How To Turn Attic Into Conditioned Space

Codes vary from place to place but the rule of 7 for using an attic as an actual room typically applies.

How to turn attic into conditioned space.

In cold climates attic ventilation is a common method to remove humid air. To convert your attic space you can hire an attic and loft conversions company who specialize in attic and loft conversions. You could also hire a general contractor to oversee the project. If you are finishing the attic and turning the space into a conditioned attic with insulation that follows the sloped roofline at which point the gable vents become irrelevant then you want to maintain a vented air space directly under the roof sheathing to allow the board sheathing and the slate roofing to dry quickly.

At least half of your attic space must be 7 feet high by 7 feet wide with a total of 70 square feet. That means you ll need 2x10 floor joists or maybe 2x8 in rare circumstances and at least 2x12 roof rafters. Once you convert attic space into living space you need to bring it up to the standards of modern building codes. If you want to save money by doing some steps yourself you could decide to tackle the renovation piece meal acting as your own general contractor and hiring specialists as needed.

The average cost to add a bathroom is 8 000 12 000 depending on the size of the space and the scope of work involved a budget bathroom addition can cost as little as 5 000 6 000. Currently the attic is vented and has zero insulation anywhere. In some cases a conditioned attic assembly may be desired where scissor trusses make it difficult to insulate the floor or in cathedral ceilings where the intent is to turn the attic into living space. Building a bathroom transforms your attic into a fully functional room that you can use as a bedroom or office.

A luxury bathroom that makes use of high end materials and finishes costs 25 000 40 000. Pull down stairs won t work for an attic room so you must add a permanent staircase. From my research it looks like the best option is to make the attic a conditioned nonvented space. Your stated goal is to turn your attic into a non vented conditioned space.

The missing piece of information is those miserable little beasts called the building and energy codes. A vapor retarder is recommended in cold climates.