Converting an attic has house wide structural implications.
Build house use attic.
The little diamonds decorating each gable had my heart skipping a beat even if she really needed a full gut job and renovation.
Of course some simply aren t practical to convert.
When i purchased the saving etta house a triple a construction house built in 1900 i fell in love with the decorative gable attic vent shape at first sight.
Turning that attic into living space is going to add some previously unaccounted for load upstairs.
How to build decorative gable attic vents.
Hire the right contractor to consult with ventilation is important for the roof and wood as much as to keep you comfortable and keep down the cooling costs.
Almost everyone has an attic however.
An electric attic fan or whole house fan is a valuable alternative to air conditioning if you don t want the expense of running your air conditioning unit all.
Attics with existing flooring.
The whole house fan is installed inside the attic between the living space and ceiling.
The warm air escapes through the attic and to the attic vents allowing the circulation of chilly air from the windows.
Think of load as weight that additional load at the top of your house was not planned for structurally when your home was built.
For example you could construct.
Work up a framing order of needed lumber nails builder s felt or house wrap and adhesives based on your building plans.
You can have a exhaust fan often refered to as a whole house fan installed in the peak space highly recomended along with very good ventilation.
It helps to cool your home temperatures and the attic by approximately 30 degrees.
The previous homeowner may have simply covered the joists with plywood to use the space for storage.
Ie build the house now without finishing the attic and then later complete it.
Whole house fans work on the principle of removing the hot and humid air out of the house.
Others are begging to be transformed.
Alternatively your attic may already have some sort of floor but this doesn t necessarily mean you can build rooms.
Framing is the basic shell of the house minus siding and roof surface.
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.
That space just won t count toward your home s official living space.
What are the pros and cons if any.
When good weather arrives the carpenter crew arrives to frame the house walls including the floor ceiling and roof skeleton.
As attractive as it sounds to add on to the house it usually costs much more to build an addition plus you have to worry about easements buried lines and much more.
I lived in a apartment a few years ago with the setup not good.
I agree very hot.
That doesn t mean you can t use the attic areas where the sloped ceiling is lower.
