Estimating Cathedral Ceilings

NOTE-- We replaced MacNail with Goldenseal construction estimating software back in 2000. There are still die-hard MacNail users, so we keep the manuals online for their use! Goldenseal is an integrated program that also includes accounting, job costing and project management features. It uses the same construction data as MacNail, so these instructions also apply to Goldenseal estimating.

Cathedral Ceilings

The MacNail construction estimating software handles Cathedral ceilings and large floor cut-outs in different ways depending on the construction style.

In all cases, you may want to add a flat sum to the bid price to make up for the increased framing, taping and finish labor costs associated with higher ceilings. Other cost increases are adjusted automatically based on the ceiling height you put in Dimensions.

1. Entire floor is cathedralled: If a whole floor has cathedral ceilings, entering the correct ceiling height into Dimensions will adjust sheetrock and framing area without any additional entries.

2. One area cathedralled by raising the roof: If just one part of a floor has a raised ceiling, with the excess height created by raising the roof, you'll need to increase interior wall area and exterior wall area in Dimensions. The extra area will be equal to the wall length times the increase in ceiling height over that of the rest of the floor.

3. One area cathedralled by cutting into upstairs: For room ceilings that penetrate up through the upstairs floor (eliminating potential rooms), type the reduced floor area into the upstairs floor, and all dimensions should work out without any additional work.

NOTE: See also the note about sloped ceilings, page 187.

NOTE: If insulation is to be installed in the roof joists instead of in a flat ceiling, you may want to adjust the ceiling insulation formula in Dimensions. Changing it from =maxarea to =roofarea will do the trick.