There are many times when couples buy a house only to realize that it is not large enough to suit their needs once they start having kids. Unfortunately, building an addition to a home is not an option for every family because of the steep costs. A great way to add more livable space to your home without adding an addition to the house is to convert your attic into livable space.
Converting an attic doesn’t take a lot of time, but you will need to hire a skilled contractor and take the right steps to prepare. The following guide walks you through a few things that will need to take place before any construction on your attic can even begin.
Determine How You Will Use the Room
Before he or she can make any changes to your attic, your contractor needs to determine if there are any legal restrictions. In many areas, there are restrictions on the number of bedrooms a house can have based on the size of the septic system. So you will need to give your contractor any information that you have about your septic system before he or she can convert your attic into a bedroom.
If your septic system is too small to yield another bedroom in the house, you can convert your attic into a den or office instead. Since a closet is what turns a den or office into a bedroom, you’ll have to forgo the closet in your finished attic space. However, it is possible to have custom built cabinets added to the space to provide storage in the room.
Inspect the Attic for Damage and Get the Necessary Permits
When it is time to start the renovations, your contractor will need to get permits that allow him or her to start work. He or she will also need to inspect your attic to ensure that there is no asbestos before they can obtain any permits. Your contractor will also make sure that there are no structural issues in the attic, as well as any small openings where pests could get into the attic without your knowledge.
Determine Entry into the Room
Before he or she can do any remodeling, your contractor will need to determine how you and your family will be entering and exiting this new room in your home. Pulling down a set of stairs from the ceiling every time someone wants to get into the room is illegal because it makes it difficult to open the stairway from inside the attic, restricting your ability to get out of the house safely when a fire or another emergency occurs.
Your contractor will be able to determine where a staircase could be created along the inner perimeter of your home so that you can easily get up and down from the attic space when needed. If you want to save time, money, and space on the staircase, consider having a spiral staircase added. Spiral staircases are small and efficient options when you have minimal space available.
When you are ready to convert your attic into livable space, contact Contract Remodeling Services. Our team of contractors can take care of every step of your attic remodeling from start to finish. We will also ensure that everything is done in the safest manner possible and that everything is up to code so that your attic bedroom will pass every inspection after it is done being remodeled. You will be able to pick and choose every aspect of the conversion to ensure that you will be happy with it in the end.
