10 Tips to Consider When Designing the Attic for Your Custom Home in Dallas
Did you know finishing your attic can increase the value of your custom home in Dallas, while also providing additional living or recreational space and utility?
There are many ways you can transform an unfinished attic into a living space. We’re going to discuss a few of those fun ideas while sharing some of our tried-and-tested tips to help you build out your attic space with minimum hassle.
Things You Can Make Out of Your Attic Space
Guest Bedroom
Need a spare bedroom for your friends and family? The attic is the perfect spot to construct one. You can even build a small and functional attached bathroom to ensure your guests’ comfort.
Library
If you love reading and collecting books you can remodel your attic space into a compact library. Make sure you utilize space efficiently to maximize shelving for your literary treasures.
Playroom
Unless your kids are genetically engineered to be neat, they are likely to be messy. Many parents would love to provide them a space to explore their creativity, and converting your attic into a lively playspace is an excellent way to contain their chaos.
Home Office
No space left for your home office while building a custom home in Dallas? Don’t worry. You can utilize your attic space to construct one where you can work from home without any disturbance.
Sun Room
Yes, you can also convert your attic into a bright and beautiful sunroom. Install skylights and large windows, and invest in comfortable seating to soak up the sun. Add a few plants to make your place look more tropical and relaxing.
Home Theatre
Get a large TV or projection screen, install theater seats or add bean bags, and grab the popcorn. Yes, transform your attic space into a home theatre that you or your family members and friends can enjoy day or night.
Now that you know some of the fun things you can turn your attic into, it’s time to have a look at a few tips you should consider before you start a custom attic building project in Dallas.
10 Tips to Consider When Constructing the Attic for Your Custom Home in Dallas
1. Make Sure Your Attic Meets Local Building Codes
Don’t even think about converting your attic space without pulling a permit. It will become trouble for you to resell your home without a permit. To apply for a permit, you need to get your attic project designed and approved by a licensed architect.
Even if you plan to remodel your attic by taking a DIY route, you should get some paperwork done by the pro to avoid future hurdles.
2. Have a Larger Staircase and Landing
Attics designed to store boxes and leftover stuff do not require a larger staircase and landing. But when you plan to transform them into a living space, you need to consider adding both. The stairs should be wide enough to accommodate furniture, while the landing should have enough space to handle the top-turn of the stairs.
3. Have Your Heating and Ventilation Needs Covered
The next critical step is to check the capacity of your HVAC unit. Bring an electrician to see if your current HVAC system can handle the load of another room. If not, you may have to get additional ductwork done or add a new unit. If you’re on a tight budget, you may consider investing in a multi-split system.
4. Keep the Cost Factor in Mind
According to Home Advisor, the average cost of an attic upgrade is $49,438. But it depends on your project requirements and the custom elements your project includes. If you’re taking a DIY route, while you may save a lot on labor costs you should still budget for your attic upgrade in your custom home building budget, to cover other expenses you may have to bear to convert the attic.
5. Call in an Expert for a Structural Analysis
Keeping your attic space for storing Christmas decorations doesn’t need you to think about the floor capacity. But when you expect your floor to hold furniture and people, then this aspect becomes more crucial than ever. You can hire an expert structural engineer or a contractor to conduct a structural analysis of your custom construction. They can guide you through the steps you can take to enhance the capacity of your attic space to support heavy objects and people.
6. Ditch the Drywall Ceiling
While the drywall ceiling is cheap, it is outdated and boring. You can turn a typical attic ceiling into something exciting by opting for a custom look or even with premium wood ceiling options.
7. Choose Lighter Colors to Paint Your Attic
The next idea to consider is the paint for the walls and ceilings of your attic. Because these spaces are often smaller with fewer window options, lighter colors lend to a more spacious feel while darker colors may make the space feel smaller. If you’ve been able to add a skylight or large windows, lighter paint palletes will definitely complement the outside light and brighten up the space significantly.
8. Add a Bathroom
We know adding a bathroom to your attic space is a costly investment, but if you’re going to spend any time in the converted space, it is worth it. Especially if you have turned your attic into a bedroom, you need to have an attached bathroom to make your living space more livable.
9. Install High-Density Fiberglass Insulation
Instead of using cheap and unreliable kraft-supported fiberglass insulation, install high-density fiberglass insulation alternatives. Spray foam is also a good option, as is mineral wool, an insulations which is easier to install and yields professional results.
10. Install Attic Flooring
Congratulations! You’re about to finish building out your attic space. The next step is to choose the flooring for the space you have just designed and constructed. While you can choose from a variety of options your custom builder can work with, Carpeting makes a smart choice as it will make your living space more sound-proof and adds extra insulation.
There you have it – 10 Tips to Consider When Constructing Attic for Your Custom Home in Dallas.
