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If you need more space in your home, but you don’t have the finances or the inclination to move, then extending the property you already have is one way to give yourself more room. Creating an additional bedroom (or playroom, master suite, media room, bathroom, or anything else that you need) in your attic space can be the ideal way to utilize space that isn’t used for anything other than storage, and to ensure you get the home of your dreams without needing to give anything up to get there. If this sounds like a good idea, here are some ways to make it happen.
Make Sure It Will Work
Before you do anything and before you spend any money, you need to make
sure that your idea can become a reality. Check out the zoning laws in your
state or county because it may be that there are restrictions you need to
adhere to. It is also a good idea to have
the structure of your property checked out before you begin any work,
especially the roof. A professional company such as Concord Roofing & Construction will be able to
make sure that the roof is safe, and if anything needs to be done, they can carry out the work too. A
good roof will help to make the room you want underneath it more comfortable,
better able to regulate temperature, and safer too.
Plan Everything
Making a new room in your home is a big job to undertake, so it is
essential that you make a plan. Doing so
will give you an idea of costs, which is important to know from the start so
that you can determine whether or not you can carry out your building work.
However, it isn’t just a budget that you need to plan for. The design of your
room is all important, and should be determined before any work begins. You
need to think carefully about the layout of the room when it is done, as this could help you to decide where
windows and possibly even doors can go. If you already know how large the
furniture is that will go in the room,
then that is a definite advantage, but you also need to know how it is going to
get into the attic space, and what kind of entrance are you going to provide?
Outlets and light switches will be an important addition. Placing them anywhere
there is space may not be the most
sensible of options since they may become unusable with the addition of
furniture.
Insulation
The attic was never originally designed to be a living space, so it is
unlikely that it will have adequate insulation in it. There will be some, but
it might not be thick enough to keep anyone warm in the winter or cool in the summer. In other words, without the right
insulation, the room could be unusable at certain points of the year, which
defeats the object of having it in the first place.
Insulation for the comfort of those living in the attic room is
important, but so is insulation for the comfort of those living underneath. You
won’t want to be able to hear every movement from above because that will get
annoying pretty fast! Therefore, you could consider carpeting the attic space
to dull the sounds, or if you want to keep the wooden boards which often do
look great, you can install acoustic insulation underneath them.
Make It Match
An attic room is a hugely useful addition to any home, and it can add
many thousands of dollars to the value if
and when you decide to sell. What will truly
make it a much more enjoyable space is making sure that it matches with the
rest of your house. This is
especially important if you have enjoyed (and spent time on) the interior
design of your property. The last thing you want is to walk up to the attic
room and see something entirely different. Of course, the person who is
planning to use the room may have their own
design ideas, but if you can match the basics, then their stamp of
personality won’t look so out of place.
It means having the same plaster, moldings, and trims as elsewhere in
the house. Perhaps the same flooring, and the same color on the walls. It’s a
nice idea to try to match the style of any interior design with the style of
the property, and when it was built, so you should take that into consideration too. A super
modern interior in an old house can work, but it will need to be done extremely
well, for example. A more vintage interior will blend in much more easily and could cost a lot less too.
Add A Bathroom
If you have a lot of space and you want to do something a little more
adventurous with your attic room, why not add a bathroom too? Making the area
into a master suite, or a self-contained apartment (ideal for older teenagers,
overnight guests, or elderly relatives) will make it so much more special. Adding
a bathroom is yet another way to add more value to your home as well. It is
also the ideal excuse for more interior design fun! A bathroom has many
elements that can be added to make it look just right, including mirrors,
accessories, and the tub itself.
Final Details
Whether you are doing the work yourself or you are employing a
professional contractor to do it, there will be some little details that need
to be designed and in place before
everything is finished. These could be
anything that you like the sound of and that you have room for including a window seat (which could
double as storage, so it is a good idea to install one if you can), or
additional windows for extra light. You might even portion off part of the
original attic for additional storage.