libradesigneye Kid space finished as great as a Pottery Barn catelog with bins and rugs.
Storage walls of open shelving and lighting - turn it into a large storehouse with nice fittings.
Ironwood Builders Make it a hobbit room? Sorry, seriously now, there is no way to make some duck under areas and some taller areas? Ducting can be wrapped as beams or thick walls with shelving in them, or set up as doorways/entries to a taller area. Problem is the code (which comes into play not now especially, but at re-sale...you have to disclose non-code compliant work) is 7' for the lowest ceiling. You are allowed 6'8" for a low point at the stair nosing...
Lizabeth I knew someone in the same situation who had a small square house and found it didn't cost that much to come in and raise it 18 inches. Yup they raised that puppy up and doubled the sq footage for low dollars. Talk with foundation guys who do retrofits under old homes..
Ironwood Builders Lizabeth! I've become so "budget" conscious posting here, I rarely suggest schemes like this! Great idea...but Tom...don't plan on moving anytime soon if you do the house raising thing, OK?
Lizabeth Thanks Dave, We don't know what he wants to spend and If he can double his sq footage it could be a bargain, but if he raises it should go all the way to 8 1/2 or 9 instead of just 8, don't ya think?
Linda In parts of the world where land is extremely valuable, I've heard of people digging whole basements underneath houses.
I actually have a neighbor who ended up digging almost 2 feet down from a section of his basement. The area had exterior walls and was a dirt floor crawlspace with just over 5 feet of headroom. They found it more cost effective to dig out that space then expand upstairs but they got very, very tired of that project as all the dirt had to be carried out in 5 gallon buckets.
Storage walls of open shelving and lighting - turn it into a large storehouse with nice fittings.
I actually have a neighbor who ended up digging almost 2 feet down from a section of his basement. The area had exterior walls and was a dirt floor crawlspace with just over 5 feet of headroom. They found it more cost effective to dig out that space then expand upstairs but they got very, very tired of that project as all the dirt had to be carried out in 5 gallon buckets.