Possible to raise apt. ceiling?

Would lowering the floor be a viable alternative?

Perhaps there actually is room above the existing ceiling that you now have to raise it a few inches. Maybe the building has drawings that would show what is above. I say this because I looked at a top floor apartment in a prewar building on the upper west side a while back and that is what they had done. They removed the old ceiling and discovered 2 feet of extra space above. Could happen. You should at least ask.

If you are on a "top-floor", and assuming no penthouse or "attic" above you, raising your ceiling would seem to point toward constructing and paying for a new roof. Since this would benefit the entire building, this would be a powerful incentive for a co-op board to look upon your scheme with great favor. If this is your intent, probably a few contractors on this board could jump in with estimates? Lowering the floor just pushes the problem down to other shareholders until the building ends up with a five foot lobby. Better to buy the apt. below and duplex it. Or you could buy a different apartment in another building?

coop boards are always very reluctant to allow messing with an intact roof that does not leak--in any way, let alone involving structural reconstruction simply to buy a tenant a few more inches/feet of ceiling height

to create illusion of higher ceiling, paint uniform color on walls all the way to the very highest horizontal plane of the ceiling--paint ceiling white--any contrasting painting of chair, picture or crown molding has the effect of lowering the ceiling, making room smaller---for slight enhancement of molding paint walls flat/eggshell, paint molding semi-gloss--walls need to be very smooth/well-prepped if you plan to use eggshell

A new roof is crazy expensive. I cannot imagine shareholders would want that sort of assessment unless the roof itself is in dire need of repair. OP, have you checked to see whether the ceilings have been dropped by previous tenants? Often this happens to accommodate lighting and wiring.

FirstApt, I had the same thing and found out that there was a real, heavy-duty original drop ceiling! We took it off and gained 2' of height. Worth every dime. Went from 9' to 11' - the world of difference.

I need to know more to give you an estimate, how big of an area are we talking about?

I would check with the building before wasting a lot of your time as withoout their permission there is not much you can do. You would also need to hire an architect of course.

Bram, there wouldnt be an assessment as First Apt would have to pay for it

The super may know the answer as to what lurks above the ceiling you have. A creative bump up of even an inch or two in depth, or even two concentric bump ups with proper mouldings can achieve significant effect for ceiling if you cannot raise it as desired. I don't know the proper architectural term for what I'm describing, but think of being inside a pyramid and looking up.

if the ceiling is dropped to accomodate highhat recessed lighting, you can rip it and pick up a few inches without huge expense--but a roof-raise could cost huindreds of thousands (or more, if a big place), so this had better be a valuable apt to start with

is the ceiling sheetrock/ if so drill a pilot hole through it to see how far you can go till you hit something silid--that would represent what you can pick up in height if you rip the dropped ceiling--super can tell you if there is vaulting

>>Bram, there wouldnt be an assessment as First Apt would have to pay for it<<

A new roof could cost a couple mil. I doubt very much OP would want to take on that kind of expense for a higher ceiling...

Thank you for all the comments & suggestions. This sounds like it's just too expensive an option for us, and that we'd better stick with optical illusions to create height. Also, it's probably not a great way to get acquainted with our neighbors by asking to tear down our ceiling just to get a few inches in height.

Primer05, the ceiling in the room is just under 600 square feet. I think that's part of the reason it appears low - the room is big (two apartments were combined).

There doesn't appear to be a dropped ceiling - no recessed lighting (though there are a bunch of ceiling fans) - but I don't know for sure. I'm assuming the ceiling is plaster, but, again, I'm not sure. Once we select a contractor for the rest of the project, I suppose I could ask him to check a small area of ceiling to see what's up there.

Kyle - it sounds like you might be talking about a tray ceiling?? That might help break up all that space up there.

FirstApt, I too am purchasing a top floor apartment in a coop building and was wondering the same. I also will be making some extensive renovations. Would be interested to share notes if you're up to it.
Let me know.
Thanks.

We ripped out the flat ceiling of our top floor apartments (two studios we combined), a hell of a mess but we were gutting everything to the studs anyway so was well worth it.

The ceiling now follows the pitched roofline.
http://www.collins.net.pr/Photo/USA/New%20York/135%20Henry%20St%2C%20Brooklyn/photo.htm

FirstApt: exactly what I meant. I jsut thought that perhaps that term refers only to those dreadful, tacky, horribly proportioned things you see in master bedrooms of McMansions. The effect was extremely well done, I thought, on the lobby ceiling of 30 Fifth Avenue just past the entry vestibule and I just kept the idea in the back of my head should the opportunity to use it ever come up. Btw, I am very jealous of the potential you have for designing a 1930s upper story apartment! Congrats on the new home.

You could try the Interior Design 101 trick of running your window treatments from just below the ceiling line all the way down to the floor to create vertical interest.

ali r.
DG Neary Realty

Buy the place upstairs and gut it.

Like adding a basement.....

@first apt. i have a bag of tricks i would be glad to share. www.studio87.com

FirstApt, all you have to do is this: check if all ceilings in the apartment are the same hight, especially in the entry hall and corridors. If you see the difference, and there's no penthouse of any type above you, there's a very good chance that there are original (very heavy cement metal armature) ceilings were put in for insulation. The sound, if you knock on the lowest ceiling, would tell you a lot.

*"cement metal armature" should be "cement and metal armature."

Thank you again for all the comments. Commoner & deanc, do you know what it cost you to raise the ceiling, if you can break it out from other costs?

deanc, thanks for the pics. The photos showing the construction are really helpful. Your apt and deck are gorgeous (really love the kitchen counters - marble? i'm thinking about marble, but think I just might be too scared of stains).

kylewest, thx for the tip about 30 5th; will try to sneak in & get some surreptitious pics.

malhotrany - we're still trying to find an architect and/or designer & contractor for the more practical parts of our project (kitchen, laundry room/3rd bedroom), so no insight yet to share.

deanc--nice place!! enjoy!!

FirstApt, I think it was in the vicinity of $12K. Keep in mind that you don't know what you'll find when it's taken down. Ideally, there's a beamed concrete ceiling that you'll have to make look nice - another couple of thou$and.

Thx, commoner.