How To Convert My Attic Into Living Space
Otherwise adding an extra room and optimizing the space at your disposal will be much more difficult.
How to convert my attic into living space. Make sure you can easily access your attic. Stairs must measure at least 3 feet wide and 13 feet tall and rise at a 30 to 35 degree angle. 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.
One way is by working within the home s existing footprint and converting the attic into living space. Codes vary from place to place but the rule of 7 for using an attic as an actual room typically applies. Measure your existing attic access area. Many building codes require a permanent safe staircase leading to an attic living space.
Website estimates for a complete attic conversion vary between 24 000 and 36 000 16 000 and 21 000 depending on size and specification. When contemplating an attic renovation however it s important to have a few pieces of key information nailed down before you get started. Aboveitall prices of main components and full conversion costs. Convert your attic into a living space with usihome roof trusses in short you can only convert the attic of your house into a living space if you choose an attic roof truss at the time of construction.
At least half of your attic space must be 7 feet high by 7 feet wide with a total of 70 square feet. With full home additions costing 75 000 minimum and usually far higher many homeowners search for creative ways to increase living space without overly decreasing their bank account. Converting your attic into usable living space is a great way to maximize your home. You also have to decide where the loft stairs will begin and check how much space it will need.
Pull down stairs won t be appropriate in this case and you ll need a permanent staircase. Regulated for a reason. The missing piece of information is those miserable little beasts called the building and energy codes. Once you convert attic space into living space you need to bring it up to the standards of modern building codes.
That means you ll need 2x10 floor joists or maybe 2x8 in rare circumstances and at least 2x12 roof rafters. Converting an attic into a living space is one method of gaining an extra room without moving.