Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 22, 1995 TAG: 9509220115
SECTION: FALL HOME PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Converting unused space in a home into a finished living area is always a challenge, from both a financial and a design standpoint, but remodeling an attic can present some special problems that other projects don't.
"Basements are easier," admitted Charlie Coulter of Coulter Construction Co.
Because attics are under the roof, much of the floor space may be taken up by the eaves, and there may not be enough room left for the finished project. Some homes just aren't built to support the weight of an extra floor, Coulter said, so an engineering firm often has to be brought in to assess the problem.
Arranging access to attics can be troublesome, too, if there is no place on the lower floor to put a staircase. And sometimes, simply getting the construction materials into the attic involves removing part of the roof.
In some cases, said Cary Clause of Cary Interiors LTD, homeowners might be better off putting an addition on the house, instead of trying to remodel the attic.
Homeowners also need to consider if the finished project will drive the valuation of the house too far above those in the rest of the neighborhood. In that case, "it might be best to sell it and buy a new one," said Henry Aker of Aker & Aker Construction.
But for the family that wants more room and wants to stay put, despite the headaches it involves, remodeling an attic can be a good option, and sometimes costs less per square foot than an addition, Coulter said.
In any case, remodeling an attic can get expensive. Just finishing an attic enough to begin interior work can cost $5,000 to $6,000, Clause said.
Although each project is different, depending on what homeowners want, Aker said that on average, they should expect to spend $15,000 to $20,000 for the finished project.
Costs often go up in older homes when contractors find "surprises" in the walls, such as old windows or electrical boxes, Clause said.
"We can fix almost anything," Coulter said. "It all depends on how much you want to spend on it."
Sometimes, he added, it's cheaper to start from scratch with an attic that has not been remodeled before than it is to try to work around a previous project.
The most important thing to consider when contemplating remodeling an attic is space, Aker said.
"You have to think about how you're going to get around up there without knocking your brains out."
Generally speaking, Aker said, older homes often lend themselves better to an attic remodeling job than newer ones. Although the attics in these homes were built solely for storage, they often are spacious and already have existing stairways. An exception would be a Cape Cod-style house, he said. Like new houses, in this type of construction "they use every inch of space."
Although some newer homes are being built with the idea of eventually finishing the attic, most of them have roofs that are supported by trusses that are vital to the structural integrity of the building, and most of the time, these can't be altered.
"There's no way you can finish that," Aker said.
But for someone who is really determined to finish an attic when it seems impossible, there are sometimes ways around the headroom problem. In some cases, Clause said, when only a few more inches of headroom is needed, the trusses can be cut and reinforced.
Some homeowners literally decide to raise the roof, Coulter said, adding another story to the home. This type of project can get expensive, he said, but some newer houses that are being built in the Northeast are actually made to accommodate this kind of an addition.
The two next most important things to consider in remodeling an attic are ventilation and light, Clause said.
Heating an attic room usually is not a problem, but cooling is. When he puts together a design for an attic, Clause said, he is careful to leave several inches of dead air space at the peak of the roof. Besides providing room for air circulation, this also leaves space for air-conditioning ducts and an exhaust fan, although a window unit often will cool the whole room, Aker said.
If the attic is cool, Aker added, it will help to cool the rest of the house.
If homeowners prefer not to use a window unit, in most cases, Coulter said, the attic room can be hooked to the existing heating and air-conditioning systems.
Clause also is careful to leave space around the eaves, so that air can flow freely around the room.
Lighting the room "is something you really want to look at," Clause said. Fixtures often must be recessed because of low ceilings.
Natural light can be added to an attic room in several ways. Windows and skylights installed in the walls work well, but if a homeowner doesn't like the slanted look, the contractor can build dormers or a frame for a vertical wall of windows.
Skylights have "gotten a lot better" over the past few years, Clause said, and some models can be opened and closed or shaded when the sun gets really intense. Some of these can be electrically controlled.
"We've installed hundreds of them," Aker said, "and we've never had one leak."
Floors often need reinforcing as well, particularly if they are laced with a network of pipes and wires that serve the rest of the house. In these cases, Clause said, it's often easier to build a new floor over top the original one.
When it comes to access to the attic, not only should stairways meet the local building codes, but they should be convenient, too. Elderly or very young people may not be able to negotiate a steep, winding staircase.
When designing a room, Clause warned, homeowners need to keep in mind that often, the stairway will eat up valuable floor space in the room.
Sometimes, when there isn't room for a regular stairway, a pre-manufactured spiral staircase can easily be installed. There are many companies that manufacture staircase systems, Clause said.
When there is no room for the stairs in a hallway or a room, they can be put into a closet or some other unused space, Aker said.
If the addition will be used as a bedroom, there must be some kind of access to the roof or to the ground as well, in case of fire. "This is critical," Clause said.
If the homeowner wants to turn the building into a duplex, an outside stairway can be added, Aker said.
Designers and homeowners often can come up with creative uses for the space beneath the eaves where it is impossible to walk. These areas can be turned into closets or shelving, or furniture, such as desks and chests can be placed beneath them.
There are as many different ways to use an attic as there are homeowners. Some families want a simple playroom or an office, but others, who have the space, opt for an entire master suite with a bathroom and a study.
A good remodeling job "adds a lot more salability to a home," Clause said. If a homeowner is on a tight budget, he or she is "better off doing less and doing it right" than trying to do too much with too little money, he said.
"Quality is more important than square footage."
by CNB