Contra Costa County
Loft Additions & High Ceiling Conversions in San Ramon
Hi, my name is Chris Doering, and I’ve been converting these open spaces as a niche specialty for over 20 years in the running now. It’s my passion and joy to help homeowners gain the space quickly and affordably. We also do it faster than any other company we know. It’s the same designers, same engineer, and same construction crew each time. Yes, we travel from city to city providing our specialty service, and we’ve been designing and building these unique high-ceiling conversions.
Molly Luo
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Chris Doering
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Your San Ramon, CA High Ceiling Evaluators
When we focus on your community, the first thing we do is launch. That means making homeowners aware that this type of addition is an option and giving them a place to learn what a high-ceiling conversion can actually look like. Many homeowners have lived with an open-to-below space for years without realizing that the unused volume above it could potentially become part of their living space. We don't expect you to already know what is possible. That's where our experience comes in. We've worked with many different home layouts and have learned that even homes that look similar on the outside can have very different possibilities once we look at the interior structure, ceiling height, stair location, windows, and surrounding rooms.
Our approach is also different from a typical remodeling project because we're working within the existing home. Rather than simply adding square footage to the outside, we're looking at how to introduce a new level into a space that was originally designed to be open. That requires careful planning so the new addition feels like it belongs there. For homeowners, one of the most exciting parts of the process is seeing the idea take shape before construction begins. Our design process allows us to create detailed 3D representations of the proposed space so you can better understand how the new room will relate to the rest of your home. Instead of trying to imagine the finished result from a flat floor plan, you can actually see how the space comes together. Because this is a specialty we've focused on for so long, we're able to bring the same knowledge and experience to each community we enter. We aren't starting from scratch every time we encounter a new house. We're applying years of experience with high-ceiling homes while still designing around the specific characteristics of your property.
If you've been looking at that large open space above your living area and wondering whether it could become something useful, you don't have to figure it out on your own. The first step is simply finding out what your home can accommodate.
Our approach is also different from a typical remodeling project because we're working within the existing home. Rather than simply adding square footage to the outside, we're looking at how to introduce a new level into a space that was originally designed to be open. That requires careful planning so the new addition feels like it belongs there. For homeowners, one of the most exciting parts of the process is seeing the idea take shape before construction begins. Our design process allows us to create detailed 3D representations of the proposed space so you can better understand how the new room will relate to the rest of your home. Instead of trying to imagine the finished result from a flat floor plan, you can actually see how the space comes together. Because this is a specialty we've focused on for so long, we're able to bring the same knowledge and experience to each community we enter. We aren't starting from scratch every time we encounter a new house. We're applying years of experience with high-ceiling homes while still designing around the specific characteristics of your property.
If you've been looking at that large open space above your living area and wondering whether it could become something useful, you don't have to figure it out on your own. The first step is simply finding out what your home can accommodate.
CALL US AT
1-888-778-2737
1-888-778-2737
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That's me pictured on the left speaking to our general contractor experts at an executive luncheon during our planning session to bring our services to San Ramon. I have personally trained Molly Luo, who is the designated high-ceiling conversion designer for the San Ramon room addition projects. She is based closer to San Jose, so please give her time to respond to any request. Along with Molly, I can be brought in via Zoom to also evaluate your home remodeling project while Molly can come by in person. It is a free visit and home evaluation (free estimate). |
Can You Turn Your High Ceiling Into a New Room?
You may be able to.
If you happen to own a two-story home in the beautiful city of San Ramon, California, there is a very good chance you have a feature in your home that lends itself to an easy, affordable room addition design and construction process. From the second floor, this feature is known as “open-to-below,” or from the first floor it is usually just referred to as a very high vaulted or cathedral ceiling. As beautiful as these open spaces are, they are not very functional until we convert them into a new super spacious bedroom addition or open loft. At TruPlans, we specialize in turning high ceilings into functional living space through architectural design, engineering, and permitting.
Depending on your home's existing layout and structure, a high ceiling conversion could become a new bedroom, home office, children's playroom, open loft, or guest space. Instead of expanding the exterior of your home, a loft addition can allow you to make better use of the space that already exists in your home.
The space you need might be right above your nose.
You may be able to.
