The ceiling load may include items like drywall ducts recessed lights bathroom fans and attic insulation.
Build house and finish attic later.
What are the pros and cons if any.
Once you have a permit install subfloor panels over the floor joists so you can lay down flooring.
Ie build the house now without finishing the attic and then later complete it.
Whether you envision your house s top floor as an away from it all master suite a quiet home office or a hangout spot for the kids read these 14 tips to help you finish your attic remodel.
Keep in mind that all building requirements for the project are governed by the local building authority and local code rules.
First check for head clearance.
In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards.
To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes.
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.
So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense.
If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts.
Account for codes and safety casey dunn.
If the attic passes the space test chances are you can make everything else work but there are a few other big issues to consider before getting serious about finishing.
Of course we don t want an in law suite but i was wondering if it makes sense to convert it into bedrooms and a play area later.
In general does it make sense to use an attic as a future expansion of livable space.
Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation.
That s measured after you finish the ceiling if you don t have enough height you ll have to raise the roof line and that adds a lot to your construction costs.
Finishing the attic into liveable space nets an average of 9 3 out of 10 joy score or sense of happiness the owners have upon completion on nar s renovation report.
Building codes vary by location but most require at least a 7 foot clearance for attic expansions.
However in some cases the joists are intentionally built strong enough for the homeowner to later build out the attic.
Access and egress code generally requires a full size staircase with a minimum 6 foot 8 inch clearance above it.
Here s a look at some building code basics when it comes to turning attic space into living space.
