If your current home feels too small for your needs, you have some options: You could sell the house and move into a bigger one, or buy neighboring land. You could build outward, attaching a new room or rooms to the first story of the house. You could also raise the roof, making your home taller.

Knowing the cost to raise a roof, what the process entails and how it compares to other options can help you decide if it's the right option for your home.

Why Raise the Roof?

You might raise your home's roof for several reasons. One common reason is to create more indoor space. When you raise the roof, you can add an extra story to the home or increase the ceiling height for an existing story.

Another reason to raise the roof is to add dormers or to change the type of ceiling in a room. If you have conventional, flat ceilings, you can upgrade to vaulted ceilings to make your home more elegant or visually appealing. To do so, you might need to increase the roof's height.

Finally, some homeowners decide to raise the roof for repair reasons. If your existing roof leaks or has issues with pooling water on its surface, raising and replacing the roof can help to solve the problem.

What Is the Process of Roof-Raising?

The process of raising a home's roof can vary based on the framing of the house and the placement of certain components. For example, the location of wiring or ductwork in your home can make the project more challenging for a contractor, as they might need to work around or relocate existing ducts, wires or plumbing. Whether your roof has a stick or truss structure also influences the process of raising the roof.

An experienced roofing contractor can give you a better idea of what to expect if you decide to raise your roof. They will also let you know if they think raising the roof is the right option for you, or if there are more affordable or less complicated options available.

How Much Does it Cost to Raise a Roof?

The cost of raising a roof can vary widely depending on the project's scope and complexity. Generally speaking, roof-raising isn't a cheap or quick project. According to HomeAdvisor, the price can start around $15,000 and go up from there, depending on your home's size, the type of roof and its structure.

Some factors that go into the overall cost of raising a roof include:

• Planning the project with a roofing contractor and structural engineer.
• Getting the right permits from your municipality.
• Removing the current roof.
• Adding framing for a higher ceiling or additional story.
• Rearranging the wiring, ductwork and plumbing in your home.
• Finishing the home's exterior after the roof is raised.

Because there's a wide variation between price estimates online, this type of project can be hard to budget for. Rely on a range of bids from several trusted local contractors, rather than your own research, to figure out how much you might have to pay.

Should You Raise Your Roof?

When deciding whether it makes sense to raise the roof on your home or not, consider the cost compared to other options. Adding a new room to the home might cost the same or slightly less than it would cost to raise the roof. Also, think about how long the project might take. It usually takes about a month to raise the roof, sometimes longer. Would you be able to stay in your home while the work is ongoing, or would you need to stay with friends or family or at a hotel?

A roofing contractor can give you an estimate for the total cost of a roof-raising project and answer any additional questions you might have about the process.