I'm considering doubling the size of my master bedroom by extending it into what is now empty space (vaulted ceiling) above my dining room. I already know the wall is non-load bearing, so no worries there. My uncertainty is how to tie in the floor joists to the exterior wall. The wall is comprised of 2x4s 16" on center. Can I remove a strip of drywall and attach a 2x10 header to the existing studs, or would I need to somehow support the header underneath all the way down to the foundation? If so, what would be the best way to do this without disrupting the existing structure? Notch out each stud and install the header flush? I'm hoping there is a simple solution because I'll be doing the work myself. Otherwise, I may decide not to do it, considering the ceiling is sloped and I would be losing the open feeling provided by the vaulted ceiling. I'll post a pic here shortly.

Hi, I'm remodeling a bathroom. The tub is in, the tub surround is in (1/2" Durock) and we're now ready to prepare the floor for tile. My questions: Should I keep with Durock as the backerboard for the floor or should I switch over to Hardie backer? The floor that came out was an old style mud / mesh and tile job that was about an inch or more thick. It was installed on top of 1/2 inch plywood which we left in. To keep the thickness of the new floor about the same as the old, I was thinking to go with a 1/2 inch backer. We'll use thinset and screws to secure the backerboard to the plywood, then use thinset and tiles on top. The distance from the plywood to the bottom of the door casings is about 7/8 of an inch. I'm leaning toward Hardie Backer (.42 inch) because appears to be a bit more water resistant than Durock. Is there any advantage / disadvantage to drop down to the 1/4 inch thick backers? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks