How to Add Height to Your Basement

The term “ceiling height” refers to the height between the ground and the ceiling or, in the presence of a roof beam, the bottom of the beam.

​​Why Raise My Basement Ceiling Height?

In older residences that weren’t necessarily constructed with the goal of eventually getting the basement completed, very low ceiling basement height is a prevalent problem. More often than not, individuals choose to raise their ceiling heights for the purpose of abiding by the legalities.

The average ceiling height requirement for a finished basement structure is 6’8″. The ceiling must be increased before the space is finished when it’s lower than this basic threshold, which is usually the case for older houses.

You can still renovate the basement even if it has lower ceilings. To come up with a style that is most suited for your particular area, you might only require being a bit inventive. Consider the level of the ceiling in each room when you plan the underground.

How to Raise a Basement Ceiling?

There are different ways to add height to the basement. These include the following:

Method 1: Underpinning Your Basement

This is the approach that is most usually applied to construct a higher basement ceiling height. Under the current foundation, a new one must be installed for this project. It is a laborious procedure, so getting it correctly requires a while.

To underpin the basement in a step-by-step manner, more support will be added as the development progresses. As you might expect given how complicated the process is, it’s also the more pricey choice. Your ceiling will effectively be raised because you now have a newer, lower ground.

Method 2: Benching Your Basement

Here, a bench or sill is built around the perimeter of the sidewalls to maintain the base’s fundamental stability. The whole flooring is then separated and dropped as opposed to only the flooring from the inside of the framing. This is a less expensive choice.

The underground work area is reduced with this technique, which is the only downside. Many individuals are making this attempt to match the ledge’s design to the room’s decor and furniture.

Method 3: Raising Beams

If an expansive basement with a beam that runs through the center is your dream dungeon, this may be the right way to raise the height of your basement ceiling. Fortunately, there is a solution to lift the entire beam if building partitions is not something you’d like to accomplish.

The floor joists are all butted up against joist hangers as it is raised. This indicates that the endpoints of the beams must have adequate reinforcement. Only when the joists are perched atop a wooden beam can this approach be used.

Method 4: Lifting Your House

The developer will begin lifting the building as soon as they have enough space to do so. The current infrastructure and the favored method of the builder may determine how this goes.

Separate the house from an existing base, it can include elevating the old slabs or placing beams underneath the floor joists. The latter approach is more typical if your basement already exists. If you don’t, either choice can be a possibility.

Adding Height to Your Basement: Tips and Tricks

Without altering the structure of the basement, you could indeed end up making the ceiling appear high. A low roof height can be raised with stuff as easy as rearrangement of the basement installations. Here are a few techniques for making a low ceiling appear higher without basement renovation:

• Use paint – This is done to give the appearance of a larger area by selecting brighter hues for the wall surfaces and ceilings. To lighten up the basement, choose white or pastel hues. To produce the appearance of reflection, use high-gloss paint.
• Get rid of any ceiling decorations – If you have lighting on the ceiling, take them down. Rather, you could have used some ground or desk lighting fixtures. Apply the same procedure to every mounted ceiling fan.
• Keep the furniture count low – Some people opt to do this to conserve space and add height in a low-ceilinged basement.
• Add tall mirrors – mirrors reflect light, which heightens the appearance of the ceiling.
• Showcase the authentic industrial feel – To accomplish this, leave the interconnections on the ceiling uncovered. If not, you might incorporate some decor to hide the cables or tubes on the top.

How Will Raising my Basement Ceiling Affect my House?

Before undertaking the massive effort of elevating your basement ceiling, think about your needs and how you want to use the space. If you want to utilize the space as a recreation or family room, it is not necessary to add extra height.

The real estate industry in Ontario views homes with greater basements as being more valuable. It might also make more daylight accessible. These are just a few instances that affect the house when you raise the ceiling height.

To gain just a few extra inches of space, you can employ a variety of strategies and design guidance in basement renovation that’s going to save you both time and cash. 

How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Basement Ceiling?

A dig-down or a home lift in Toronto can cost you between $275,000 and $375,000, depending on your decision. Due to the length of time required to remove the old flooring, excavate the basement, and lay a new structure, excavating projects often have higher labor expenses.

A house lift ends up costing the same as a core replacement because it nearly typically necessitates rebuilding the complete foundation in addition to more external, structural, and utility labor.

Which Option Is Best for Me?

Here are a few factors to take into account as you decide.

• How long do you plan to stay in this house – Are you planning to stay here for a while or are you planning on selling it within the next couple of years? Choose underpinning in the first case. Decide which of the other options to use for the latter.
• Your budget – Regardless of the undertaking, renovations can be expensive. Benching can be the greatest option when you’re looking for something affordable but still need the most available.
• How you intend to utilize the basement – When you need as much area as possible, benching might not be a good option. In this manner, the sq ft is decreased. With the benches, though, you might be inventive.

Why Choose CSG Renovation?

CSG Renovation has been around for more than a decade of basement renovation experience in Ontario. With their qualified technicians, high-quality finishes are expected in every basement project. If you do not want to stress yourself out on renovating by yourself, this is the renovation company you should rely on. Just contact us whenever you have a house improvement project.