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Thursday, August 30, 2018

How To Turn An Attic Into A Bedroom

~ This is a featured post. ~ 

If you need more space in your home, but you don’t have the finances or the inclination to move, then extending the property you already have is one way to give yourself more room. Creating an additional bedroom (or playroom, master suite, media room, bathroom, or anything else that you need) in your attic space can be the ideal way to utilize space that isn’t used for anything other than storage, and to ensure you get the home of your dreams without needing to give anything up to get there. If this sounds like a good idea, here are some ways to make it happen.

Make Sure It Will Work
Before you do anything and before you spend any money, you need to make sure that your idea can become a reality. Check out the zoning laws in your state or county because it may be that there are restrictions you need to adhere to. It is also a good idea to have the structure of your property checked out before you begin any work, especially the roof. A professional company such as Concord Roofing & Construction will be able to make sure that the roof is safe, and if anything needs to be done, they can carry out the work too. A good roof will help to make the room you want underneath it more comfortable, better able to regulate temperature, and safer too.

Plan Everything
Making a new room in your home is a big job to undertake, so it is essential that you make a plan. Doing so will give you an idea of costs, which is important to know from the start so that you can determine whether or not you can carry out your building work.

However, it isn’t just a budget that you need to plan for. The design of your room is all important, and should be determined before any work begins. You need to think carefully about the layout of the room when it is done, as this could help you to decide where windows and possibly even doors can go. If you already know how large the furniture is that will go in the room, then that is a definite advantage, but you also need to know how it is going to get into the attic space, and what kind of entrance are you going to provide? Outlets and light switches will be an important addition. Placing them anywhere there is space may not be the most sensible of options since they may become unusable with the addition of furniture.

Insulation
The attic was never originally designed to be a living space, so it is unlikely that it will have adequate insulation in it. There will be some, but it might not be thick enough to keep anyone warm in the winter or cool in the summer. In other words, without the right insulation, the room could be unusable at certain points of the year, which defeats the object of having it in the first place.

Insulation for the comfort of those living in the attic room is important, but so is insulation for the comfort of those living underneath. You won’t want to be able to hear every movement from above because that will get annoying pretty fast! Therefore, you could consider carpeting the attic space to dull the sounds, or if you want to keep the wooden boards which often do look great, you can install acoustic insulation underneath them.

Make It Match
An attic room is a hugely useful addition to any home, and it can add many thousands of dollars to the value if and when you decide to sell. What will truly make it a much more enjoyable space is making sure that it matches with the rest of your house. This is especially important if you have enjoyed (and spent time on) the interior design of your property. The last thing you want is to walk up to the attic room and see something entirely different. Of course, the person who is planning to use the room may have their own design ideas, but if you can match the basics, then their stamp of personality won’t look so out of place.

It means having the same plaster, moldings, and trims as elsewhere in the house. Perhaps the same flooring, and the same color on the walls. It’s a nice idea to try to match the style of any interior design with the style of the property, and when it was built, so you should take that into consideration too. A super modern interior in an old house can work, but it will need to be done extremely well, for example. A more vintage interior will blend in much more easily and could cost a lot less too.

Add A Bathroom
If you have a lot of space and you want to do something a little more adventurous with your attic room, why not add a bathroom too? Making the area into a master suite, or a self-contained apartment (ideal for older teenagers, overnight guests, or elderly relatives) will make it so much more special. Adding a bathroom is yet another way to add more value to your home as well. It is also the ideal excuse for more interior design fun! A bathroom has many elements that can be added to make it look just right, including mirrors, accessories, and the tub itself.

Final Details
Whether you are doing the work yourself or you are employing a professional contractor to do it, there will be some little details that need to be designed and in place before everything is finished. These could be anything that you like the sound of and that you have room for including a window seat (which could double as storage, so it is a good idea to install one if you can), or additional windows for extra light. You might even portion off part of the original attic for additional storage.