Building Into Attic Space
Building code often requires stairway access to the attic if the space is to.
Building into attic space. The first is your ceiling height. An l shaped sectional provides plenty of seating to enjoy the fire. To be classified as a livable space your floor to ceiling height will have to be at least 7 feet. Many older homes were built with steep pitched roofs and plenty of available height that makes attic conversion easy and inexpensive.
Turning an attic into a room can add value to your home and additional living space for your family. For fire safety there must be two ways out a second staircase for example or a window. To pass code there must be at least 70 square feet where the ceiling height is 5 feet or. Access and egress code generally requires a full size staircase with a minimum 6 foot 8 inch clearance above it.
Other structural issues are also factors including whether there is adequate space to install a stairway to the attic. If you have an attic shorter than required by code you won t be able to remodel it into living space. If your attic is shorter than this you can lower the ceiling on the. An opening not less than 20 inches by 30 inches 559 mm by 762 mm shall be provided to any attic area having a clear height of over 30 inches 762 mm.
You ll need a much larger staircase and landing to accommodate furniture. There are projects that you can build into your renovation to meet building code which qualifies your attic for conversion into a living space. Here s a look at some building code basics when it comes to turning attic space into living space. There are many things to consider before undertaking the work.
A freestanding midcentury modern fireplace fits nicely into the corner of this attic apartment. Don t be afraid to use a large sofa in a small space. More seating will make the room seem bigger and it provides more functionality. The stairs have to be wide enough to handle a dresser or sofa but also have a large enough landing to handle the turn at the top.
Habitable attic space must satisfy the same requirements that govern rooms in the rest of the house. Generally 7 feet 6 inches high over a minimum floor area of 70 square feet.