Building Out Your Attic

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.

Building out your attic.

Hire an engineer to inspect your house s foundation and framing to ensure they. If your home is smaller than other homes in your area or simply lacks the necessary amount of storage or living space for your family finishing your attic is a relatively inexpensive way to increase your usable space. Ceiling your converted attic s ceiling will be a focal point for anyone entering the. Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage.

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. A straight run stair will chew up 10 to 14 feet of floor space. This old house converting your attic. Figure out how you re going to get up and down from the finished attic space.

A stair designed with an intermediate landing and two runs needs about 8 feet on the lower level. Reclaiming the space under your roof also avoids many zoning and easement concerns common chores when adding onto a house. 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. Enlarging an existing stairway or adding a new one will affect spaces below.

Joist dimensions are only part of the equation. If one gets stained swap it with one in a less conspicuous part of the room. A modular sectional makes a great place to snuggle and lounge. Attic joists that are made from 2x8s may be acceptable for building your attic floor but because every room is variable there are no absolutes.

Carpet tiles are also a brilliant choice for playrooms. 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. If your attic is a playroom pile on vibrant colors to make the space bright and happy. You ll need to remove your stuff clean any water damage damage from rodent or pest problems and possibly remove insulation.

Cleaning out the attic. Attic joists for live loads. Before renovation you ll need to clear out your attic. An attic bedroom exploits roof space previously devoted to high school yearbooks and nesting sparrows.

Cost to finish an attic above a garage. You also need to ensure that the joist spacing is adequate. A finished attic weighs a lot more than boxes of off season duds.