Husband and I finished an 2 story 18 x 24 addition about 4 years ago. Even with subbing out some of the work, it was of course, more money and more work than we anticipated. Same old story to anyone who has ever... I know husband can do this with help from my 2 adult, still living at home, mooching sons LOL but - hubby has a bad back and is 62 so no spring chicken. Plus we are finally talking to each other after 4 years! Can't get anyone else to call me for a quote. Even with referrals these guys either don't call back or are no shows. Willing to do some demo to save time and money. All I have read from various Garden Web articles is that it is not a HUGE project (I only have about a 13' span and I have architectural specs) so I don't understand why somebody wouldn't want to come in for a quick buck. Hate doing it but I guess I will start calling names from ads in our local paper to people I don't know or have any referrals.

I agree with Mattypies! I LOVE our 2 story great room, despite having a "small" house (1350 sq. ft.). Ours faces due south with 7' tall (4' wide) windows going up 2 floors and a vaulted ceiling to boot, but with a good supply of mature trees that leaf out beautifully in the early spring, protecting us from the UV and heat. We actually don't even have A/C and even with summer temps in the 104 degree temps in the summer, it's been super cosy. The key for us is that all of our windows open and we have TONS of great cross ventilation. The deciduous trees are leaf-less in the winter, and that means that we don't have to start heating the house until late in the year and get to turn the heat off in the early spring. We of course, went with high efficiency windows that are designed to improve heat penetration during the winter, and reduce it in the summer (sun angles). We don't have children yet, but the noisy even when all the nieces and nephews are over isn't very noticeable. We did Roxul Safe 'n Sound in all of our walls and floors, which I think made a huge difference, along with solid doors with a minimal gap under them. Plus rugs and plush couches. We *love* the way it feels like we're outside even when we're inside. The sun shines in during the winter, the birds sit on our window sills, and the breezes flows through in the summer. It's like being a part of the outdoors, instead of being in this little box of wood and drywall. Ick. Our heating costs have been LESS than our friends who have bungalows of the same size, and I'm certain it is because of the passive solar heating. A big fan in the middle of the vault, and using high quality insulation and proper attic ventilation, we haven't had any issue in the summertime either. We keep the 2nd floor doors closed during the hot days, and that helps keep the heat from entering. Not that it matters because one bedroom is on the north side and is quite cool year round, and the east-side master bedroom has 3 windows and a balcony door, so the evening breezes and a ceiling fan cool it down right quick. I think you REALLY need to think about the placement of all the rooms, and if you can capture the heat/cooling in the house. Go with what you love, not with what "everyone else likes". That's my biggest pet peeve; we build a house for someone else, not us. Why bother?? Just buy a used house and live with what everyone else liked.

I love a two story room with a wall of windows. I designed my current home with ten foot ceilings on the main floor, and I would like them higher. I would have gone two story but couldn’t swing it because I was unable to free up space on the second story due to constraints with stretching out the first floor (creek in the way). I think though that 15 or 16 feet might give you the feel you’re looking for if you made sure to add lots of windows. We custom built one house where the family room had 15 foot ceilings and it totally satisfied my need for a two story. Loved that room....it had floor to ceiling windows. Many say they don’t like tall ceilings due to a lack of coziness and intimacy . Tall ceilings never strike me that way. I LOVE the space and open feeling....especially with lots of windows. What I don’t care for is a two story room with large swaths of sheetrock where windows could have been installed. That, to me is a total waste....tall ceilings need tall windows.

One more quick comment and then I'll shut up. This is the kind of project you do if you can realistically expect to stay in that house the rest of your lives, or maybe 20 years. Much less than that, and you'll lose money. Possibly a lot of money. The TV shows and websites you're getting "inspiration" from are NOT there to serve you. Their purpose is to move money from your bank account to those of the owners and advertisers. That takes some effort, because most likely their accounts are a lot fuller than yours. (Kind of like what a heat pump does.) To move money from a smaller heap to a bigger one, they manufacture "needs" in your mind. Fertilized by the manure the hosts and writers spread around, these emotional "needs" grow so large that they eventually push out home-ownership reason. Those programs and websites should be used solely for entertainment (and barely that). Otherwise, you'll become yet another of their victims. And that's all I have to say about that.