Renovating your attic is an excellent way to add useful space and value to your home while avoiding a high-end cost. Lofts are often great spaces for bedrooms, home offices, or playrooms. Before you dig into an attic renovation, do your research. Read on for some tips on renovating your attic for the best return on investment and the smoothest process.
Check the Codes
Even though you don’t have to get the same kind of building permits you need for a home addition, you do have to follow building codes when doing an attic renovation. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you start working.
How high does your ceiling need to be according to building codes? Before starting anything, determine if your attic is even tall enough to be rebuilt into a livable space. General guidelines are that the attic space should be at least 7 to 8 feet tall.
Joist codes
Joist codes refer to the support in the floor of your attic or ceiling of your other levels. Before you can start working on the area, the loft may need to be reinforced before you can make it into a livable space.
Egress codes
Egress codes refer to proper entry and exits for the attic space. Fire, safety, and building codes require that all livable spaces have certain exits. If they don’t already exist in your attic, you will have to add them during the renovation.
Checklist For Comfortable Attic Space
In addition to safety and building codes, consider what you will need to accomplish in your attic renovation to make the space comfortable.
Light
Attics aren’t usually well lit. Consider putting in more options for natural lights like windows and skylights. Natural lights will add visual space to the area that can already feel damp and confined due to the sloping walls.
Ventilation
Before doing any major renovations, check how the ventilation will work in the space. You might need to rework your HVAC system to ventilate, heat, and cool the area properly. If you install new windows for light in the attic renovation, put in ones that can be opened for fresh air as attics can become stuffy.
Insulation
Insulate the walls and flooring of the space if you want to ensure a livable temperature. When they aren’t correctly insulated, lofts can become very hot or cold depending on the season. Homes can typically see a 30% energy savings when they insult their attic properly.
