01-14-2011, 08:01 AM
quote:
Originally posted by robguz
I did 10' and wished I had done 12-14' although that's primarily for the view. Never thought I'd build underneath the house and sure enough 3 years later I'm enclosing half of it. If I'd gone higher the addition could at least have high ceilings which I love in my house.
Exactly. As for the draftsperson - designing over a certain height does require more infrastructure than designing for short heights.
To not have excessive deflection or sway ('specially during an earthquake!) I think you need to have a little larger shear walls, and bigger beaming underneath when you go up 10-12-14 ft. But thats me.
You can always do it cheap and less if your draftsperson/architect okays.
Since this has been an on-going discussion here and with builders and owners I know personally, my feeling is if I am spending that much money to begin with whats a little more to make it feel substantial and not cheap or "wiggly" (<<< my official construction term! haha)
There is code, and there is comfort, and there is budgets.
But truly the higher you go the more that everything that follows is more expensive.