How to Prepare for an Attic Renovation

There are many good reasons to consider renovating an attic. You might be interested in adding an extra bedroom to your home, creating a playroom for the kids, improving the resale value of your property, or just enjoying some extra space. There’s plenty of room for creativity in attic renovations, so the only limit is your own imagination.

However, if you want your attic renovation to go smoothly, and you want the upgrade to be cost efficient, you’ll need to appropriately prepare.

Evaluate Your Goals

Before you do anything else, take the time to evaluate your goals. Most people renovating an attic are looking for some combination of the following:

• More living space. Nearly all attic renovations will be designed to give the property more living space. You can use that living space in a variety of ways, but the point is, people will be occupying the space frequently.
• A segmented living area. Some people want to create a totally segmented living area, possibly complete with a bathroom and mini kitchen. This is especially valuable if you’re creating a separate apartment or unit to rent.
• Niche utility. You may have specific plans for your attic, such as using it as a game room or a playroom. If this is the case, you’ll have specific goals in mind throughout the renovation process.
• Higher resale value. Renovating the attic can have a decent return on investment (ROI). You won’t add more value to your home than you spend on the renovation (in most cases), but under the right conditions, you can make most of your money back.
• A low barrier to entry. You might also be looking for a low barrier to entry. For example, you might want to renovate the attic while spending as little as possible, or investing the fewest hours possible.

Which of these goals is most important to you? Where do your priorities fall? Once you have a better idea, you’ll be equipped to make better decisions throughout the attic renovation process.

Understand Laws, Codes, and Safety

Next, it’s important to understand any laws or codes that apply to your living area. Your friend with a bit of handyman experience may have the skill necessary to install an electrical outlet – but they may not be familiar with local codes that dictate how those outlets must be installed.

Safety should be one of your top priorities, especially if you and your family are going to be using this space regularly. Accordingly, you shouldn’t cut corners or ignore regulations just because it’s cheap or convenient.

Make Plans for Insulation

One of the biggest problems with unfinished attics is that they tend to be poorly insulated, and therefore more vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Bright sunlight in summer can turn an attic into a veritable greenhouse, baking whoever has the misfortune of occupying it. You can combat this while finishing the attic by investing in the best insulation you can afford. Sealing gaps and spraying insulation can instantly make the environment more habitable.

Plan for Space Efficiency

Some attics have peculiar shapes that make them difficult to use as living spaces. For example, if you have a gable roof (shaped as an inverted V), you’re going to have a sloped interior ceiling. This can make it difficult to walk around and make full use of the space that’s available. Some attic renovators take advantage of this by closing off the corners and turning the areas with low ceilings into storage areas. Shelves, cupboards, and other additions can help you maximize the value of the space – without interfering with the high-ceiling, maneuverable areas.

Estimate Costs Conservatively

No matter how you choose to execute the renovation, it’s easy for costs to spiral out of control. Unexpected developments, mistakes, and new ideas can all increase the scope of your work and cause your costs to skyrocket. Accordingly, it’s in your best interest to estimate costs conservatively. Plan to spend more than you think you’ll need – and be prepared for some surprises as your attic renovation unfolds.

Hire the Best

Finally, hire the best people you can afford to do the work. If you’re qualified and experienced, you may be able to do the work yourself. But for most people, it’s a better idea to hire a professional contractor who has specific experience in attic renovations. Because they can do the work efficiently and make fewer mistakes, they can help you save money in the long run.

At this point, most of your preliminary work will be over. You can start cleaning and decluttering the attic in anticipation of your renovation and start making more detailed plans for how you want the space to look when you’re finished. It’s an exciting project – and one that can really pay off if you’re prepared.

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