DON'T RAISE THE ROOF

As a design element, cathedral ceilings may be on the way out. Home builders report that buyers increasingly opt for lower ceilings, rather than cathedral ceilings, which gained popularity in recent decades. However, many homeowners discovered that such lofty ceilings make window-cleaning a challenge, reverberate noise and boost heating and cooling bills. Many buyers, particularly families, now choose to fill that space with an extra bedroom or a playroom. Even existing homeowners are using up the extra space at a time when the mortgage crisis makes it difficult for them to trade up to another property. The U.S. Census reveals a 40-percent jump in interior restructuring spending to $13 billion in 2007 from 2005, while the amount of money spent on additions of new rooms dropped 57 percent to $4.8 billion.

Source: Wall Street Journal (05/23/08) P. W1; Keates, Nancy
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