Adding a bedroom onto your house by utilizing the space in your attic, is a fantastic way to add value to your home. Instead of housing boxes of junk and old photos, this extra space in your house can be converted into a room with the possibility of having an en-suite added too. If you have children, this can be a great escape from the noise in the house below, for you and your partner. By reclaiming this space, you won’t have to go through the rigmarole of red tape for any easement and zoning concerns. Before you go ahead and blow out your budget read our guide as to working out if it is worth renovating.
How The Roof Is Built
Before you do anything make sure you climb up into your attic to determine how theroofing structure has been built. What you don’t want to see is W-shaped trusses as this will turn the project into a nightmare. If the rafters from an A shape with plenty of space underneath, then you could be one step closer to an additional room in the roof of your home. If your attic has a steeply pitched roof, you will have enough space for the ceiling of your new bedroom.
Access To Your Room
If you are building a bedroom beneath the roof, then you must have a staircase as a ladder will not suffice. So, you will need to determine where you will place this staircase. If you have a staircase already then, you may only just have to expand it. You will find that a normal straight one will use up about 14 feet of room, while you may consider adding a spiral staircase that will use up around 5 feet. You could convert a closet underneath where the new room will be, to make life easier. Don’t forget, whatever staircase you decide to go with, the space underneath it can also be converted into a cupboard/storage area.
Floor Framing
You will certainly need the advice of a professional when it comes to your floor. Firstly, will your attic floor joints be able to take the weight of an additional room? If additional support is required, then it will make the whole job more expensive, and it may also cut down the potential head room in the attic.
Electricity And Plumbing
By building an additional room above your main living area you are going to need to extend your electricity and plumbing (especially if you are adding an en-suite bathroom too). You will need to ensure that your electric panel is capable of having additional breakers added to it, while also determining if it can handle the increased loads. With your plumbing, you will need to make sure that any new plumbing is located near the main stack, so this will reduce the amount of pipe required to run from the sinks, toilet, bath, and shower. Finally, don’t forget your HVAC. Will it be able to move the air up to the room to heat and cool it? If not, then you one way around the problem is a window air conditioner.