Of course we don t want an in law suite but i was wondering if it makes sense to convert it into bedrooms and a play area later.
Build house use attic.
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.
Use of joists in attic flooring covering the ceiling joists in the attic using plywood is a cheap way to make better use of the wasted space in your house.
The attic is an important part of your house but if it s not properly designed or maintained any number of problems particularly with ice buildup and water damage can occur.
What are the pros and cons if any.
The subfloor installation is easy.
An attic may also be called a sky parlor or a garret because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the slanted roof they are known for being awkwardly shaped spaces with exposed rafters and difficult to reach corners.
Just put your insulation in the roof and don t build the traditional attic make it a loft.
You can build a home with or without an attic.
The issue with a whole house fan is that the hot air needs somewhere to go.
In general does it make sense to use an attic as a future expansion of livable space.
Building codes vary on headroom and space.
They are usually only for insulation anyway.
An attic sometimes referred to as a loft is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building.
Don t forget to factor in the inches you will lose with flooring and ceiling coverings.
Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center oc meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches.
In addition the living space must equal at least 70 square feet with a minimum width of 7 feet.
However most require that at least half of the attic has a height of 7 feet 6 inches.
If the attic has the potential to become a regular living space talk with a contractor about adding a fixed stairway.
If your attic isn t ventilated well that humid moist air will build up in the attic space and can cause mold to grow.
If you want to use your attic on a regular basis or to store large items you may need to enlarge the access opening and install an access ladder or drop down stairs.
Attics need to be properly insulated.