Is It Possible to Raise the Roof on a Cape Cod Home?
Raise the roof on your Cape Cod house to create additional living space under the eaves
Highlights
Raising the roof of a Cape Cod home increases your living space.
The cost to raise a Cape Cod house depends on your goal and budget.
There are several things to consider when raising the roof, including obtaining permits and moving out.
Experts such as architects, contractors and engineers can advise on what’s possible.
Picture this: You purchased an amazing Cape Cod-style house in a great neighborhood, but the slanted roof makes the top floor feel too tight. You might start to wonder whether it is possible to raise the roof to get a higher ceiling or additional living space for your growing family.
The answer is yes! It can be a big job, but it is doable. With help from the right roofing professionals, you can transform the house by raising the roof, turning a crawl space into a living space, and increasing the length of the windows to allow more light into your home.
Before moving forward with this major home renovation, consult a professional contractor to determine whether your Cape Cod house has the right type of frame and design to handle this structural change.
What Is a Cape Cod House?
The Cape Cod home style dates back to the seventeenth century and was originally inspired by traditional English houses. As the name suggests, it is most common in the New England and Massachusetts regions of the United States, although modified versions can be found in the Midwest and on the West Coast.
The popular steep-roofed house style often features one-and-a-half floors, with the second-floor dormers allowing for more natural light to enter the home. Other well-known features include asymmetrical design, wood shingle siding, and multi pane windows decorated with wood shutters.
Since Cape Cod homes typically have slanted ceilings, thanks to the steep-roof house style, the finished attics usually have low headroom, making some homeowners feel cramped or unable to use the whole area of the top floor. That is why some homeowners raise the roof of their Cape Cod house in order to keep the integrity of the house intact and create additional living or storage space.
How to Raise the Roof of a Cape Cod Home
While raising the roof of a Cape Cod home is no small feat, it is possible to complete with the help of a knowledgeable contractor. Here are the general steps to accomplish this task.
Jacking Up the Roof
To raise the roof on a Cape Cod home, the contracting team will cut the connections between the ceiling and the walls, and then jack the roof up. There are many ways of roof jacking, and these depend on the contractor, the available equipment, the size and complexity of the roof, and the roof framing construction.
If the roof is intact, builders can jack it up in one piece, set it on the ground, or leave it up temporarily by supporting it. Tied rafters are easy to lift in one piece; however, it is not possible if there are untied rafters or a roof with cathedral or vaulted ceilings.
If the roof needs replacing, builders will tear it off, lower the roof trusses to the ground, build new walls, put the trusses back up, and then reroof.
In some cases, builders will remove the roofing and the walls, raise the wall studs, put the roof on top, and then finish the walls.
Building the Walls
While the roof is removed, builders will add new walls until they reach the desired height. Once the new walls are in place, they will put the roof back on.
Finishing the New Addition
After that, the house will need finishing touches, such as putting on siding, running electricity and plumbing, and completing the interior. This process is extensive, and it can be equivalent to building a new addition.
Cape Cod House With a Raised Roof: Before and After
Most original Cape Cod homes feature one-and-a-half floors with a tight second level that sometimes prevents you from standing upright. While many homes featured second-floor dormers which allowed for natural sunlight to enter, it meant there was a lot of unusable space on that upper level. The second floor served more as an attic space and could get very hot and very cold, depending on the season, since it was not always outfitted with proper ventilation to keep it warm, cool and dry.
Raising the roof of a Cape Cod house means you can still keep that same footprint, while allowing for upgrades such as proper insulation and ventilation. Raising the sloped roof by five to nine feet means you can add additional rooms, as well as a full bathroom.
While many homeowners love the steep style roof design of their Cape Cod, you do not have to sacrifice it when you raise the roof.
How Much Does It Cost to Raise the Roof on a Cape Cod Home?
If you are interested in raising the roof on a Cape Cod home, prepare to pay between $15,000 and $125,000. The total cost of raising the roof on a Cape Cod house depends on your ultimate goal. To change the pitch of the roof, expect to pay between $60 to $198 per square foot. If you need to remove and redo your existing roof, you will pay $1 to $5 per square foot for roof removal and $15 to $20 per square foot to install a new roof and siding, including labor and materials.
Things to Consider Before Raising the Roof on a Cape Cod Home
Before raising the roof on your Cape Cod house, there are several factors you need to consider.
Obtaining Permits
In some residential areas, there are height limitations on how tall your house can be. Before starting construction on your roof, check with your local building department about whether there is a height limitation in your area that would prevent you from jacking up the roof. Also, ensure that your contractor has obtained the correct permits to make this type of addition.
Moving Out
Raising the ceiling requires a partial teardown and rebuild of your house. With a major renovation project like this, you will most likely need to move out during part or all of the project's duration.
When totaling the cost of raising the roof of your Cape Cod house, factor in the cost of living in a short-term rental for two to three months, or until the project is complete. Talk to your contractor for an accurate timeline for your specific project.
Experts to Hire to Raise the Roof on a Cape Cod Home
It is important to hire reputable experts to help you achieve the best results when raising the roof of your Cape Cod house. This is not a DIY project and it will take months to complete. Here are a few of the professionals to hire for your roof-raising team:
Architect: Hiring an experienced architect will ensure that you have an aesthetic and practical design for your new addition, which should also match your existing structure. The architect will draw plans that a contractor can follow to carry out the intended design.
Contractor: Hiring a qualified contractor for such an in-depth project is essential, plus it will give you peace of mind that the job will be done correctly. Find a contractor with experience in raising roofs, specifically those of other Cape Cod homes. A good contractor will ensure your new roof is rain-proof, with no risk of water flooding your home. They will also guarantee that the new addition is energy sufficient.
Structural Engineer: It is a good idea (and may be required) to consult a structural engineer to determine whether or not your house can handle the newly added weight. This type of professional can also advise on whether or not you need more reinforcement on the lower floors.
Raising the roof on a Cape Cod home is ambitious but possible; and with the support and guidance of experts, it can transform and update your house. Take the time to research and find the right roofing professional to help make your dream a reality.