Maximising head height in a listed property
Listed cottages are sought after for their charm and period features. More often than not, with the charm comes limited head height. And so it was with this Grade II listed converted pub in West Oxfordshire.
Clients regularly ask me to assist them with a Listed Building Consent application to raise ceiling heights, door lintels and even major structural oak beams to improve the head height situation.
As custodians of our heritage assets, every intervention in a listed building has to be considered very carefully.
For this converted pub, we’ve considered several interventions but today I will focus on one of those only, namely vaulting ceilings.
Vaulting a ceiling - to follow the roof shape with the ceiling finish - can bring an instant wow-factor to a room. At the converted pub, we investigated what the implications would be for vaulting a first floor ceiling in the framed 18th century extension. In a room with generous proportions, opening the ceiling up into the roof space would be simply stunning. We would expose more of the building’s framing whilst improving the thermal performance of the roof.
Upon closer inspection, what seemed like a relatively straightforward intervention was anything but. A partially exposed spine beam runs along the length of the room. Ceiling joists span the width of the room at approximately 450mm centres making for a very cluttered space in which to carry out works to the underside of the roof.
Removing the ceiling joists would have had severe implications on the structural stability of the building as alternative load paths would have been needed to transfer the load from the roof down to the ground. This would have meant new joists and columns which would look completely out of place, not to mention that we had no chance of it being supported by the conservation officer.
Apart from the structural challenges, we considered the junction of a new ceiling, with a significant depth of insulation, with the existing framed wall construction. The increased insulated ceiling depth would finish lower than the top wall frame, thereby completely obscuring it.
Considering that our aim was to increase the head height whilst adding to, or at the very least NOT harming, the features of the framed building, the idea was scrapped.
Further investigation into the existing ceiling revealed that what appeared at first glance like an original plaster and lath ceiling was in part a modern ceiling with PIR insulation lined plasterboard, finished to look like an older ceiling.
Working closely with SOLID and the conservation officer at the local authority, we agreed on a solution that was structurally sound, improved the ceiling height by a few inches and which will enhance the period features of the building.
I look forward to sharing images of the completed project!
PROJECT TOOLBOX
Talk to your local council’s conservation officer early in your project to gauge what would be supported.
If significant changes are made to a thermal element (floors, walls, roofs), the new work has to comply with the latest Building Regulations unless there are compelling reasons not to such as harming the historic fabric of your building. Lots of grey areas to navigate!
Consider how substantial changes to the thickness of walls and depth of ceiling will impact the look and feel of your property and get your conservation officer’s buy in early on in the process.
Invest in detailed measured surveys and include hidden areas such as ceiling voids, if accessible. See ‘Exposing the secrets of a listed building’ for more on measured surveys.
Historic England has a wealth of information on protecting and caring for heritage assets. Arm yourself with knowledge.
Give me a call on 07415 865 720 or email me at henda@hendaknobel.com for a chat about your dreams for your period cottage.
