Converting an Attic Into a Living Space: 12 Tips to Get Started

Whether your growing family is testing the limits of your available space or you just want to take advantage of the killer view from your uppermost room, remodeling an attic is a great way to reclaim space without building a new addition onto your home. But attic conversions require a lot of forethought and effort. Use the following tips to convert your attic into an additional living space.

Stop Guessing: It’s Time to Call In a Professional

When taking on this project, expect questions only a pro can answer. With our network of local pros, you'll get the job done and your questions answered—without the hassle and stress of doing it yourself. 

1. Confirm You Have the Necessary Space

The most crucial questions to answer involve the extent and dimensions of the available space to ensure you’re complying with building codes. While there is a lot of variation between county-level regulations, most building codes will require the following: 

• 70 sq. ft. of floor space

• At least 7 ft. of floor space in each direction (i.e., attic must be at least 7 ft. by 10 ft. in dimension) to help homeowners avoid hazardous unusual layouts 

• At least half of the available floor space must clear a ceiling height of 7 1/2 ft.; regulators will decline plans to create living spaces that prevent occupants from standing up

If your attic ceiling isn’t high enough, it is possible to raise the roofline of your home or add a dormer window for additional height. If you plan to install a dormer during your attic conversion, this will automatically cover the egress requirement, as most dormers include a window.

In addition to the standards imposed by national safety regulations, the building codes in your county will likely include area-specific stipulations that will affect your conversion options.

The way your roof is framed will also determine whether your attic conversion is viable.Though rafters leave more space between the floor and the ceiling of an attic, roof trusses have become more popular in recent years due to their versatility and lower price point. Because they decrease an attic’s ceiling height, the presence of trusses will likely make it very difficult to convert your attic into a code-compliant living space.

2. Make Sure the Attic Is Accessible

What kind of stairwell leads to your attic? While many attics feature pull-down ladders or steep and narrow stairways, you must satisfy a different set of accessibility standards to convert the attic into a living space. To meet safety requirements, attic access must:

• Provide a minimum of 6 ft. 8 in. of headroom along the entire walking length of the stairs

• Be at least 36 in. wide

• Have treads of at least 10 in. deep

• Include risers at least 7 1/4 in. high

3. Get Your Attic Inspected

You should call a professional attic inspector to take a look at your attic space any time you suspect an issue. When inspecting your attic, they’ll look for evidence of rodents, water leakage, or mold. 

4. Consult a Structural Engineer

Any alterations you make to the attic will affect the whole house, which requires complex engineering considerations. While a contractor can help you locate the load-bearing walls in the attic to ensure the proposed changes don’t bring down the roof, you should also consult a structural engineer. This type of expert can determine the implications of your dream conversion for the rest of the home. 

5. Determine Your Budget

Finishing an attic costs a lot, especially with the potential for unanticipated costs to emerge along the way. Typically, homeowners pay $200 per square foot to convert an unfinished attic into a code-compliant living space.

The cost to add a bedroom falls between $8,000 and $30,000, but the cost is significantly lower for converting the attic into a home office. 

6. Apply for Permits

If your attic conversion requires electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or construction work, you’ll likely need a permit. Talk with your local home remodeling contractor to see if your current attic meets the building code requirements to pull a home addition permit or what you’ll need to obtain one. 

7. Check Your Floors

Instead of finished attic flooring, many attics feature exposed floor joists bridged by 2-by-4 rafters (if not totally uncovered insulation), designed to support dead loads, or objects that do not move of their own accord. While you can always sister the joists and add the subflooring that can safely support people, doing so will add additional height to the floor. In many cases, that will cut into the ceiling height and necessitate the construction of a new set of stairs. 

Every house is different, though, and it’s not certain that enhancing the flooring will prove to be a deal-breaker. Additionally, if your home is a newer build, the attic could have been constructed with finished flooring designed to support a conversion, which has become increasingly common. 

8. Don’t Skimp on Proper Insulation and Ventilation

The typical attic is designed for storage, and builders forego the temperature-control measures they would take in a living space. Your unfinished attic will likely require an additional type of attic insulation to help occupants stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

If you’re not sure what you’ll need to do to keep your conversion comfortable throughout the year, contact an attic insulation pro near you. 

Since your attic is the highest room in your house, it collects all the heat that rises from the lower levels, making effective air conditioning a must for conversions. Make sure your HVAC can handle the load of another room. Plus, you may have to add vents if the attic was originally built as a storage-only space.

For proper attic ventilation, keep at least 1 inch of air space between the insulation and the roof’s underlayment. Otherwise, heat buildup can occur, causing roof damage.

9. Look Into Energy-Efficient Roofing

The nature of your roofing will play a role in the temperature control of the attic. If you can, consider using light-colored roof shingles that reflect sunlight. Dark-colored shingles absorb heat from the sun, increasing both the temperature of the attic and the cost of cooling it.

10. Don’t Forget Soundproofing

If you’re not used to having people walk around your attic, it can be easy to forget some of the potential side effects of turning the space into well-used living quarters. If the rooms beneath the attic floor include bedrooms, a home office, or any area where someone might expect peace and quiet, you may need to take extra steps to ensure adequate soundproofing. 

As anyone who has ever had upstairs neighbors can tell you, even the lightest footsteps can sound very loud in the rooms below. Carpeting, thick floor joists, and dense-pack insulation can go a long way toward tamping down unwanted noise. 

11. Have a Lighting Strategy

One of the trickier aspects of designing an attic conversion is finding ways to effectively illuminate the room without using too many lamps or fixtures that will take away precious space. Wherever possible, windows and skylights can do a lot of the work for you, drawing in lots of natural light. 

For nighttime lighting or attics without windows, consider a scheme that efficiently integrates strip lighting into your rafters.

12. Consider the ROI

Not all homeowners are looking to use their attic space for themselves—some are interested in adding value to their homes and raking in a rewarding ROI down the road. Even if you're not planning on selling your home in the near future, it's good to think long-term when considering a big project like this. On average, an attic renovation has a 56% ROI. 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Convert Your Attic Into a Living Space

Unless you’re an experienced pro, an attic conversion isn’t a DIY project we recommend. While saving money on labor costs sounds appealing, this is a large, time-intensive project requiring advanced know-how.

Your attic will require electricity, drywall, and HVAC, at the least. You’ll also need a structural engineer to ensure your home can handle the additional load. Plus, insurance companies likely won’t cover any damages to your home because you DIYed this project. So, save your time and energy, and let a home remodeling pro near you oversee the entire project.

While you can’t convert your attic into a living space yourself, that doesn’t mean you can’t save money on this project. You can save a few coins by painting the walls, installing the flooring, and choosing the best-quality material within your budget.