Building Into Attic

A contractor or a local building.

Building into attic.

Screw the frame to the joists to secure it in place making sure not to screw into electrical wires. Converting an attic to a living area yields a modest return on your investment. Full the spaces between the frame members with insulation. Follow the rule of 7s.

That means you ll need 2x10 floor joists or maybe 2x8 in rare circumstances and at least 2x12 roof rafters. Of course these vary from one municipality to the next but most codes correspond to one or. If your garage attic has a floor plywood or osb and enough space for you to stand up chances are you have trusses suitable for an attic lift. 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.

In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards. Attic conversions allow homeowners to build up rather than out for a renovation that maximizes space. Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. Enforcement varies but codes typically say that at least half of a finished attic must be at least 7 feet high and that this area must be a minimum of 7 feet wide and 70 square feet.

If you re not certain whether your attic can bear the load it s best to consult a structural engineer. Before starting on an attic conversion project you ll need to negotiate a gauntlet of building codes. According to remodeling impact report from the national association of realtors an attic bedroom conversion that includes a small bath has a national median cost of 75 000 and retains 53 of its value if you should decide to sell your house. Attic floors generally need to be reinforced with additional joists and a subfloor.

Whether you want another bedroom or just extra living space there is some major value to adding an extra room. Build a frame on 16 centers perpendicular to the attic floor joists. Attic or storage trusses on the other hand are designed to support extra weight. If you intend to install only a sitting loft you might get by with just a ladder.

Building code often requires stairway access to the attic if the space is to be used as a bedroom. Some homeowners decide to build an addition onto their house. The lyons used a web of 16 inch deep engineered trusses to accommodate wiring plumbing and ductwork then topped the plywood subfloor with oak or tile.