So far, our design includes a 15cm (6 inches) dropped ceiling, which will be installed by the drywall contractor.
The advantages, according to the planner, are mainly the great and lasting flexibility regarding, for example, recessed lighting, as well as the easy installation options for a controlled residential ventilation system.
Of course, we are wondering whether these benefits outweigh the higher costs and if there are any disadvantages. The obvious higher costs include:
- Shell construction (each floor must be built 15cm (6 inches) higher) – we don’t have a good sense of how much extra this might cost.
- Window frame extension by 15cm (6 inches): because we want floor-to-ceiling windows, the frames will need to be raised by about 15cm (6 inches) at the top to be mounted to the concrete ceiling. This adds roughly €5,000 gross to the total window costs. The question is whether installing a lintel by the shell builder might be a cheaper alternative here.
- Costs for the dropped ceiling itself (drywall contractor).
- Increased costs for the larger external surface area (plaster, insulation, painting) – again, we don’t have a clear idea of how significant these extra costs are.
Our planner is very enthusiastic about the dropped ceiling. What are your opinions? Are the advantages really that significant, or are there even additional benefits besides those mentioned? Or have we overlooked other disadvantages or costs?
The advantages, according to the planner, are mainly the great and lasting flexibility regarding, for example, recessed lighting, as well as the easy installation options for a controlled residential ventilation system.
Of course, we are wondering whether these benefits outweigh the higher costs and if there are any disadvantages. The obvious higher costs include:
- Shell construction (each floor must be built 15cm (6 inches) higher) – we don’t have a good sense of how much extra this might cost.
- Window frame extension by 15cm (6 inches): because we want floor-to-ceiling windows, the frames will need to be raised by about 15cm (6 inches) at the top to be mounted to the concrete ceiling. This adds roughly €5,000 gross to the total window costs. The question is whether installing a lintel by the shell builder might be a cheaper alternative here.
- Costs for the dropped ceiling itself (drywall contractor).
- Increased costs for the larger external surface area (plaster, insulation, painting) – again, we don’t have a clear idea of how significant these extra costs are.
Our planner is very enthusiastic about the dropped ceiling. What are your opinions? Are the advantages really that significant, or are there even additional benefits besides those mentioned? Or have we overlooked other disadvantages or costs?
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Bauherr am L28 Jul 2019 20:08guckuck2 schrieb:
Why is the electrician getting more expensive?
It's just that more wiring goes under the floors and/or in the ceiling.I had assumed it would be more work, or that a suspended ceiling would actually be easier for the electrician. Also, the spotlights are quite expensive, and conduit pipes also need to be installed in the concrete ceiling...
Bauherr am L schrieb:
I had assumed it would be more work, or that for a suspended ceiling it would be easier for the electrician. Also, the spotlights are quite expensive, and the conduit pipes need to go into the concrete ceiling anyway...The conduit is required regardless. The ones for concrete are a bit more expensive, but it’s not a significant amount. From the electrician’s perspective, the spotlight itself is basically the same. The installation cup is the main issue. With a suspended ceiling, there is simply a cutout, and the spotlight is clipped in using spring clips.