What are the pros and cons if any.
Build house and finish attic later.
In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards.
Figure you ll need to beef up the floor insulate and more.
In rare cases especially in new construction homes the attic may have been built unfinished with the correct flooring in place with the idea that the homeowner could later on finish the space.
In general does it make sense to use an attic as a future expansion of livable space.
Once you have a permit install subfloor panels over the floor joists so you can lay down flooring.
If the attic passes the space test chances are you can make everything else work but there are a few other big issues to consider before getting serious about finishing.
Most houses attics are built without flooring and are not designed to carry the heavy load of finished space.
Of course we don t want an in law suite but i was wondering if it makes sense to convert it into bedrooms and a play area later.
Keep in mind that all building requirements for the project are governed by the local building authority and local code rules.
Ie build the house now without finishing the attic and then later complete it.
That s measured after you finish the ceiling if you don t have enough height you ll have to raise the roof line and that adds a lot to your construction costs.
Building codes vary by location but most require at least a 7 foot clearance for attic expansions.
So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense.
However in some cases the joists are intentionally built strong enough for the homeowner to later build out the attic.
To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes.
First check for head clearance.
Here s a look at some building code basics when it comes to turning attic space into living space.
Account for codes and safety casey dunn.
Finishing the attic into liveable space nets an average of 9 3 out of 10 joy score or sense of happiness the owners have upon completion on nar s renovation report.
Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation.
Access and egress code generally requires a full size staircase with a minimum 6 foot 8 inch clearance above it.
Before finishing an attic get the necessary permits from your local housing commission so you don t get in trouble later on if you try to sell your house.
