Ie build the house now without finishing the attic and then later complete it.
Build house and finish attic later.
An attic bedroom exploits roof space previously devoted to high school yearbooks and nesting sparrows.
Account for codes and safety photo by casey dunn.
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.
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.
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.
Most houses attics are built without flooring and are not designed to carry the heavy load of finished space.
Keep in mind that all building requirements for the project are governed by the local building authority and local code rules.
Attic renovations require homeowners to finish an otherwise unfinished space and is not the same as remodeling other rooms in your house.
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.
The total cost of an attic renovation includes the labor cost of contractors inspection fees license fees and materials.
Once you have a permit install subfloor panels over the floor joists so you can lay down flooring.
Reclaiming the space under your roof also avoids many zoning and easement concerns common chores when adding onto a house.
The ceiling load may include items like drywall ducts recessed lights bathroom fans and attic insulation.
So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense.
In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards.
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.
Whether you envision your house s top floor as an away from it all master suite a quiet home office or a hangout spot for the kids read these 14 tips to help you finish your attic remodel.
In general does it make sense to use an attic as a future expansion of livable space.
What are the pros and cons if any.
If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts.
