7 Essential Tips for Remodeling Your Attic

A standard attic remodeling job costs $50,000-$65,000. Maybe you want to get a home-office, playroom, or even or a new bedroom for your guests.

But have you checked on that abandoned square footage in your house? If not, then you should make plans of renovating that attic. It’s a smart way of renovating your home on a tight budget.

Many homeowners often make the mistake of carelessly renovating their attics in a hurry. Learn to do it right! Follow these seven essential tips for a well-done job when remodeling your attic.

1. Follow Safety Codes While Remodeling Your Attic

Before starting the remodeling process, you need to invite a constructional engineer. He/she will inspect the room to make sure that it meets construction safety standards. You should avail yourself physically during the inspection to discover more about the required codes and regulations.

Necessarily, a standard attic should be 7 feet high, 7 feet wide, and 70 square feet. This regulation allows for free movement within the attic. It is known as the ‘rule of 7s’ and is the first test that your to-be-renovated room must pass.

Your attic should have a proper roof structure. W-shaped roof trusses make attic renovation very difficult. Besides, they come with more expenses than A-shaped roof trusses. So, make sure that your ideal attic room has enough ceiling height as per the required guidelines.

2. Get All Essential Permits

Don’t skimp out of this critical step. Most homeowners often underestimate the importance of getting the necessary building permits. Before embarking on the attic renovating process, ensure that you hire certified building professionals.

Why is this essential? Well, renovating your attic using unlicensed personnel may jeopardize its overall safety standards.

Also, you may want to sell the house someday; right? If your buyer’s building inspector finds the attic risky, then you might lose the client.

Besides, the buyer might decide to go to the local authorities to find out if you followed the due procedure of construction. If they find out that you used shortcuts, they’ll likely not buy your property. So, get all essential permits before remodeling your attic.

3. Install an HVAC System

Would you like to stay in a congested attic? Definitely not! A standard attic should have proper ventilation.

Your main goal should be to make the renovated attic as comfortable as possible. Sometimes, the attic may be too hot or cold at different times of the year. You can avoid such a problem by installing a well-functioning HVAC system.

Besides, you should do regular inspection to ensure that the HVAC system is working correctly. If you notice any sight deviation, be kind enough, and invite an expert. This will help you to save costs that come with the downtime of your HVAC equipment.

4. Save Your Plumbing Costs

The whole idea of renovating your attic is to save money. Therefore, if the renovation process falls short of that, then you’re heading in the wrong direction.

If you’re installing a new kitchen or bathroom, ensure that it is closer to the old pipes. You can then rejoin the new drainage system to the old one. Moreover, you can tie the new pipes on the old ones to save space.

It’s always advisable to seek developer services from an expert to avoid unnecessary mistakes. Careless drainage installation can be very costly and can worsen the living conditions of the attic.

So, don’t be so focused on saving drainage costs by doing everything by yourself. In the long run, this wrong decision might catch up with you. You should do thorough research and only pick a certified plumber with a proven track record of service delivery.

5. Insulate the Attic

You can insulate your attic using fiberglass or spray-foam. However, experts prefer spray-foam for roof installation. It creates a tight air barrier that is essential for room protection.

Besides, spray-foam roofs provide an extra overhead room. Your attic should have an ample overhead space to allow for fee airflow within the room. Therefore, to have a complete attic room, ensure that its roof is made of an airtight material.

You also need airtight roofing to ensure that the attic is always kept warm. Sometimes, the conditions of the attic room can be very challenging. If you don’t have money to install a properly working HVAC system, ensure that your roof is adequately insulated.

6. Use Knee Wall Storage

Having overhead storage facilities isn’t advisable because your attic needs ample space. Also, bringing in large wardrobes will eat up your space. Therefore, install recess cabinets, cubbies, and perimeter drawers on knee walls.

You should save every inch of space. Contact room designers to get more details on how you can get more of your attic room. They’ll help you with this and give you more space-saving techniques.

Also, ask them for an overall opinion on how you should position certain items in the attic room. It would be wrong if you throw in everything everywhere without any proper arrangement.

7. Install a Ceiling Fan

For better climate control during warmer weather periods of the year, put in a ceiling fan. You can also use the ceiling fan reversely in the colder months of the year to blow down warm air.

Don’t let your headroom stay idle when you can fully exploit the available space. Ceiling fans are relatively cheaper than standard HVAC systems. So, if you are looking for a cost-friendly option, go for them.

For well-distribution of warm or cold air, install the ceiling fan at the center of the attic room. Hire the services of an expert for an efficiently done job.

Remodeling an attic requires patience and expertise. Consult widely before embarking on the construction journey. Your preferred mode should be cost-friendly yet efficient at the same time.

Life in the Attic!

As a homeowner, you should get value for your money, and that’s why it’s advisable to only employ certified personnel when renovating your home. Otherwise, you’ll end losing a lot of money that should be used for more constructive purposes.

Explore our blog for more information on what you should do when remodeling your attic.

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