That would be a teardown and start over. Mega $$$$.

Usually the second level floor system is the ceiling for the first level. That is, there is no way to raise the first floor ceiling height without taking out the second level floor.

But you need to investigate your building further by exposing the structure enough to eyeball this. In older building there are sometimes very strange, seemingly irrational conditions. Explore.

If you want to raise the ceiling on the main floor you will have to remove the second storey then rebuild that to todays codes . This is definately not a DIY job Maybe talk to an architect to get a better understanding of the possibilites and the COSTS

Given the complexity of investigation and any attempt to increase floor to ceiling height, you might be better off with a new addition, assuming your site permits.

Without seeing your house, I'd guess that the odds of raising the ceiling height are very low...unless the only thing above is a roof. If you have habitable floors above the ceiling joists your chances are slim and none.

Since none of us can see your building, you need someone with experience and integrity to inspect and advise you on what your alternatives may be.

Good luck on your project.

For sure this is the antithesis of DIY unless you are both master builders. However, one other possibility would be increasing foundation height. Obviously you would need to rebuild the ground level floors, as well as patch or rebuild all plumbing and wiring that transits the area. I do know a FOAF who had to do something vaguely similar about 20 years ago in San Jose, CA, on a 1930s era house. It cost about $25k back then.....surely much more now. And they were keeping the house intact (not trying to change ceiling heights as you are). So yeah, this is a humongous job and you may find in the end that teardown is actually cheaper and easier.

Its my understanding there are companies in SF who specialize in this type of work in the city. Do some asking around locally.

Is there any chance that a previous homeowner installed a drop ceiling on the first floor?

And isn’t your house grandfathered from the minimum height due to its age?

In Sacramento, entire blocks of buildings were jacked up and new 1 story foundations were built under the building.

Yes, it is possible. I don’t know of any articles, but have viewed television shows where houses have been lifted and placed on new foundations.

Do you know how to use google? I asked google and there is a lot of information out there.

This is a hilarious thread. No one here knows or understands the situation what the poster has mentioned. It takes an on-site analysis by very experienced architects, engineers or builders.

If I was the OP, I'd be very dubious about any of these responses as being applicable.

Anything is possible with the right budget. A few years ago, I saw a show about a couple in San Francisco who excavated the basement deeper so that they could have a basement master with higher ceilings. In Manhattan, homeowners also dig out basements to gain increased unstable space. Wherever land values have rocketed where relatively modest homes have been built, the market might support such expensive renovations especially where tear downs are not practical or not permitted. In Los Angeles, people pay a million or multi million dollars for a tear down in desirable areas

"...Anything is possible with the right budget...."

You are absolutely correct. If money is no object, almost anything can be done.

But not necessarily by do-it-yourself folks.

@Virgil - For sure, this is not DIY by any means :-)

Yes, Helen, such things ARE done, but rarely by the homeowner. I have heard of a homeowner jackhammering up his basement floor, digging down and then having new concrete poured, to make his basement deep enough to finish it with a ceiling. But that must have been some SERIOUS labor - way beyond the typical desk-bound husband-and-the-boys on the weekends. The London dig-downs often take a year and paralyze the entire street. One only does such if this is an 7 or 8 figure property, such as a house in central London might well be.

@Bri - I don't even understand your comment asking what the structural engineer suggested. I don't own the property nor did I ask about how I would DIY anything. I hire a handyman for anything more complicated than changing. a light bulb. LOL

Helen, what Bri is saying is that without a lot more info from the op it is impossible for anyone of us to answer if her question is even remotely possible. Either DIY or with all the kings men with all the money in the world. And this happening on a "TV show" doesn't make this any more possible or impossible.................

My comment is why he was asking ME that question and not the OP as Bri’s comment appeared to address it t me rather than OP.

I suggested consulting a structural engineer in my initial post and then went in to state that theoretically almost anything is possible with money and that in the real estate market the cost might make it make sense or at least not a complete folly.

Therefore I am confused as to the comments which have nothing to do with what I wrote and are better addressed to OP.

Why are people so hung up on the DIY thing? OP never mentions that her intention is to DIY, just that she is looking for information to educate herself on how this can be done - presumably so she has some understanding of the options contractors will present her.

Anyway, the only advice worth following is from CPMarlin. This is going to be very location and house specific. Find people in the immediate area who have done something similar (or ask RE agents if you don't know anyone yourself), find out who did their work, and then speak with those contractors (assuming, of course, that the referrers were happy with the work). San Francisco is it's own world - not just the costs which are probably the highest in the country, but the local building/seismic codes.

To summarize. The title of this post refers to raising the ceiling height of the first floor of a two story house. Unless there is a drop ceiling, this is pretty much impossible. It may be possible to dig down and lower the first floor depending on construction and conditions, but this will be serious money and will require professionals all along the way. The 7 foot ceiling height IS probably grandfathered, so local code officials should be consulted to determine what, if anything, is required. Then the OP should talk to engineers, architects, and contractors to determine what is feasible and how much it will cost.

What if, for entertainment, there was a contest among well known Houzzers to post absurd questions awarding those with the longest most absurd answers wins the pool? Never happened.

Sort of pointless at this point. Looks like the OP bailed and there's litttle point to the conversation.