Building Out Your Attic

Before you rush out to the local building supply store take a few moments to read this article and consider your needs.

Building out your attic.

Perhaps you re considering major reconstruction or just trying to gain some office space. If one gets stained swap it with one in a less conspicuous part of the room. Have a pro check the structure. Whether it s in your personal home or a rental property you will need to meet code if you plan to rent out the room.

Hire an engineer to inspect your house s foundation and framing to ensure they. Joist dimensions are only part of the equation. A contractor or a local building official can help you assess how the rule will apply to your attic and how modifications like dormers can resolve height shortcomings. A finished attic weighs a lot more than boxes of off season duds.

Carpet tiles are also a brilliant choice for playrooms. Refer to your local building code to ensure that your space is safe and ready for tenants. If your attic joists won t bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage you can install inch plywood or. An attic bedroom exploits roof space previously devoted to high school yearbooks and nesting sparrows.

If your home s attic is nothing more than wasted space you may want to remod el it. You also need to ensure that the joist spacing is adequate. This old house converting your attic. Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage.

Attic joists for live loads. Reclaiming the space under your roof also avoids many zoning and easement concerns common chores when adding onto a house. A straight run stair will chew up 10 to 14 feet of floor space. Finishing an attic above a garage ranges from 4 600 to 24 000 depending largely on the condition of the building if you want heat installing an electric baseboard heater costs 400 to 1 200 if you re creating living space you might need to pay the price to install a furnace which is 2 600 to 6 200.

A stair designed with an intermediate landing and two runs needs about 8 feet on the lower level. If your attic is a playroom pile on vibrant colors to make the space bright and happy. Ceiling your converted attic s ceiling will be a focal point for anyone entering the. Enlarging an existing stairway or adding a new one will affect spaces below.

A modular sectional makes a great place to snuggle and lounge. Figure out how you re going to get up and down from the finished attic space.