Home & Garden remodeling an attic... has anyone done it?

SunglassLove

SunglassLove

Troublemaker!
O.G.
Jan 26, 2009
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#1
I'm trying to figure out if I want to take this on or not, LOL. I have an awesomely lit, huge attic... I'd love to remodel it as an open floor plan (so that if it's ever sold, will still be storage), but I want to use it as a lounge area and office area.

I'd have to insulate and finish the walls, and add some electrical outlets - but everything else I'd be able to do myself.

Has anyone here done it? Was the cost completely outrageous? Worth it?
 
#2
I haven't done it, but I have seen some really cool remodeled attics on Pinterest. I think if you could gain a significant amount of space, it would probably be worth it!
 
#3
jeh3v said:
I haven't done it, but I have seen some really cool remodeled attics on Pinterest. I think if you could gain a significant amount of space, it would probably be worth it!
Click to expand...

That's actually what's gotten my interest... I just pinned about 25 images of redone attics. I'd have to measure to figure out exact amounts... but I'd basically be doubling the size of my living space and going from a 1 level flat to having 2 floors. I'm thinking it might be worth the investment.
 
#4
We bought a house years and years ago (since sold it) and the people did alot work in the house. They had a problem in the attic because they did not do something that made the attic vent. I have no idea of how to put this? Somehow they had to redo things and take out all the insulation in the walls and I guess redo the wall board because it got too hot and would sweat and caused problems. It was a nightmare house with many do it yourself projects gone wrong. Probably the worst house we ever bought. It took us six months of professional work to fix it up and then we sold it. In the end it was a beautiful old house but the only thing we could not do was install central air and that was the deal breaker for us and we decided to move.

As for contractors we had some great ones and a few who made mistakes which were caught and fixed. It was a horrible experience not knowing if something was being done right.

My brother has a old house with a stunning attic. He is very smart and capable of doint things himself. He build a huge bath area with a large tub overlooking a window and then has e other areas in the attic. One thing he just did about two years ago was put a special air conditioner unit in the attic. Before it did not have air or heat. This unit was built into the wall and is like those European air conditioners I see on HGTV. It has a seperate thing outside like a regular central air unit. It really made a difference in the comfort level of the space. His attic is really nice with the eaves and sloped walls in different parts. He also has many windows in the attic so it seems more like a house then attic space.
 
#5
I actually read online about the issues with venting and insulating against the roof... I would absolutely have it contracted - the blown in insulation is apparantly spray and go (more expensive) but needs to be professionally done.

My house is old also... the attic gets SO MUCH natural light it makes me sick to go from my dark house (lots of walls blocking the east/west windows) to that open space that just glows all day long!

I'm thinking I'm going to pursue this further. I think it would be worth it.
 
#6
I think the problem in the house we bought was their new roof and what they did in the attic. They put a new roof and siding on the hosue. Perhaps they put something on the ceilings that should not have been there. It was all redone way before we bought the house so there was no problem for us. I guess there are things you never know can happen unless you hear about it.
 
#8
Woooo... update! Reason number one it pays to have a guy as your best friend: He's an independent contractor with his own business and has offered to come take a look and do it for me. He asked about heat retention up there (which it's warm in winter, and decent in summer - his response "well that's odd"), and said I could probably just throw up some paneling for now for what I want to use it for, and insulate later if I decide I wanted/needed to. It really was just in the 20's the other night when I was marching around up there, and it was pretty comfortable. I think it'd only need a space heater and be fine when I'm up there.
 
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