Lofts and Vaulted Ceiling

Those of you who have incorporated loft spaces and/vaulted ceiling into you building, do you regret the decision to do so? The added space is a pretty big positive.

I have done a lot of roof sheathing or ceiling repair on vaulted ceilings. Moisture issues with them seem common.

I have no firsthand experience with a loft but I have heard they make temperature regulation difficult if not exacerbating.

The reason I am asking is that I am trying to determine if it makes more sense to increase the foot print of the house or incorporate a loft. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

Josh Hoffman wrote:Those of you who have incorporated loft spaces and/vaulted ceiling into you building, do you regret the decision to do so? The added space is a pretty big positive.

The added space is nice. Construction is not as fun because working at height is slower. We built with cob and light clay straw so there were also heavy materials to move up.  

Josh Hoffman wrote:I have done a lot of roof sheathing or ceiling repair on vaulted ceilings. Moisture issues with them seem common.  

We haven't had an issue.

Josh Hoffman wrote:I have no firsthand experience with a loft but I have heard they make temperature regulation difficult if not exacerbating.

Yes, last year I installed a new mini split unit with one head in the loft. That handles cooling in the loft. For heating our wood stove downstairs heats the loft well enough  

Josh Hoffman wrote:The reason I am asking is that I am trying to determine if it makes more sense to increase the foot print of the house or incorporate a loft. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

I don't regret building a house with a loft but that being said my next house build will be single level. Primarily that's because I don't feel confident that I'll be able to climb the alternating tread stair to our loft bedroom when I'm 80.