As a Dallas homeowner, you may think about how you can add value to your home for your current needs as well as to sell well in the future. Having an unfinished attic can be a real benefit if you realize you could use an additional office, play space, or bedroom, and the attic is accessible via a full-size staircase. Here are some planning considerations you should put in place before beginning an attic renovation.
- Start with the space: since most building codes will need 7 feet of clearance, figure out what portion of your attic can be finished with a 7 foot ceiling minimum. Consider how you’d like to use any lower-ceiling area, such as helpful storage spaces.
- Consider climate control: attics often experience warmer or colder temperatures, so decide how you’d like to heat or cool the space and whether a central system or mini-splits or another solution would be most economical and would work best for your planned uses.
- Plan insulation and subflooring: Many attics don’t have a floor installed, so look into the cost of installing subflooring and whatever floor surface you want. You’ll also want to look into how happy you are with your current insulation situation: more insulation will make it more economical to heat and cool the space in many cases.
- Evaluate the plumbing and electrical situation: Additional costs and complexity come if you want to add a bathroom to your attic renovation, and if you don’t already have outlets in the attic space for electricity usage. If applicable, hire professionals to do an estimate or quote for adding these elements to the attic before you add walls or finish the space.
- Install drywall and ceiling: A general contractor can help you plan how best to add walls and ceiling to fully finish a currently unfinished attic, and they can help you understand what complexities come with an unusually pitched roof or other factors unique to attics.
- Don’t forget lighting and paint: Making your attic an appealing place to spend time means that you want to make the final touches just as well-considered as the foundational structure. Pick a paint that will be both protective to walls and a pleasing hue, and then opt for lighting that is modern but classic and will bring a positive air to the space (especially if there’s minimal natural light). While this would need to be considered early on, a skylight can also be a great addition to an attic renovation!
- Make it your own: While you may plan to eventually sell your home and get a higher home value due to the renovation, for now, the main value of your new attic room should be your own. Whether that means moving an exercise bike, a craft station, or a desk for work up there, get it into shape to be an excellent retreat for you and your family. Particularly because of the separation between an attic and the rest of the house, this renovation can be particularly useful as a space of retreat, be it a playroom for children or a spare bedroom for a renter in your home.