the attic test
Is your attic a candidate
for renovation?
An attic presents a wonderful opportunity to create extra living space. You've already got a floor, a roof, and walls. All you have to do is add insulation and ventilation; run in electrical, heat and possibly plumbing lines; install windows and doors; and finish everything off with paint, wallpaper and flooring. The attic's remote location makes it a perfect choice for rooms that benefit from additional privacy, such as a master bedroom suite or a home office.
But your attic will need to meet certain criteria before you can move ahead with your renovation. An attic used as living space will have to bear the extra weight of people and furniture, something it didn’t have to do as an unfinished attic. Consult an architect or structural engineer to find out if your house can handle the burden; otherwise, you'll have to strengthen your existing walls or foundation, and perhaps put in stronger floor joists. Factor in these costs, as well as the price of heating and cooling the extra space. And remember to check for leaks, rotting beams, or other structural problems and include the costs of repairs into your budget.
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First Person Disaster Story Fooled by the floor |
When I went up to check out my attic, I saw rafters with what I thought was a floor directly underneath. But when I stepped between the rafters onto the so-called "floor," my foot crashed right through! Luckily, I was able to pull my leg back up. I wasn’t hurt, aside from my wounded pride at having to explain to everyone why we now had a mysterious hole in our downstairs ceiling. Now I realize our unfinished attic floor was constructed of drywall that wasn’t intended to hold much weight. Arthur L., Ogden, Utah |
Finishing an attic is only an option if you have a high attic, or one with enough ceiling height for you to stand up in, as opposed to a low attic crawl space. But not every high attic is a suitable candidate for remodeling—it depends on what kind of framing and support system your attic has. Rafter and collar beam system In this system, the attic walls and the ceiling are framed with 2-by-6 or 2-by-8 beams and ceiling rafters (a series of parallel beams that support the roof). These rafters run from the ridge beam—the beam that runs along the middle of the roof—down the slope of the roof to where it meets the floor or wall. You can't remove the collar beams, so as long as they are high enough, you should have no trouble converting this type of attic into living space. Truss system If instead the beams of your attic are arranged in a criss-cross or W-shape extending vertically from ceiling to floor, then your attic has a truss system. Trusses are made of plywood or synthetic material and are not as thick as rafters. Trusses all work together as a system; remove or modify even one and you’ll be compromising your house’s structure and may even cause your roof to collapse. Even if your attic is the right type, you're not free and clear to proceed just yet. In order to meet most building codes, a room used for living space needs to have a ceiling height of 7.5 feet over at least 50 percent of the floor area. You can, however, add dormers (see pages 152-153) to help you meet this requirement. |
