5 Tips for Renovating Your Attic
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GETTING STARTED
If the attic is unfinished, there are a few things you want to take care of, regardless of how you vision the room ending up. Many municipalities have standards for livable rooms. You will probably need to fix up the walls and not have any exposed insulation. In addition, there may be a need to repair the floors. Depending on how many rooms you’d like to put up there, you will need to install drywall dividers. A certified contractor can walk you through the legal requirements, and help you with whatever physical transformations you have in mind.
BEDROOMS
If the kids are getting bigger, and you need more room, but aren’t in the mood to buy a new house, look up to the attic to increase your space without having to move. This is the most complicated of any renovation, because you may have to also install plumbing. Luckily, a qualified plumber will be able to help you with this. A decent-sized attic can yield two rooms and a bathroom. If you just have a pull-down staircase, though, some areas may require a more permanent structure and safer structure.
OFFICE SPACE
This is an excellent way to get some peace and quiet to do your work without having to go listen to poetry at the local coffee house. This is very similar to the bedroom, structurally, but you will probably need more in the way of wiring for your computer, internet, etc. If you have pre-existing conduits, you will only need a snake get your new office up and running. If the attic isn’t wired properly for the electricity you need, you may want to contact an expert electrician to help you with this.
ENTERTAINMENT ROOM
This will be similar to the office in terms of wiring, as you will want to have enough electricity to power a TV, all the DVD or video game systems you want, as well as the internet (to check your fantasy football scores in real time). The big difference here is that the drywall walls you install may not be enough to hang the flatscreen TV you need in your cave. You will want to install at least one more permanent, sturdy wall. A certified carpenter can walk you through the planning and building stage of this.
ARTIST STUDIO
If you want a space to make some art, write some poetry, or even just quietly read, the attic might be the perfect spot. Far enough away from your daily concerns while still being in the house, an attic is a place for inspiration and creation. This will be a fairly simple renovation, needing just the steps talked about in the first section and whatever furniture you need to make yourself comfortable. The only addition you might need is more natural light. The attic is a great place to catch it, but you may have to install new windows (something you can do with any other idea, as well). A window technician is available to help you with this process.
STORAGE SPACE
Maybe you don’t want a living space up there, but are just desperate to make your storage space comprehensible and easy-to-use. Sturdy drywall walls are an excellent way to install shelves to bring order so that you can bring order to the chaos. As discussed above, extra lighting will keep you from having to poke through poorly-labeled boxes armed with just a flashlight and foggy memory. You may not be able to paint in your attic, but you don’t have to be terrified of it anymore.Your attic is a way to expand your house without having to change anything on the outside. Most people never consider making the attic a working space when deciding if they have to move or expand. It looks daunting, but you can find a certified contractor to help you every step of the way. Remember, you don’t have to look outward- just up.
--Mitch Logan
