Attic Conversions Pt. 3 - A day in the life of an Attic Conversion

As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, one of our current clients is dealing with a unique attic conversion project. With the typical attic conversion, construction teams support the attic floor from below, allowing them to work in those tight areas without fear of damaging the area below them or causing actual structural damage to the attic.  In this particular situation, our home owner is a nurse who works the over-night shift. Instead of construction workers being able to follow normal protocol - they've actually had to shift the way they support and reinforce the attic floor by working from above. Our home owner has learned to deal with the drilling and nailing and all other noises involved in a remodel, all while trying to catch some zzz's:

I work nights so I sleep for a couple hours when I get home early in the morning, wake up to get the kids off to school, and then back to sleep for a few hours. Nothing has changed except I have learned to sleep through the noise - now I usually sleep with the TV going to try and drown out the noise.We knew what to expect with all the construction - the only stressfuly part of this project was getting approval from the HOA.
The front of our house is blocked off by black plastic drapes to keep the dust out of the rest of the house. These drapes also provide some privacy so I usually don't see the workers unless I am coming or going. It has been noisy but I have gotten used to the noise. Mary checks on the progress daily - It looks exactly how we had pictured it - we are very pleased with the progress; [the].kids are excited and keep asking when it will be done.

Framing:

As you enter, the main portion of the house is blocked off to protect from dust.

Soon to be gameroom in the attic:

Check back soon to see the finished project...

Attic Conversions Pt. 2

An attic conversion is an excellent way to gain space for entertaining and for overnight guests. Our home owners decided to use their attic space for those top 2 reasons as well. By choosing a firm with an on-staff architectural designer, you get the attention you need to create a space that is unique to your family needs'. Our home owners and architect, Carolina, made sure they used every nook and cranny in their attic in order to maximize space and efficiency.  The large open area is used to entertain guests and holds oversized leather sofas, a flat screen t.v, and a built in bar with mini-fridge and custom cabinetry (which was crafted on-site). There's also enough room for work out equipment and two window benches - with under seat storage. We also designed built-in book shelves for out of the way storage and included a full size bath, with a tile surround shower and bench.  Since attics are dark by nature, we opened up the space even more by allowing sun light to flood the room through a full-sized balcony. The balcony features tile flooring, custom railing, and a ceiling fan for those humid Houston days. View our gallery of pics below and leave a comment.

Before

Attic Conversions Pt. 1

If you're like us, you love to watch a project go from design or idea, to completion. Especially those projects with a unique or cool concept - like an attic conversion. Just in case you're not familiar with an attic conversion, it is a renovation project that takes the dark, cramped space above your house - your attic, and turns it into a useful room. Attic conversions are on the rise due to families' expanding needs, and the relatively low cost of the project. In fact, the national average for return on investment for an attic conversion is 93.5%*. Homeowners are opting to utilize their current space for kid’s bedrooms, a family den or gameroom, or home office. Here is a sampling of pictures from a recent attic conversion, where the home owner converted his attic into a stylish, entertaining area.

In the rest of our Attic Conversion series, we'll take you through an attic conversion that is under construction, and presents unique challenges. It takes a firm with experience in these types of projects to handle it just right, because the typical attic houses the water heater, ducts, plumbing, etc., that may all have to be relocated and rerouted. Also, the pitch of the roof, the floor support, and electrical wiring also have to be considered when redesigning the space. Speaking with a structural engineer, with experience in attic conversions will help you answer questions about functionality, and feasibility as they arise. Our board certified structural engineer is available to come to your home when you're ready to talk about your own conversion. Please call us at 713-532-2526 or visit our website http://www.incrediblerenovations.com/.

Read the article on Mother Earth News that provides more information and answers questions about attic remodeling.

*HGTV.com