Vaulted Ceiling Conversions

Southern California General Contractor
Dormer Room Additions
​by Chris Doering

Turning a high ceiling into a new room

Ideally, when we are looking to convert a high ceiling into a new room, we are looking for a two-story home with a high volume or flat second story ceiling. However, many homes in Northern and Southern California built in the 1980's and 1990's have a sloping ceiling where one side of the room is higher than the other. These are called vaulted ceilings and the slope down to different levels. See the example below.

Although this space can be converted into a new room, the low side of the room will be not functional for living space. This home is the perfect candidate for what we call a vaulted ceiling conversion with a dormer addition.

A dormer addition is a small area of the ceiling/roof that is raised up to provide a full height ceiling on the second floor only for a portion of the room. It is used to extend the full height ceiling space above and commonly to provide space to install a new second story window. We then design the remaining lower areas of the second floor space and assign it to closet or storage space.

​Here's another picture of the ceiling below BEFORE the dormer addition.

BELOW IS THE AFTER SHOT of the new ceiling line below

BELOW IS THE NEW DORMER BEDROOM ADDITION w/BATHROOM

Above: Notice that the dormer area (full height ceiling) is only for the majority of the bedroom width. The lower space remains and is used as a furniture niche and closet/storage space accessible from the new bathroom side.

Dormer room additions in vaulted ceilings requires a specialist general contractor. It is a great way to save tens of thousands in construction costs instead of doing a tradition full two-story addition.

Get a dormer addition quote from a general contractor that specializes in loft and mezzanine additions as well as dormer rooms within in vaulted ceilings. 

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