major money.

Discuss with architect, finalise all these little details before submitting for planning permission.

PROJECT K

definitely go with a 2.7m height if you can - also as previous posters, allow for dropped serviced ceiling if required (upstairs and downstairs) - and more importantly make sure you check you stair details as this will mean at least one but more than likely two extra risers which can have a huge impact on layout...

THE DON FANUCCI

Hi Guys, great info thanks!

I am going with timber joist ceiling on my ground floor. no interest in hollow core.

Does my services such as lighting cables, water pipes, wiring, can they all go straight through my timber joists??
As in core drill small holes through he timber and run my cables/pipes that way ?

if i go with the 9 foot ceiling (2700mm) i will have room for my 2600mm door from munster joinery

BryanF

THE DON FANUCCI wrote: »

Hi Guys, great info thanks!

I am going with timber joist ceiling on my ground floor. no interest in hollow core.

Does my services such as lighting cables, water pipes, wiring, can they all go straight through my timber joists??
As in core drill small holes through he timber and run my cables/pipes that way ?

if i go with the 9 foot ceiling (2700mm) i will have room for my 2600mm door from munster joinery

Google 'I joists'