How do I turn my attic into an actual room?
Apr 04, 2022 · To meet most building codes your attic should: Have at least 7 feet of vertical clearance in the majority of the room, be a minimum of 7 feet wide and have at least 70 square feet of space available. The average attic renovation cost is $40,000-50,000 to convert it into a living space, such as a bedroom , office, or a bathroom.
How to convert your attic into a room?
Mar 12, 2019 · Converting an attic has house-wide structural implications. Turning that attic into living space is going to add some previously unaccounted for “load” upstairs. (Think of load as weight.) That additional load at the top of your house was not planned for (structurally) when your home was built.
How to remodel an attic into a room?
Can you turn your attic into a room? When converting an attic to a living space , it must meet the same building requirements as the other rooms in your home. To meet most building codes your attic should: Have at least 7 feet of vertical clearance in the majority of the room , be a minimum of 7 feet wide and have at least 70 square feet of space available.
Can I convert my attic into a room?
Once you have the floors, walls and ceilings are finishes, your attic can easily transform into an extra bedroom, office space, reading nook, or play room! Remember to be realistic about your skill level when it comes time to do work, there are some projects you may want to leave to the pros. Here’s how to convert your attic into a room: Check the Building Codes in Your Area. When …
Can you use an attic as a bedroom?
From a legal point of view, you can convert your attic into a bedroom space. As long as you follow the building code in your area that determines the minimum requirements for a habitable space. Building codes differ from country to country, state to state, and even municipality to municipality.
How much does it cost to make a room out of an attic?
Finishing an attic generally costs between $30 and $60 per square foot, including labor and materials. This gives you an average overall cost of $4,000 to $16,000.Jan 24, 2022
How much value does a finished attic add?
According to the NAR 2019 report, converting an attic to a living area nets an average 56% ROI, a higher return than adding a new bathroom, or more than adding a new master suite.May 22, 2020
Does a finished attic count as square footage?
Spaces like garages, three-season porches and unfinished basements or attics are not included in the square footage of a house. But if a basement or attic has been “finished,” then the space may be included in the home's square footage if it also meets ceiling height requirements.Jan 7, 2020
What to do when converting an attic into a room?
One last thing you’ll want to do when converting an attic into a room is to pick out the right pieces of furniture. There are no real limitations on which pieces you should choose so let your preferences guide you here.
What is an attic?
Your attic could be a part of your home that you’ve neglected up to this point. An attic can be used as a new room for your growing kids or you could transform into a kind of lounge area where you can sit back and relax.
Why do we need insulation in the attic?
Insulation is the secret to keeping the new attic/room comfortable regardless of the seasons. You need to invest in attic insulation or else risk making that room uninhabitable during certain stretches of the year.
Why do people put wooden floors in their homes?
On top of all those reasons, wooden floors also make sense because they are easy to restore. Your floors are going to sustain plenty of wear and tear over the years. By having wooden floors installed, you’ll have an easier time making them look great once the time comes for renovations.
What is loose fill insulation?
Loose-fill insulation makes use of materials such as cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral wool. Cellulose is the best variant in terms of R-value but it does present some mold issues. Choose carefully because you don’t want your insulation investment to go to waste.
Do you need a wooden ceiling in a converted attic?
Since someone in your family is going to be staying in your newly converted attic, you’ll want to install a wooden ceiling. Wooden ceilings are spectacular when built correctly and they really help make a room feel cozy. Wooden ceilings are also preferable because they work as terrific insulators.
Is foam insulation expensive?
The downside to sprayed foam insulation is that it can be quite expensive . Another option to consider is loose-fill insulation and it works well in attics that are lined with numerous beams and vents. Loose-fill insulation makes use of materials such as cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral wool.
How much space do you need to convert an attic?
It’s important to remember any living space in your home should follow the ‘rule of sevens’ which is that it must have at least 7 feet of vertical clearance, be a minimum of 7 feet wide and have at least 70 square feet of space available. Building codes also require finished attics to be accessible by a full-size staircase. Furthermore, for an attic to satisfy fire codes, it must have another exit in case of an emergency, this typically means an easily accessible window.
How long does it take to paint drywall?
Once the drywall is up and all the seams are taped and finished, you can begin painting. It typically takes about two coats to cover new drywall. Remember to seal the drywall with primer in order to get an even finish, and do not paint until the primer is dry.
Is a rafter better than a truss?
While trusses provide additional support to your roof’s framing, traditional rafters are considered better for an attic conversion due to the open space they create. If you have trusses, it will be difficult to reconfigure them to allow for open space.
Can you hang drywall horizontally?
When you’re ready to hang drywall prepare to feel excited, this is when your attic will really begin to take shape. You can hang drywall sheets vertically or horizontally, but most lean towards hanging drywall horizontally because it reduces seams, hides uneven studs and is easier to finish.
Can you cut down the noise in an attic?
Attic floors are usually a bit noisy, while you may be able to live with the squeakiness now, once the room is livable you’ll definitely want to cut down the noise. When choosing flooring, opt for carpet as it absorbs sounds. If you’re laying hardwood floors, be sure to prep your subfloor.
Can an attic be used as a bedroom?
Once you have the floors, walls and ceilings are finishes, your attic can easily transform into an extra bedroom, office space, reading nook, or play room! Remember to be realistic about your skill level when it comes time to do work, there are some projects you may want to leave to the pros.
How many exits do I need to turn an attic into a bedroom?
