Finishing Off Attic Space

Enforcement varies but codes typically say that at least half of a finished attic must be at least 7 feet high and that this area must be a minimum of 7 feet wide and 70 square feet.

Finishing off attic space.

Step 1 check the ceiling height. Remodeling an attic requires only a. For the right home and market a finished attic can feel like a cherry on top of the property. In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards.

At least 50 step 2 make sure the attic has a full size staircase. Figure you ll need to beef up the floor insulate and more. Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and r 13 for the walls. In general stairs must be at least 3 feet wide and provide at least 6 feet 8 inches of headroom.

Finishing your attic can add space and utility and increase the value of your home as long as it s done properly. For a finished attic to be to code it must satisfy the same living requirements of other rooms sometimes called the rule of sevens any living space in a home needs to have at least 7 feet 2 1 m of clearance from the floor to the ceiling and there needs to be at least 70 square feet of space available at least 7 feet 2 1 m in each direction. Follow the rule of 7s. In rare cases especially in new construction homes the attic may have been built unfinished with the correct flooring in place with the idea that the homeowner could later on finish the space.

Building code also requires that the. Stairs can take up a lot of space in both the attic and in the floor below so they are important considerations for planning. Don t mash or compress the insulation into the space. Here are some must do tips to follow when finishing your attic.

Just keep structure safety and purpose in mind as you plan out your new space. Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. It needs a certain amount of loft to work properly. When done without proper planning or adherence to local building codes it can actually reduce the value of your home or stall a sale.

Finishing the attic into liveable space nets an average of 9 3 out of 10 joy score or sense of happiness the owners have upon completion on nar s renovation report. If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts. Access to a finished attic finished attics need stairs that meet all of the standard staircase requirements. If building a knee wall for storage like karl did with this project make sure to insulate that area as well.

Staple insulation between the wall studs and ceiling joists image a. So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense. An attic can be finished and used for a variety of different rooms such as a bedroom sewing room bonus room storage space or even a playroom for children.