Does 8 vs 9 feet really matter?

[asiancolossus]

I just put a deposit on a unit and it said it had 9 foot ceilings. I know that a lot of people make a big deal about this. I've never had anything but standard (I'm assuming 8 foot) ceilings. Does it really make that much of a difference in the feel of a room? And how important is it a factor in the resale value of the home? And as another point, I see some super luxury places are touting 10 foot ceilings, I guess I cannot afford those! Thanks!

 

[AKS]

The standard used to b 8' ceilings. But lately many new condo seems to be 9' ceilings and 10' ceiling for penthouses. The higher the ceiling, the more spacious the room will look. It will affect the price of the unit because 9' ceiling condos costs more.

 

[JayBee]

Big diff, especially if you're over 6ft like me

Soon 9ft ceilings will be the standard.

 

[cdr108]

it does make a difference on one's perception, especially in today's small spaces where 1 bedroom units are 500 sf.

given that 9 feet is 12.5% more than 8 feet, i would rather that developers make the units 12.5% larger with wide and shallow layouts while retaining the old 8ft standard ceiling height for the same price ; but that's me.

 

[iSlutsky]

I just put a deposit on a unit and it said it had 9 foot ceilings. I know that a lot of people make a big deal about this. I've never had anything but standard (I'm assuming 8 foot) ceilings. Does it really make that much of a difference in the feel of a room? And how important is it a factor in the resale value of the home? And as another point, I see some super luxury places are touting 10 foot ceilings, I guess I cannot afford those! Thanks!

I think it totally depends on the layout of the suite, and the glazing systems installed.

Wide units with floor to ceiling windows can pull off 8-foot ceilings, and look quite spacious. However, the same can not be said for narrow units. It is all perspective and suite-layouts.

Post your layout and an elevation of the building (indicating the location) and I am sure people will comment on their thoughts!

 

[greenleaf]

I've read that ceiling height has a greater impact on resale value than what floor the unit is on. I believe I read it somewhere on the board here.

 

[iSlutsky]

I've read that ceiling height has a greater impact on resale value than what floor the unit is on. I believe I read it somewhere on the board here.

I was commenting more from the standpoint of the "feel of the room". I am not a real-estate agent so I can only guess with regards to re-sale value... but I would imagine that the higher the ceiling the better "curb appeal" the unit has to potential purchasers.

 

[MadMax]

I just put a deposit on a unit and it said it had 9 foot ceilings. I know that a lot of people make a big deal about this. I've never had anything but standard (I'm assuming 8 foot) ceilings. Does it really make that much of a difference in the feel of a room? And how important is it a factor in the resale value of the home? And as another point, I see some super luxury places are touting 10 foot ceilings, I guess I cannot afford those! Thanks!

That's like asking does 3 or 4 inches make a difference to one's manhood....you get the point Pardon the pun....anyways the last building that I lived in had eight foot ceilings throughout...I got lucky because structurally the builder needed to make my floor (the 12th) 9 feet. I had no idea that my unit would be 9ft until I went for my colour selections....more than pleasantly surprised to say the least...what a break. The unit definitely looked a lot more spacious than the same units on the other floors. Even though it was a 1bdr+den (about 605sq.ft) it looked a lot bigger. Needless to say my unit and one other on the same floor sold for quite a bit more than comparable units with only 8ft ceilings....all in all it makes a huge difference!

 

[patrick]

9 foot ceilings definitely give a more open appearance to a condo unit.

 

[grey]

Beware of ductwork in non-principal rooms bringing the height back down to 8 feet (in many condos).

 

[AKS]

well, that issue would be the same for 8' ceiling condos. With duct work, it will bring it down to 7'

 

[asiancolossus]

Thanks for everyones input. I also heard that 9 foot ceilings make a big difference. I have a townhouse and I am quite worried about the lack of windows (only on the one side) and hope that the elevated ceilings will make things appear more open. And cdr, I agree with you, if we were all midgets and they could do 6 foot ceilings, imagine the palace we'd have in terms of floor space!

 

[Urban Newbie]

I like in an 816 sq foot unit in Liberty Village with 9 foot ceilings. After living with them, I can honestly say that I would never go back to 8 foot again. The higher ceilings definitely give small spaces a more expansive feeling. I've visited friends on lower floors with the same unit but 8 foot ceilings. It definitely feels more enclosed.
For some people, mind you, it doesn't make a difference. I think 8 vs 9 is sort of like moving on to quality red wine when you've been content with plonk. While you only knew the plonk, it tasted just fine. But once you've tasted a good Cabernet, you really can't go back to that $7 bottle.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Drywall has a standard height of 8 feet. Before drywall, the walls and ceiling may have been plastered, which meant a variable height. With the spread of suburbia, the standard became 8 feet. However, sometimes a height of 7 feet was used for duct clearances.

While 8 feet is still a standard, having higher ceilings than that means using more material and hence a higher price. 12 feet is a nice number, since half a sheet of drywall can be used to extend a regular sheet. A 9 foot ceiling means they have to get that extra foot from a spare sheet, and they hope they are able to use that sheet 8 times.

 

[urbandreamer]

If you buy eight feet just make certain on resale you tell your agent to target short people!