That classic one-storied ranch house of yours is no longer drawing out the gushes. Or 16-year old Melissa is tired out of being turned out of her room when guests come and is now demanding her very own space. Or twins are on the way. There may be umpteen reasons to feel that your single-storied ranch house doesn’t suffice. Now is the time to remodel ranch style to two story.
Deep-set eaves, low roofs, sliding doors that open out into the patio, heavy use of natural materials like oak, wood and brick and generally single-storied. This is how a typical ranch house looks like. A remodeling can be on any of these fronts but if you are planning to remodel ranch style to two story, you need to address a few critical issues.
First and foremost in your “remodel ranch style to two story” project, have your existing one-storied house examined by experts to determine whether it will be at all able to carry the weight of an extra floor. Now, if you have a 10-inch thick base of poured concrete, you can go ahead with your remodeling project right away.
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There are more foundation issues to consider when you need to remodel ranch style to two story. For instance, have the experts also judge the strength of your basement’s central load-bearing plank. Check out the distance between the foundation walls and the structural columns of the house. The shorter the space, the better is the support that the raised floor level will receive.
When you have decided to remodel ranch style to two story, it means that you are piling up additional weight on the existing structure. So you need to determine whether your ceiling joists are up to the task or not. For instance, two-by-six sized beams are not very good at providing support.
Another practical consideration in your “remodel ranch style to two story” project is a roof truss. It is a pre-assembled structure made up of 2x4-inch beams that can be fixed to the joists with steel plates. If heavy snowing is a problem then this roof truss is a good idea to put up as it can hold up to quite a snow load.
The design aspects of your “remodel ranch style to two story” venture depend on the type of look you would prefer your ranch house to portray. There are some two-storied ranch house designs that have however evolved out of pure necessity but continue to be popular till date. The garrison Colonial ranch house style has the second story jutting out over the first one to make climbing up to the second floor difficult. This is one design that has not lost its appeal for homeowners looking to remodel ranch style to two story.
Colonial or Georgian, you need to get your basics right for your two-storied ranch house. And these basics stem from the foundation of the house to the materials to be used and of course the designing and the floor plan. When you remodel ranch style to two story, ensure that it leaves a lasting impression.
by Manuel Kupka
