Ceilings can come in varieties of designs, materials, and of course, height. Some are high, some are low, and some are just the right height as you want them to be. The distinct distance from the floor to the roof doesn’t just add aesthetics to the house, but they also have additional purposes. Yet, when deciding how high the ceiling must be, underlying considerations should be made.
In recent years, high ceilings tend to be eye candy for homeowners. Aside from it being visually appealing, they seek to provide better ventilation and cooler space for homes. Higher ceilings also give you more space to place ceiling fans and are highly regarded as being cozy while still creating a formal-looking home.
When choosing the right ceiling for your home, there are differences in the allowed ceiling height distance per area. The Building Code of Australia (BCA) sets certain regulations when it comes to choosing your ceiling height, and minimum ceiling height must be followed when building or choosing your home. Nevertheless, they still allow lower projection of ceilings, as long as it does not interfere with the proper functioning of the room.
As per the BCA, the minimum ceiling height in Australia must be 2.4m. Thus, you can no longer go lower unless it is stipulated in the regulations that it is allowed.
General Habitable rooms
Habitable rooms as per the Building Code of Australia are those rooms that are used for normal or domestic activities. These rooms include the bedroom, living room, music room, dining room, or areas where the homeowners frequent. As per BCA specifications, they must not be less than 2.4m.
Best Kitchen Ceiling Height
The kitchen is also a habitable room. However, the BCA specifies that a kitchen can go lower up to 2.1m as long as it does not diminish the regular functioning of the room. Besides, who wants a kitchen looking and feeling claustrophobic with low roofs, right?
Non-Habitable Spaces
Non-habitable spaces should also have minimum ceiling height of at least 2.1m of ceiling height. Yet, the most common height for most homes in Australia has 2.4m ceiling height at a minimum. Non-habitable spaces are the hallways, garages, bathrooms, etc.
Best Stairways Ceiling Height
Like most non-habitable rooms, stairways do not require so much ceiling height. Since they are only pathways with less human interaction, stairways can go low up to 2m of ceiling height; lower than the standard Australia ceiling height of other rooms. Still, you may always go higher than this, considering the height of the people in your house. Another reason to have a higher ceiling for stairways is when homeowners opt to put space-consuming lighting fixtures such as chandeliers for more aesthetics.
Best AtticCeiling Height
Attics must also have an overhead clearance at home. However, they usually have slanted roofs. Thus, attics are required to have at least 2/3 of their height with no less than a standard ceiling height of 2.2m ceiling height from the lowest point of the slanted roofing. That said, going lower the minimum ceiling height requirement can certainly compromise the room’s ventilation.
With the standard ceiling height variations, every Australian can somehow see how modern homes tend to have a high ceiling than older ones. While the required height for every room varies, you may always opt to go higher than the recommended distance from the floor to ceiling. In fact, the average roof height in Australian homes has 2.7m of overhead clearance, and can likely go up to 3m depending on the preference of the homeowners.
Still, if you want to raise your ceiling height higher than the standard, it will usually cost around $6,000-$7,000 for every 300mm inclusive of other materials like plaster and brickwork; but definitely gives you the best aesthetics you want at home.
The regulation in the BCA is a relevant recommendation to be able to prevent uneven roofing and conditioning, costly reconstruction, and ultimately bad aesthetics. This ceiling height provision provides convenience so homeowners can have a safe and sound home to be enjoyed in the future. Thus, you must always go higher than the minimum ceiling height, and you’ll be amazed how your house can turn out —- beautifully and without a doubt constructed meticulously.
