Convert a dusty attic to beautiful living space.
You can design and build a room in the attic for sleeping or family activities. The advantage of building in this space is that the walls, flooring and roof are in place. Some attics are very large, so they give more headroom than a typical room added onto a house. If the attic has multiple roof lines or steep slanted ceilings, this can make the finished room more interesting. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the attic space to determine how much floor space you will gain. Ask a carpenter to help you figure out the exact dimensions before you invest time and money. Check into getting a building permit and a list of building codes you must follow. Inquire about the square footage and headroom that local codes require when building an attic room. Build stairs into the attic that are at least 42 inches wide. This makes it easier to move supplies and tools into the space for work.
2. Draw the room you wish to build. Design closets, storage cubbyholes, and dormers for windows if there aren't any windows. Make a list of all building supplies and steps involved to complete the project. You will need to hire an electrician to remove wiring that's in the way. Have him reroute the wiring so the room will have light fixtures and electrical plugs in convenient places. Reroute any plumbing pipes that take up space you will need for the room as well. Unless you are a very experienced plumber, don't tackle this phase by yourself. Water can leak down the walls in the rooms below if you fail to manage this correctly.
3. Use two-by-four lumber to frame your new room. Hire a carpenter who is a roofing expert to open roof space for dormers. This is a complicated process no amateur should undertake. Install windows and finish the roofing process immediately to avoid rain. Frame closet space and use wasted space under the eaves to design low-lying storage cubbyholes. Install fiberglass roll-type insulation by stapling it to the framework studs of the walls. Insulate the ceiling area of the new room once you've placed drywall over the ceiling areas.
4. Enlist the help of an electrician to install new electrical outlet casings and light fixture casings in the room. Nail drywall over the framing for the entire space. Finish with joint compound and paint. Connect all electrical outlets and install light fixtures. Install tile or wooden flooring in the room. Caulk around the edges of all spaces that might leak cold or warm air.
5. Hang closet doors and install baseboard materials in the area. Install window trim and paint. Place crown molding around the perimeter of the room and paint.
Tags: drywall over, light fixtures, list building, space will, storage cubbyholes, will need