How To Create An Attic Room Step By Step

Boxes, seasonal decorations, that old suitcase you can’t bring yourself to throw away — attics are often a gathering place for things you simply don’t have space for elsewhere in your home. But they could be so much more.

Making the choice to turn an attic into a room can bring new life to your home and boost its value, but it might not be as simple as you think. There’s a lot of planning and effort involved in an attic conversion, so in this article, we’re going to look at reasons why you might want to create an attic room, how to do it, how much it costs, and the steps involved.

One of the most common reasons to turn an attic into a room is to create more living space. Maybe you need to expand your home as your family grows, or you just need a quiet space to get some work done. Expanding your living area into the attic is a great way to create more space without building an addition.

Or maybe you have items that don’t have a place in your home, and you need to learn how to finish an attic for additional storage space. Creating a finished attic room for storage ensures everything you keep in your attic will be safe from the elements and allows for better organization.

No matter why you want to create an attic room, finishing an attic has some key benefits, including:

• Energy efficiency: Insulating your attic is a crucial step in transforming your attic into usable space. This can help reduce energy bills and make your home more energy efficient.

• Added value: Attic conversions can add value to your home. A survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that attic conversions had a 67% chance of adding value to a house at resale.

According to data from Angi, the average cost to create an attic room is $20,000 , but this can vary depending on the purpose of the new space. For example, creating a simple storage space will cost much less than converting your attic into extra living space.

This is why we see such a wide range of attic conversion costs, which average between $7,500 and $35,000 in the United States.

Typical cost ranges for different types of attic rooms are:

• Office: $10,000 to $40,000

• Bedroom: $9,000 to $65,000

• Bathroom: $9,800 to $56,000

• Bedroom suite: $27,000 to $80,000

• Storage space: $4,800 to $22,000

• Walk-up attic: $6,600 to $25,500

• Above-garage bonus room: $4,600 to $24,000

• Dormer addition: $8,000 to $30,000

• Loft conversion: $10,000 to $75,000

The more complex your plans are, the more money you will need to spend to turn an attic into a room. Remember that these costs include planning and permits, materials, and labor.

While your attic may be up to the task as a basic, unfinished storage area, creating a living space requires lots of planning and work. Here are the common steps required to turn an attic into a room:

Watch your head! While you might think there’s plenty of clearance already, most local building codes have requirements for minimum headroom in a usable living space. You will need to raise the roofline if your existing space isn’t up to code, which can significantly increase your conversion costs.

You’re going to need a way to safely get up to the new room, and ladders won’t cut it. A fixed staircase is typically required to bring your new living space up to code. Installing a staircase requires space in the attic and on the floor below, which may reduce the square footage of the attic room and the room below it. 

Heating, ventilation, and cooling are essential to make any living space comfortable. Heat rises, and because attic rooms sit at the very top of your house, they can get very warm and stuffy, especially during the summer months. Planning for HVAC means you can create a comfortable living space all year round.

Creating a design for your attic room will help you establish what you need in terms of materials, budget, and timescale. You may want to consult with an engineer or an architect at this stage to ensure your design is feasible and will be in line with local building regulations. A floor plan can help you conceptualize and plan out the new space. 

Once you have your design, you’ll need to get any applicable permits for the conversion. My Site Plan can provide clear plans for your project that help permit offices understand your intentions. You may also need to gain approval from the HOA in some locations.

As we mentioned earlier, the attic room is unique in that it will receive rising heat from the rest of the home. If your attic isn’t already insulated, now is the time. Proper insulation will help keep that heat in your house, rather than letting it escape through the roof. This can help reduce energy bills and improve your home’s overall energy efficiency. 

Any new living space will need to be wired for electrical, including lighting and power outlets. Consider how you’re planning to use your new attic space when planning the wiring to ensure you have plenty of easily accessible outlets and enough lighting. Consulting with a contractor or an electrician can help with this step. 

While the existing floor may be up to the task of storing your holiday decorations and boxes, it might not be able to support furnishings and people. Reinforcing the floor will improve safety and prevent any collapses.

Once the space is prepped with electricity, insulation, and floor reinforcement, you can start finishing the room and preparing it for your intended use. This stage will include hanging drywall, adding trim, painting, decorating, and furnishing. 

There’s a lot that needs to happen to turn an attic into a room, but hopefully this guide will help you get started.

My Site Plan can help make planning your attic room a breeze with a detailed site plan or floor plan. We’ll get everything down on paper for you, so you can get to work creating your dream living space.

Get a custom quote for your attic project today.