Important Things You Need to Do When Building Into your Attic

If you are planning on building into your attic then you should know that there are numerous steps you need to take. After all, you need to make sure that you are doing everything you can to try and make sure that it is safe, and that it is built well enough to add value to your home. If you want to find out more, then simply look below.

Check for Head Clearance

Building codes really can vary depending on your location. Most building regulations require you to have around 7-foot of clearance for your attic expansion. This is measured when your ceiling is finished. If you do not have enough height in your attic, then you will need to raise up your roofline and this can add an extortionate amount to your construction costs. If you are going to have to do a lot of work, then you may be exposed to asbestos. If you have been exposed to this kind of material in the past then it’s worth trying to hire mesothelioma lawyers.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Plan on Having a Bigger Staircase

You don’t need a lot of headroom and you don’t need to have a big landing if you want to store some boxes in your attic. The moment you turn your attic into a living space however, you will have a whole new ballgame on your hands. You need to make sure that you have a big staircase and you also need to have a landing so that you can accommodate any furniture. The stairs you have need to be wide enough so that they can handle a dresser or even a sofa if possible. You also need to make sure that they are wide enough so that they can turn around at the top.

Call in a Pro

Your attic may well be strong enough for you to store all of your Christmas decorations but this doesn’t really mean that it is strong enough for you to support the weight of furniture as well as people. Never assume that you can add walls, drywall or even flooring and call it an attic. You need to hire a pro so that they can carry out a structural analysis. They will be able to detail any structural modifications as well as coming up with any recommendations, like hiring Golden State Drywall Repair Pros, so that you can have some bump outs if possible. High-strength screws tend to displace lag screws as the main fastener for structural applications so make sure that you explore them if possible.

Get a Quote

A lot of people who experiment with DIY tend to try and cut corners by choosing to install electric heaters and an AC unit so that they can keep their attic cool. Electric baseboard heaters or even window AC units can be cheap upfront but at the end of the day, they probably don’t allow for fresh air exchange. This is often a requirement for building codes. If you want to do something about this then you need to try and have a HVAC contractor install a free-standing unit for you so that you can have the maximum amount of temperature control and at a very low cost, so keep that in mind if at all possible.