I have a (for Houston) standard 1.5 story home that has the typical smaller second floor tucked under a steepish 1-story roof. Basically, the roof forms a triangle with a rectangle inside that, in turn, creates 3 empty triangles behind the length’s walls and above the small room’s ceiling.
I want to open up those empty spaces. The side spaces are pretty straightforward - I’m just cutting holes in the walls and finishing out behind them to form closets, etc., without disturbing (except to install headers as needed), the support those walls provide (if any, IDK) to the rafters.
It’s the ceiling that IDK about. I want to tear in completely out to form a cathedral. I feel like those ceiling rafters may not provide any structural support for the rafters, etc. Maybe they do nothing but provide support for the ceiling itself, and can simply be removed? Or, if they do support the roof, it seems like I could move them higher up on the rafters, kinda a half-cathedral, since I’d be reducing the ceiling weight.
I know y’all can’t tell me for sure with dimensions, etc., but does this sound like a practical project? I have to replace the old wood shingle roof and install decking, so I’m going to have all the roof open to work with.
Finally, any advice on insulating/ventilating that new roof structure? It doesn’t have insulation between the rafters now. Would foam from top to bottom work, or is that too pricey?
Post pics of what it is now, and what you want to try to accomplish. There are some competent contractors here that may help you with some of your questions.
I don’t know…
Are you on a ‘Cup-O-Noodles’ or a ‘Steak-n-Potatos’ budgert?
What experience/knowledge of construction do you have?
You do know that you need Permits and AHJ Inspections, right?
Are you capable enough to PASS those inspections?
OK, I don’t have pics yet. Really starting with the roof, which is pretty straightforward, and I’ve installed many roofs. Otherwise, a DIYer, but I’ve done a lot more projects than most people. Just trying to think of anything that would stop me from going forward on the roof now, and come back to the interior later. Thanks.
Oops, I answered your questions in my reply above. In general, I try to get the best value. For example, buying better materials and doing the work myself, when I can. If not I hire someone. I’ve done a bunch of roofs, so feel comfy with that part.
I watched the vid provided and feel like I’m prolly OK removing those ceiling joist to create the cathedral, but, of course, will be asking an engineer before proceeding. The video discusses the purpose of ceiling joists that attach at the wall’s top plate to hold those walls in under the weight of the roof pushing them out.
Simply, that design creates a triangle, if you will, comprising roof rafters and ceiling joists for the sides, that sits on top of the rectangle formed by the walls of my first floor.
My home, being a 1.5 story, has a second rectangle, the second floor, tucked inside that primary triangle. The top side of that rectangle are the ceiling joists for those rooms that I propose to remove; however, they’re not attached to the first floor walls’ top plates, as the primary triangle’s first floor ceiling joists are, so I’m assuming they’re not a critical structure keeping the first floor walls from pushing outwards.
If anything, it seems like the second floor walls support the roof rafters a bit, and I’m not proposing to remove them, although I would be cutting doorways in those walls to create closet/storage space in the cavity behind them. But those will have appropriate headers to replace the removed studs.
If any of that reasoning sounds off, please let me know. The architect/engineer will have the final say, of course.
