How to remodel your attic for living

Are you thinking about transforming your attic into a more livable space? If so, you’ll need all the help you can get because this won’t be an easy thing to do. But trust us, going through all the trouble will pay off! After you remodel your attic for living, you’ll get an additional space in your home that you can use in various ways! In order to help you have a successful attic remodeling, we have written the most important tips that you’ll want to follow. So, grab a pen and a notebook, make yourself comfortable and keep reading our guide to find out all the important information about the attic transformation!

Things to consider before you remodel your attic for living

Unfortunately, the renovation of your attic isn’t something that can be done in less than a week. There are so many things you’ll want to take care of before you even start remodeling it and make your new place feel like home! But hey, now is not the time for rushing things. If you do this project step-by-step, without trying to skip some of them, your project will be a success! Therefore, stick to our guide and you won’t have any problem during the remodeling. Below are listed some of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself before you even start planning the transformation of your attic.

Man looking at the wall and thinking
Make sure you have everything ready for a successful attic conversion.
  • Do you meet local building codes? When transforming an attic to a living space, it must meet the same building requirements as the other rooms in your home. In most cases, you’ll need to follow the rule of 7s – half of the finished attic must be at least 7ft high, 7ft wide, and have at least 70 square feet of space available.
  • Do you need a building permit to remodel your attic for living? Reach out to your local permitting office and find out whether you need to get this kind of a permit. Don’t even think about starting your project before getting a permit (if you need one). Therefore, contact the Building Department of Miami to get the necessary pieces of information.
  • What’s the cost of remodeling your attic? We won’t lie to you – this isn’t a project that could be considered cheap. Therefore, you should write down all the costs and determine your budget to find out whether you can afford this kind of a home transformation.

Attic remodeling for living Step-by-Step

So, what do you think, are you ready for your remodeling project? Don’t worry, we’ll be there and guide you through the entire process! This is why we’ve written a step-by-step guide to help you get an idea of which things you’ll need to take care of. This will also help you come up with a plan and remodeling schedule in order to stay organized and have a successful attic transformation project!

Clean out the area before you start to remodel your attic for living

One of the first things you’ll need to do is preparing the area. And by preparing, we mean cleaning it. This will probably be the most boring task for you, but don’t despair. You’ll want to get rid of all of the items you don’t use anymore and maybe give them someone in need if these items aren’t damaged. Also, you’ll need to move everything from the attic to some other room in your home or get a storage unit Miami for this purpose. There’s nothing worse than injuring yourself during remodeling because you’ve tripped on something that shouldn’t be there.

Brooms for cleaning
Every remodeling projects starts with cleaning.

Subflooring and insulation

First things first – you’ll need a stable surface. So, if joists are visible on your attic’s floor, you’ll need to build a subfloor to create a stable surface. However, you should start doing this only after all electrical and ventilation installations are completed! To reduce sound traveling from your finished attic through the floor to the rest of your home, make sure to add insulation before you lay down subflooring. You’ll put it under the subfloor paneling or you can just choose a thicker subfloor panel. And there’s no need in explaining to you why insulation is critical. Good insulation will allow you to heat and cool the room effectively and this is exactly what you’ll want to be able to do after moving with local movers Florida to your new home.

Heating and Air conditioning

It would be great if you could contact an HVAC specialist to tell you whether you can have a separate thermostat for your attic or not. This is because attics in most cases have a different temperature from the rest of your house. They’re either warmer or colder and you’ll want to be able to create a perfect temperature. The ability to control the heating and air conditioning for the attic on its own will allow you to feel comfortable in your whole house! So, make sure to consult with an HVAC specialist as soon as you move with movers Coral Gables Florida.

Wallcovering and flooring

The next step will be finishing your walls! After installing drywall or paneling you’ll finally be one step closer to enjoying your new attic. If you decide to go for paneling, you should know that this may be more expensive initially but it will pay off in the long run! Next is flooring. Choose the type of flooring you like because here there are no rules! It depends only on your budget and personal taste.

You'll have different flooring options after you remodel your attic for living
If your budget doesn’t allow you to install hardwood, there’s always an option to install laminate and get the look of hardwood floors.

Finishing touches

Congrats! The hardest part is over! Now all that is left are some finishing touches! Think about the cover of the walls in your new room, or about the decoration. Your goal will be to create a cozy place which you and your family will be able to enjoy. Once everything is finished, you’ll be glad you’ve decided to remodel your attic for living since you’ll get a valuable additional space in your home!