If you plan to turn your attic space into a bedroom, you'll have to have at least two exits. One can be the staircase to the lower floor. Another exit could be a window. Ideally, you'll have an in-wall escape ladder tucked behind a cabinet door, just in case you need to use this exit.
How high should the ceiling be in an attic?
In order to turn your attic space into living space, the ceilings must be 7 feet from the floor. If your attic isn't 7 feet, you could lower the floor or raise the attic height. You'll need a skilled contractor for either project.
Can I put a bathroom in the attic?
You can expect a 60% return on your investment if you sell the house down the road. If you have pipes in the attic already, putting in a bathroom up there won't be too difficult.
Can you use an attic as a bedroom?
Renovating an unused attic into a finished attic is a smart way to add more living space to your home. You can use the finished attic as a bedroom, lounge area, den or playroom. Then, if you ever decide to list your property, your house will be able to sell for so much extra because of the additional living space.
Can you convert an attic into a living room?
One of the tricky things about converting attic space into living space is natural light. Typically, attics don 't have many windows. Adding dormers can be pricey and will eat up wall space. A better option is to install skylights. These allow both fresh air and a flood of natural light into the space.
How many square feet are in an attic?
There is a basic “rule of 7s” for attics, which means the finished attic space must have at least seven feet of height from floor-to-ceiling, seven feet wide from wall-to-wall, and be at least 70 square feet. If your attic won’t accommodate that, the project may be a no-go.
How high should an attic ceiling be?
If your attic ceiling is on the seven to eight feet high (or has pitched, A-line ceilings) speak to your contractor about using a more durable ceiling finish to protect it from dings as furniture and furnishings are moved in/out and put into place. Some ideas include:
Is there soundproofing in the attic?
Your attic was built with the idea that nobody would be living up there, so there wasn’t any attention placed on soundproofing. Once somebody’s living up there, the clomp-clomp of their steps, the scrape of a chair being pushed back from a desk or table, and even the sounds emanating from stereo systems or televisions can be obnoxious for whoever lives below.
Can you add skylights to your roof?
They are a smart way to have “free” daylighting and can be added to your roof to gain a lighter, brighter, and more spacious feel in your attic space. If you do choose to add them, we recommend having the work done - or approved - by a licensed roofer to eliminate any risk of leaks or moisture control issues down the road.
What does attic conversion require?
Unlike their lower-level counterparts, attics aren’t known for their cool factor. Instead, attics have the dubious distinction of being the hottest room in the house, and are often plagued with accessibility issues and odd configurations. However, it’s possible to overcome these obstacles, remodelers say.
Attic conversions requires creativity to maximize space
If raising the roofline isn’t in your budget, there are other creative ways to take advantage of an attic’s design, such as utilizing knee walls for built-in storage or shelving or adding a desk under the slope of a slanted ceiling.
More tips for converting an attic to a living space
If converting your attic to a bedroom: The International Building Code requires sleeping rooms below the fourth floor of a home or building to have at least one exterior emergency escape and rescue opening with a minimum size of 5.7 square feet.
What is a dead load attic floor?
Your attic floor was probably built with dead loads in mind. Dead loads are things that do not move: boxes, trunks, suitcases, etc. Live loads are people and animals, and tangentially, the things used by people.
How many fires were there in the attic in 2008?
The United States Fire Administration estimates that in just a two year period, from 2006 to 2008, close to 10,000 residential attic fires occurred, resulting in nearly half a billion dollars worth of damage. 1 Most fires were caused by sparks from electrical arcing.
Why are trusses better than rafters?
Ironically, though, it's the rafters that provide a better environment for an attic conversion because of the clear space. If you have trusses, it will be next-to-impossible to reconfigure them to allow for clear space.
Does the spruce use peer reviewed sources?
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources , including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Attic Fires in Residential Buildings. United States Fire Administration.
Do older homes have attics?
To satisfy building code, you need to have enough space—and the right kind of space—to meet these following regulations. Many older homes simply do not have the right types of attics to construe this space.
Can you have a ladder in the attic?
Your attic may presently have a fixed ladder, a pull-down ladder, or no ladder at all. What your attic probably does not have is a set of code-compliant stairs. To convert your attic to living space, you cannot provide access via a ladder. The staircase must:
Make a Plan
Figuring out exactly what you want to do is so important before you start putting up walls and finishing out a space. Think about the layout, where the outlets and light switches will go, the size of your vanity, etc, etc.
The Layout
We tucked 2 beds into the knee wall on one side to keep the room open. We framed out the openings and built huge drawers underneath the beds to utilize as much storage space as we could, otherwise that was just lost space.
Insulation
We had already installed 1″ of spray foam on the underside of the roof and the exterior walls in the attic years ago, and to finish it off we added as much blown-in cellulose in the areas that would be hard to reach once the walls were up. This has made a big difference in our utility bills.
Trim & Plaster
It was important to me that our finished attic matched what was downstairs in our 1929 bungalow. So, the walls were plasterboard with a veneer coat of plaster to match the textures downstairs.
The Floors
We had some real fun here thanks to my wife’s creativity. We wanted something old looking but didn’t want to haul the drum sander up stairs and go through refinishing 300 SF of flooring.
The Bathroom
We followed the same cabinet design for the bathroom, doing a shaker style vanity topped with a piece of soapstone I got at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $10!
Details
There were a lot of little things we added, like a room width window seat which looks like it was on purpose, but is really there to allow for the duct work for the HVAC.
