Home improvement, and more specifically, “house flipping” shows have never been more popular than they are right now. It seems there’s a new series coming out every week that gets people excited about buying an investment home for profit.

When searching for the ideal investment home to renovate, there’s one factor that’s seldom discussed, but can make all the difference… ceiling height.

The ceiling height on the main floor of the home is the most significant change to residential construction in the Lower Mainland over the past 25 years. Prior to the year 2000, the industry-accepted ceiling height for the entire home was 8 feet. Whereas today’s homes are built with a minimum of 9 feet on the main floor, and quite often 9 feet on upper floors and basements.

There's one factor that's seldom discussed, but can make all the difference … ceiling height.

So what can you do if you’re buying an older home with 8’ ceilings? In most cases, it’s not feasible to change the ceiling height.  But, in some home designs, there are some ways to economically increase the ceiling height in key areas. Look for homes that have the ability to replace a section of the ceiling with a scissor truss—creating a vaulted room. To get the most impact, you would ideally want the vault to be in the living room, or perhaps kitchen/eating area. In most cases, this would mean a rancher/single level home or a basement entry home with the main living on the top floor. The addition of a vaulted ceiling (even just in one room) will more effectively bring your home into the 21st Century than any other renovation.

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If you’re thinking of dipping your toe into the house investment/renovation market, one of our team members would love to strategize with you! Email us at [email protected]. We’ll put the coffee on!

Contact us today!