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Posted by on September 8, 2006, 11:16 pm
Im looking into buying a home whose 17' by 15' living room is approx 6
inches stepped down from the other floors. There is an unfinished
basement beneath this room and more than 10ft of ceiling above this
room.
Id like to know if the floor of this room can be raised and brought in
line with the other floors on the same level in this house. I was
wondering if something simple as removing the carpet & subfloor and
adding some lumber on top of the floor joists and reinstalling the
removed subfloor and carpet woud be feasible? Would the joists be able
to handle the extra lumber (essentially deadweight with no structural
help)? Has someone attempted something like this.
Thanks.
Bof.
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Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on September 8, 2006, 11:24 pm
> Id like to know if the floor of this room can be raised and brought in
> line with the other floors on the same level in this house. I was
> wondering if something simple as removing the carpet & subfloor and
> adding some lumber on top of the floor joists and reinstalling the
> removed subfloor and carpet woud be feasible? Would the joists be able
> to handle the extra lumber (essentially deadweight with no structural
> help)? Has someone attempted something like this.
It has been many years since, but I helped my step-father raise a floor in
two houses. they had to go up about 24". We used some cross bracing and a
series of jacks, cut the joists and slowly raised them. Not a job for an
amateur. The entire fronts of these buildings were also replaced as part of
major renovations.
You can build a floor with 2 x 4's or 2 x 6 or whatever gives the proper
dimension. Now, the windows may not be positioned properly, heating ducts
or piping may have to be changed, receptacles will not be up high enough and
may be code violations.
If I was you, I'd be looking at other houses.
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Posted by on September 8, 2006, 11:36 pm
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> You can build a floor with 2 x 4's or 2 x 6 or whatever gives the proper
> dimension. Now, the windows may not be positioned properly, heating ducts
> or piping may have to be changed, receptacles will not be up high enough and
> may be code violations.
>
> If I was you, I'd be looking at other houses.
Those are all useful points to think about. Thanks.
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Posted by on September 8, 2006, 11:36 pm
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> You can build a floor with 2 x 4's or 2 x 6 or whatever gives the proper
> dimension. Now, the windows may not be positioned properly, heating ducts
> or piping may have to be changed, receptacles will not be up high enough and
> may be code violations.
>
> If I was you, I'd be looking at other houses.
Those are all useful points to think about. Thanks.
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Posted by Jim Redelfs on September 9, 2006, 8:24 am
qareply@hotmail.com wrote:
> Im looking into buying a home whose 17' by 15' living room is approx 6
> inches stepped down from the other floors.
> Id like to know if the floor of this room can be raised and brought in
> line with the other floors on the same level in this house.
Ahhh, the "sunken" living room. What a rage it WAS.
Over the years, I have been in a few homes where the floor was raised. More
accurately, the floor was simply decked over.
I recall that it was obvious (to me) that the decking had been added. It
struck me as a kludge, although it didn't LOOK bad. The floor had a hollow
sound and feel underfoot, sort of like the stage in a little theater.
It never occurred to me that the outlets, windows and ductwork would be
affected but they certainly would. If everything else about the home you are
considering is good, I'd try to live with the sunken room and see if it's as
bad as you thought. You might be pleasantly surprised.
I was amazed once to tour a brand new home that included an elevator to
accommodate POSSIBLE wheelchair needs in the future: It opened on the main
floor into a SUNKEN living room! "Brilliant". <sigh>
--
:)
JR
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