20 x 30 1.5 story question

[oifmarine]

First, I love this site.  I ordered 20 x 30 1.5 story plans and have been going over them since their fast arrival.  I was wondering if it is possible to make the loft a complete 2nd floor or would their need to be other adjustments to accomodate this?
Thanks so much for the site.  I have been getting some great ideas and can't wait to begin my house in the spring!

[John Raabe]

If you mean can you extend the loft area to the full length of the house, the answer is yes. You would just extend the floor joists and roof trusses in the framing plan (Sht 3) for the full length. You would not have the cathedral section over the great room.

If you are asking if the side walls on the loft level could be full height and thus have a full 2nd story, that is also a pretty simple modification. You would not need to do balloon framing in the walls - you could just platform frame the 2nd floor on top of the first and do full span trusses (or attic trusses) for the roof.

[OlJarhead]

Semper Fi Marine   Just figured I'd post here and welcome you home!

Thanks for your service, you are appreciated.

Erik (OlJarhead)
'86-'91 Desert Shield and Storm with 2nd LAI/LAR

[oifmarine]

John-
Thanks.  That is what I thought,  I just wanted to check.  Thanks again for the site and everything you do on here.

OlJarhead- Thanks and thank you for your service.  Semper Fidelis

[oifmarine]

One last thing, John, if I make a large shed dormer and extend the loft the entire second floor, everything will still be good to go?

[John Raabe]

If you are doing a truss roof you can have the fabricator make the shed dormer trusses as well. If you are doing site-built trusses you can double the trusses on each side of the dormer and frame in a ridge beam supported off each truss pair. If you are doing a wide dormer the loads on the ridge beam will increase and you should size this locally with help from a builder or engineer.