If you happen to own a two-story home in the beautiful city of San Ramon, California, there is a very good chance you have a feature in your home that lends itself to an easy, affordable room addition design and construction process. From the second floor, this feature is known as “open-to-below,” or from the first floor it is usually just referred to as a very high vaulted or cathedral ceiling. As beautiful as these open spaces are, they are not very functional until we convert them into a new super spacious bedroom addition or open loft. At TruPlans, we specialize in turning high ceilings into functional living space through architectural design, engineering, and permitting.
Depending on your home's existing layout and structure, a high ceiling conversion could become a new bedroom, home office, children's playroom, open loft, or guest space. Instead of expanding the exterior of your home, a loft addition can allow you to make better use of the space that already exists in your home.
The space you need might be right above your nose.
Is My Home a Good Candidate?
Not every high ceiling can be transformed into a new room, but many layouts are worth evaluating. If your home has an open-to-below room, you may be able to create new living space while keeping the character and functionality of the home.
Your home may be worth evaluating if you have:
The possibilities depend on the home's existing structure, ceiling height, and a few other things, but instead of guessing, it's better to start with a free evaluation of your home. Our evaluation can help you understand whether your high ceiling has the potential to become useable living space and what may be involved in turning your idea into a real project.
Below you can find homes we typically evaluate.
Not every high ceiling can be transformed into a new room, but many layouts are worth evaluating. If your home has an open-to-below room, you may be able to create new living space while keeping the character and functionality of the home.
Your home may be worth evaluating if you have:
- A two-story family home
- An open-to-below living room
- A tall entryway or foyer
- A high ceiling above the dining area
- A vaulted or cathedral-style ceiling
- Unused vertical space over a current room
The possibilities depend on the home's existing structure, ceiling height, and a few other things, but instead of guessing, it's better to start with a free evaluation of your home. Our evaluation can help you understand whether your high ceiling has the potential to become useable living space and what may be involved in turning your idea into a real project.
Below you can find homes we typically evaluate.
See What's Possible With a High Ceiling Conversion
The transformations featured in this video showcase projects we've completed in homes throughout California, giving you a look at the different ways an existing high-ceiling space can be transformed. From open lofts and additional bedrooms to redesigned vaulted spaces and functional living areas, each project was tailored to the home's existing layout and the homeowner's needs. These examples are a glimpse of what is also possible for a home in San Ramon, CA. A high ceiling conversion can be designed to complement the character of your existing home rather than simply adding a room wherever space is available.
Interested to see what we can do for your home?
What Can You Create With a Loft Addition
A loft addition doesn't have to serve one specific purpose. The new space can be designed around what your household actually needs.
Add a New Bedroom
Add a New Bedroom
A high ceiling remodel can provide an opportunity to create an additional bedroom without expanding the exterior footprint of your home. Depending on the design, the space can also include a closet.
Create a Home Office
Create a Home Office
Working from home can be easier with a dedicated workspace. An open loft or enclosed room can provide a quiet area for work, studying, or other activities without taking over an existing bedroom.
Give the Kids Their Own Space
Give the Kids Their Own Space
An open loft can become a playroom, homework area, reading space, or flexible hangout area for children and teenagers
Keep the Open Feel
Keep the Open Feel
Some homeowners don't want to completely close off the space below. An open loft can add usable square footage while maintaining the openness of a high ceiling. This 3D rendering is for a project currently in progress.
Maybe You Don't Need an Indoor Basketball Court
That extra-tall ceiling might look impressive, but if you're not actually using the space for jump shots, you may start wondering what else could be done with it.One of the interesting things about high-ceiling homes is that the space isn't necessarily missing it's simply being used vertically. You can have an entire area of your home sitting above an existing room, completely open and inaccessible. That's where a high-ceiling conversion gets interesting. Instead of treating that height as something you simply have to live with, TruLoft looks at how the existing space can potentially be redesigned and integrated into the home. The goal isn't just to put a floor somewhere up high. The new space needs to make sense with the rooms below, the way you move through the house, and the architecture that's already there. There's also something else that homeowners don't always consider: how the height of a room affects the way it sounds and feels. Large open spaces can create noticeable echoes and make a room feel less connected. Introducing a new level can completely change the proportions and function of that area. Of course, what can be done depends on the individual home. That's why our process starts by looking at the actual space rather than assuming every high ceiling can be converted the same way.
