3 Tips to Turn Your Attic Into Living Space

The attic of a home often presents great potential for extra square footage. However, finishing an attic in to be a livable space takes some forethought and planning. If you’re thinking about transforming your attic into another living area, these tips will help you get on the right track.
#1 Consider Square Footage

Image via Flickr by lilszeto

Usually, attics house all sorts of ductwork and wiring. In order to make an attic livable, you’ll need to meet up with a professional who can look the area over and tell you exactly how you can hide these components. Some attics will need a portion of the area sectioned off to conceal these things, while others can hide them in the floor or walls. Knowing what approach you can take for your attic will help you determine the total square footage you can get from the renovated space.

You can even reach out to someone knowledgeable in the local real estate market with the new square footage in mind and ask them about how a renovated attic might add value to your property, should you ever go to sell your home. Oftentimes, the added equity is surprising and more than enough to justify the renovation.

#2 Know Your Options
In order to turn your attic into a livable space, a few different aspects need to be taken into consideration. First and foremost, you need to make sure the attic is properly insulated. Hopefully your attic will be insulated anyway, because poor attic insulation can greatly impact the cost to heat or cool the rest of your home.

Regardless, it needs to be checked to make sure you can contain a comfortable living climate in any season. Other aspects include the cost of adding proper flooring and drywall and then finishing the attic out. Ventilation and lighting also need to come into play as you come up with a design.

To save on costs, you should work heating and cooling into your initial plan, as that will enable you to find the perfect system. Generally speaking, a ductless mini-split systems will be ideal because it will not require the additional installation of any ductwork. AC Heating and Air Conditioning Services can help you sort through your options so that your space is comfortable year-round.

#3 Finish As Planned
A converted attic can be used for a variety of uses. Depending on the size, you may even be able to get multiple rooms and uses out of your converted attic. Just think about the potential for a children’s playroom, a workout area, a home office, or any number of other possibilities that can help you get more out of your home.

Ultimately, there are plenty of things you can use your attic for. So, it all starts with deciding how to get there. Talk to a professional about your options, and you can have your attic renovated in no time at all.

Comments

  1. kristen visser says

    I would love to have a house with an attic we can convert. at my great grandpas house, when we lived there, my mom did a huge reno on the attic and took out the living room ceiling so you could look down from it when up in the attic. it looked cool even though it took away space from the attic floor

  2. I would love to build an attic room but my attic is not very tall!

  3. Things to think about – thanks.

  4. Great ideas! It sure does maximize your living space if you are able to convert your attic.

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