Remodeling Strategies for the Attic | |
As the price of new construction goes up, converting an unfinished attic into useful space becomes more and more appealing. Given enough money, anything can be done to an attic but that's not the kind of attic conversions we're familiar with. Our approach has been to create more living space if an attic was an "easy convert" and, if not, we used the bare bones space to make it a usable storage area. We owned several bungalows and cape cods that had floor plans that lend themselves ideally to attic expansion. Many of these 1920s vintage homes were built as starter homes. They were designed with a living room, dining room, kitchen, bath, and 2-to-3 bedrooms on the first floor and an unfinished attic above. The attic floors were originally built with adequately sized floor joists to allow for future expansion. This meant they were up to the task of carrying heavy storage loads or the weight of additional walls and rooms. To decide on the expansion possibilities of an attic, we make a thorough investigation of the space. This exploration is best planned early in the morning when temperatures are the coolest. A flashlight, 25-ft. measuring tape, and a clipboard for making a rough sketch of the space are essentials. When appraising an attic's potential, we look at several factors to determine its best use. Head Room We found that unless there is at least 8 feet of headroom between the floor and roof peak, we remove the attic from our "easy convert" category. Most building codes require at least a 7 1/2-ft. ceiling height for living space. The framing for a new ceiling eats up at least a half of a foot, so without enough ceiling height, it's almost impossible to meet these requirements without raising the roof, which is a hefty investment we've never made. We'd create storage space in attics with 4 to 7 feet of headroom because a clean, dry accessible storage area is a valuable commodity today. We'd lay sheets of plywood over the floor joists and build in plywood shelving and partitions along knee walls. We'd install clothes poles down the length of an attic and use hook and loop fasteners for storing bulky cords and cables and other odd-shape items. Access to the Attic Location, location, location is often cited as the prime factor in determining the value of a house. The location of the attic stairs is one of the prime factors we consider when deciding whether or not an attic should be converted into living space. In one bungalow we owned, the attic stairs were located in the back of a house in the kitchen. Even though it had enough headroom, we used the attic for storage only because functionally the stairs would always be the "back stairs" and not enhance the floor plan of the house. To relocate the stairs elsewhere was an option but it would require major structural changes to the house, which we didn't feel was warranted. In another home we owned, which was a story-and-a-half bungalow, there was a full-width staircase leading to an unfinished attic. The stairs separated a large dining room and kitchen and opened into a corner of the kitchen. We rerouted the stairs to open into the dining room and visually and physically opened the dining room wall. We wanted to create a more formal staircase that looked like it was built there, not a new addition. We used an oak hand rail and baluster, which blended with the existing woodwork and walled in the stairs in the kitchen. A bonus was more wall space for cabinets in the kitchen. Upstairs we converted the open space to two bedrooms and a full bath as a natural extension of the existing house. Floor Joists In most instances, we found that if a house had good access to the attic and adequate headroom, it was probably built to support future expansion. If the only attic access is through a tiny trap door, chances are the attic wasn't designed for expansion. We always check to see if the attic floor joist are up to the task of supporting the additional weight of new living space, which means in a small attic the joists are at least 2x6's (actually 1 1/2 in. x 5 1/2 in.) on 16-in. centers. Reinforcing the floor or even adding a second story to any house is not impossible, but this type work is not easy or inexpensive. Generally, if the attic floor has 2x6 joist or larger and the spans between the first floor, bearing walls does not exceed 10 to 12 ft., we deem the attic suitable for storage. If there's any question we'd refer to a contractor or someone like an architectural engineer who would know what's required. Before we apply for a building permit to convert an attic to living space, we find out what the requirements are so our plans will comply. The codes have exact requirements for the size of floor joists for a particular span (the distance between supporting points on a joist). Creating an Attic Floor Plan A well-conceived floor plan is essential to remodeling an attic so it creates quality space, not just more space. We owned a bungalow with a large open attic where there was space for 4 good-sized rooms. Instead, we created 2 large bedrooms and a full bathroom, all with access to a wide central hall. We had another attic where previous owners had "remodeled" it with a row of tandem rooms, 3 rooms strung out like box cars. The construction was shabby, using flimsy wallboard and materials so we tore it down and started from scratch. We replaced it with 2 bedrooms and a bath and hall. The location of plumbing lines can be a limiting factor. We find the soil stack in the attic (usually directly above the toilet on the first floor) and use that as our starting point. It's a lot less expensive to put a new attic bathroom above the first floor one. With the location of the stairs and bathroom predetermined, we sketch out ideas for various floor plans. We revert back to childhood to try them out. We play house using stacked boxes, window screens (whatever's handy and movable) as walls positioned to outline a plan we're considering. It's a lot easier to change your mind with a cardboard wall than a real one. In any design we come up with, we inch out storage space by using the areas under knee walls. Jobs We Do Ourselves vs. Jobs We Hire Out If we don't do anything else to an attic, we check out the insulation and add more if it's needed to combat heating and cooling costs. We usually use fiberglass batts or loose fill cellulose insulation, depending on what is already there. The job is tedious and tiring but a doable project for even the least handy person. We've rented an insulation blower (usually available from the dealer selling the insulation) to blow loose fill insulation into large areas. It looks like a large shop vac with a long wide hose, but instead of sucking in, it blows out. In attics past we've done almost every phase of the project ourselves, excluding jobs that required a licensed plumber or electrician. We'd do all the framing work of walls and partitions; bring in an electrician to wire up the new service; and then we'd hang, tape, and finish the wallboards. We'd install fixtures and switches and then do all the finish carpentry. Finally, we'd decorate the new space. Today we're likely to hire out more work. We'd act as our own general contractor and hire subcontractors for particular projects, like adding windows or increasing the ventilation. And if we came across a design problem, like an imposing chimney or structural question we'd call in an architect. Where we used to think nothing of opening up a roof to add a dormer in our early days, today we'd hire a team of carpenters and watch them do it. Adding a Pull-down Stairs Several of our houses had very limited access to the attic. In one house, the small trap door was tucked away in the corner of a closet. That meant to get into the attic you had to remove everything on the closet shelf, then remove the shelf and then half of the clothes on the rod. Needless to say, that attic was rarely used. We installed a set of fold-down (disappearing) stairs in the hall ceilings and gained much-needed storage space. In another house, the access panel was clearly reachable (although designed for a pencil-thin person) but it opened into the far end of the attic at the roof's lowest point. If you could squeeze through the opening, you were sure to bang your head on a rafter. We installed a fold-down stairs in a bedroom in the center of the house at the highest ridge of the roof. Having plenty of height at the top of the stairs is helpful when hoisting cumbersome furniture and bulky boxes. A homeowner with carpentry experience can do this project and save more than half of what a contractor charges. Underline "experience" because this isn't a good project for a budding DIY homeowner to tackle. It gets serious when we talk about cutting a hole in your ceiling because the joists must be cut and reinforced with headers. These headers must be cut to fit exactly so the ceiling doesn't sag. Written by the editors of HouseNet Copyright HouseNet, Inc. |