Finishing A Townhouse Attic

Converting an attic to a living area yields a modest return on your investment.

Finishing a townhouse attic.

At least 50 step 2 make sure the attic has a full size staircase. When we had our townhouse built we had the option to turn the unused attic into a functional living space. In rare cases especially in new construction homes the attic may have been built unfinished with the correct flooring in place with the idea that the homeowner could later on finish the space. Price and stock could change after publish date and we may make money from these links.

In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards. Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. Embrace the angled walls and convert your attic into a master suite guest room office or a custom hideaway. We chose not to do it and i ve regretted it since.

Step 1 check the ceiling height. For a finished attic to be to code it must satisfy the same living requirements of other rooms sometimes called the rule of sevens any living space in a home needs to have at least 7 feet 2 1 m of clearance from the floor to the ceiling and there needs to be at least 70 square feet of space available at least 7 feet 2 1 m in each direction. A contractor or a local building official can help you assess how the rule will apply to your attic and how modifications like dormers can resolve height shortcomings. According to remodeling impact report from the national association of realtors an attic bedroom conversion that includes a small bath has a national median cost of 75 000 and retains 53 of its value if you should decide to sell your house.

Enforcement varies but codes typically say that at least half of a finished attic must be at least 7 feet high and that this area must be a minimum of 7 feet wide and 70 square feet. See more ideas about attic rooms attic spaces attic renovation. Stairs can take up a lot of space in both the attic and in the floor below so they are important considerations for planning. Below you can see townhouses with and without a third floor.

Here are several reasons you should never buy a house and try to convert an attic into living space. Follow the rule of 7s. Finished attics need stairs that meet all of the standard staircase requirements. That third floor is how it would look with the unused attic space totally transformed.

Building code also requires that the. In general stairs must be at least 3 feet wide and provide at least 6 feet 8 inches of headroom.