So if your living room is starting to feel more like a gymnasium than a living space, maybe it's time to look up and ask a different question:
What could you put there instead?
So if your living room is starting to feel more like a gymnasium than a living space, maybe it's time to look up and ask a different question:
What could you put there instead?
Example of a recent design just released for a project in San Jose.
Watch our design video.
Watch our design video.
High ceiling conversions are sometimes referred to as loft or mezzanine room additions. The concept is quite unique. It is a room addition, but the footprint of the house on the property does not change. The open-to-below space that is available is converted to a new insider room addition. This adds valuable space that increases the value of the property by adding real square footage.
Hear From Us Directly: Why High Ceiling Conversions Require a Specialist
When you look at a high-ceiling conversion, it can be tempting to think of it as a straightforward remodeling project: build a floor, add some walls, and create a new room. But converting an existing open ceiling into usable living space involves much more than simply adding framing. In this episode of the TruLoft Podcast, our team discusses why choosing a specialist matters when you're considering a high-ceiling conversion or loft addition in your San Ramon home. A high-ceiling conversion is essentially a structural retrofit inside an existing home. Instead of expanding the house outward, the project introduces new living space into an area that was originally designed to remain open. That means the architectural design, structural engineering, and construction all need to work together with the existing structure. One of the biggest topics discussed in this episode is architectural integration. A successful loft addition shouldn't look like something that was simply added years after the home was built. The new space should blend naturally with the existing architecture, including the stairs, walls, windows, ceilings, and surrounding rooms. The podcast also explains why experience with retrofitting matters on the engineering side. Existing homes have already settled and changed over time, so adding a new structure requires a different approach than designing a completely new building. The goal isn't simply to make the new floor strong enough it needs to be designed with the existing home and the long-term performance of the structure in mind.
And then there's the design itself.
At Truplans, we use detailed 3D designs to help homeowners understand what their proposed space could actually look like before construction begins. This can be especially helpful with high-ceiling conversions because it can be difficult to visualize how a new room, staircase, windows, or ceiling treatment will interact with the existing home. The episode also touches on something homeowners often overlook: experience can affect both the cost and timeline of a project. A contractor who rarely builds this type of addition may spend considerably more time figuring out the process, while a team that specializes in high-ceiling conversions has already developed systems and experience around these unique projects. That's one of the reasons we've focused so heavily on this particular type of home addition. We've seen many different configurations, floor plans, structural challenges, and design possibilities over the years.
If you're in San Ramon and wondering whether the unused space above your existing room could become something more useful, listening to this episode is a great way to understand what goes into the process and why the right team can make such a difference.
And then there's the design itself.
At Truplans, we use detailed 3D designs to help homeowners understand what their proposed space could actually look like before construction begins. This can be especially helpful with high-ceiling conversions because it can be difficult to visualize how a new room, staircase, windows, or ceiling treatment will interact with the existing home. The episode also touches on something homeowners often overlook: experience can affect both the cost and timeline of a project. A contractor who rarely builds this type of addition may spend considerably more time figuring out the process, while a team that specializes in high-ceiling conversions has already developed systems and experience around these unique projects. That's one of the reasons we've focused so heavily on this particular type of home addition. We've seen many different configurations, floor plans, structural challenges, and design possibilities over the years.
If you're in San Ramon and wondering whether the unused space above your existing room could become something more useful, listening to this episode is a great way to understand what goes into the process and why the right team can make such a difference.
Have questions about your own high ceiling?
Start with a free home evaluation and find out what may be possible in your home.
Start with a free home evaluation and find out what may be possible in your home.
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See projects in the neighboring city of
Danville, California |
All Projects Permitted - No Exceptions
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CITY BUILDING DEPARTMENT LOCATION
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TRUPLANS INC (dba TRULOFT) submits all projects for plan check and permitting through the San Ramon Building Department (city or county), which has jurisdiction over your home. Building Department Located at: 7000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA 94583
Every loft and room addition must go through the appropriate city review and permitting process before construction can begin. Our team prepares the architectural plans, coordinates the required engineering, submits all projects for review, responds to city comments, and manages revisions when needed. |
