Vaulting ceiling in kitchen

[Mekiz79]

Hi all,

After some advice, we brought our home a few months ago and are planning on renovating the entire kitchen, we want to vault the ceiling as it's low (see photo). The cabinets are literally to the ceiling and they are not even positioned at the correct height above the worktop, hence why the ceiling needs raising.

The kitchen is part of an extension that was built around 2000, I literally have no idea what they were thinking when they built this extension.

I'm thinking of undertaking alot of this job myself to reduce costs, but wondered if this is a task that is straight forward or requires extensive building knowledge. I understand you can't just remove the joists, but is there an easy solution to creat a vaulted ceiling by adding an alternative to joists?

Hopefully the photos give you an idea as to what I am working with here. (Ignore scaffolding, it is there as we had new windows installed).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[KenGMac]

Mekiz79, Good evening.

Sorry but I may be about to rain on your ideas?

If the roof over the kitchen has factory made fabricated trusses, then I am sorry but you cannot go chopping them about to provide a vaulted ceiling, if you "tamper" with them they will collapse. They are carefully designed to take the calculated load + a factor of safety.

If the above trusses were indeed used, that is why your ceiling is at the level it is at now.


Ken.

 

[Mekiz79]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for your reply. I think the ceiling is low because of the roof pitch having to start low on the wall above due to the existing upstairs windows, the roof was unable to go higher up the wall for that reason.

How will I know if the trusses are fabricated?

 

[mikeey84]

I did something similar with an inherited extension.

Cut a hole in the ceiling, stick your head up, take a photo and post it back here.

I managed to take out my joists (and a rather awkward purlin) following the OK from a structural engineer, and BCO were really not bothered (knocked through at the same time), although I uncovered a few missing things they wanted sorting (bracing mainly)

 

[KenGMac]

Mekiz79, Good evening, again.

in general terms, all the joints between the different ~"bits" of the truss will be jointed with metal "Gang nail" plates

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/timber-nail-plates/bn_7024826892

Ken.

 

[^woody^]

Cut a hole in the ceiling, stick your head up, take a photo and post it back here.

Or take a spotlight out

 

[^woody^]

It should be relatively easy, but it depends on whether there are trusses or if there are undersized rafters and purlins.

Then there is the decision whether to do it from the roof or the inside. I'd suggest from the roof is easier and less disruptive initially.

 

[Mekiz79]

Thanks guys, I'll take a look tomorrow and take a pic.

Thanks woody, I'll be gutting the whole kitchen in a few weeks so it won't matter if I have to do it all from the inside.

 

[cdbe]

If it's a cut roof you might be able to get away with a raised collar arrangement, but it does increase the load (or some other physical force) on the lower part of the rafters but if possible it's simple and cheap.

 

[Mekiz79]

Tried to take a photo through the spot light hole but my phone dont really fit. So can't get a good look. I have attached what I could take a photo of which is probably of no use.

Quite the draft coming from the spotlight hole when the light is removed, brrrrrr chilly! Lol

 

[mikeey84]

Tried to take a photo through the spot light hole but my phone dont really fit

Need to cut a hole

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Or a smaller phone, on a stick.

 

[^woody^]

Just clear the hole and shine a torch through and have a look if its rafters or trusses. We'll believe you.

 

[Mekiz79]

Urgh I've tried to get a good look up there but there is black plastic sheeting everywhere above the joists so I can't get a look. I'll have to cut a hole out which I'll try and do later today. The wife was on nights last night so don't want to wake her up to a mess

Gonna look for other alternatives to access it in the meantime

 

[Mekiz79]

Ok I have found the original structural engineers drawings for the extension. Maybe someone here can make sense of it and tell me if that looks good enough to remove the joists and suggest alternative for vaulting ceiling not gonna obviously go off these plans as gospel will eventually check the ceiling but whilst the weather is crap I don't fancy having a drafty hole in the ceiling.