Attic Remodeling and Renovations

Space may be the final frontier but at home, people see that there are limitations to this and he or she must make do what is available. If the house is getting small, there are ways to make it look bigger and perhaps doing some attic remodeling and renovations may be the answer.

The attic is the best place because it can be transformed from storage space into living space. It can be turned into an extra bedroom, a playroom, an office, library or a gym.

Before you can start your project, you have to check how much usable space in the attic can be converted. Ideally, the height of each wall must be at least 5 feet.  You should take this very seriously to avoid bumping your head.

If the height of the walls does not reach the minimum requirement, you can have this adjusted by converting the roof to make it slope upward. Another option will be to change this to a gable roof that goes straight up.

Homeowners who reside in old houses will also have to strengthen their ceiling joists. This can be found under the floor of the attic and used to support the additional weight that will be brought into the room like a new bed, a couch, television or even a tub. In order to do this, you may have to reduce some of the space in the already cramp room.

Attic remodeling and renovations also requires proper insulation, ventilation and lighting. For insulation, you will have to install additional layers so it is not too hot or too cold throughout the year. You can also control the temperature by putting in air ducts. As for lighting, you can put a skylight on the ceiling and windows which will surely save you some money on your electricity bill.

For those who are planning to put a bathroom in the attic, you should connect this to the nearest source.

Another thing you have to work on is access to the attic and this can only be done by putting a staircase. If you are going to use a straight staircase, this should measure 3 feet by 16 feet. For those who want to use a spiral staircase, it must measure 5 feet in diameter. The building code prohibits the use of ladders if this leads to a bedroom but not if this is going to a loft.

If you are not sure whether or not your attic can be remodeled or renovated, you can get in touch with the building inspector or an architect. If it is possible, you can already start planning what you want to do and then hire a contractor who will take care of the rest.

When looking for the ideal contractor, you should call several. You should not only compare their rates but also do a background check on them to see if they have licensed people working for them, if they are insured and if they have done a good job with previous clients. After you have done the prescreening, it is time to decide who will handle the project.  

Attic remodeling and renovations should not cost you a fortune since you are only working on a small section of the house. Once it is finished, you can appreciate how it looks now compared to what it was before which was just a room filled with old junk and boxes.