Attic Remodeling "Ups" Your Living Space
Do you feel like you're running out of space? Many of the homes in our area have attics – and many of those attics get little use beyond storing dusty old boxes. If you have an unfinished attic, a well-designed attic remodeling project can reward you with a great new craft room, home office, family room, kids' retreat or a private suite brimming with closets and a luxurious bath.
Small Lot, Tight Budget: Attic Remodeling is a Great Solution
If your home can't be expanded outward with a traditional addition, expanding up into the attic is a great way to add new space and do so cost effectively. Not only does an attic conversion add more living area to your home, it often is less expensive per square foot than a traditional addition.
While attic remodeling comes with plenty of space planning and energy-efficiency issues, we have plenty of experience in meeting these challenges with practical solutions – and real creativity. Here are just a few considerations to keep in mind as you begin thinking about remodeling that dusty attic storage space into sparkling new living space!
Attics: A Different Angle on Remodeling
Attic remodeling means working with a design that accommodates all those beams, pipes and sloping angles. The key is paying close attention to details so that the attic remodeling project can be planned around the specific function you want the space to serve. The more specific you can be about the function, the better we can balance the structural reality of the attic with functional elements such as storage, lighting, plumbing, and room "flow." To accommodate storage, for example, we often recommend built-in cabinets that can be constructed to tuck in along the roof slope. This provides storage while "squaring up" the living space with the highest points of the ceiling. Depending on the existing structure of the attic (and your budget), the roof can also be opened up to create higher ceilings and taller windows that take full advantage of that rooftop view.
Energy Savings: The Big Challenge in Attic Remodeling
Your attic is a key area for energy savings or loss. The good news is that factoring energy efficiency into your attic remodeling project can mean lower energy bills for your entire home. Insulation is a primary consideration, including getting both the newly-finished attic ceiling and the walls equipped with the right level of insulation to keep your remodeled attic comfortable for our area's climate. If you will be running plumbing upstairs to accommodate a bathroom or bar area, it's important to place the pipes away from exterior walls if possible and to insulate them well. From our experience in attic remodeling, we also know that even the highest-rated, energy-efficient windows will not keep your energy bills down unless they are properly installed and sealed. In fact, the way your windows, siding and insulation are all installed so they can work together with your heating and cooling systems will absolutely determine how comfortable your attic remodel will feel.
An Attic Remodel that Lives Well Year Round
It's no small project to design heating and cooling systems that will keep your attic remodel as pleasantly livable in summer as it is in winter. Running new ductwork is just part of the challenge. That ductwork also needs to be properly sealed so that you're not paying to pump heat or air conditioning into the walls or the space between the new floor and the story below. If running new ductwork isn't possible – structurally or budget-wise – you need to consider creative ways to incorporate "stand alone" options into your attic remodeling design.
Of course, you don't really have to worry about issues like these! If you're thinking of an attic remodeling project, we'd be delighted to take care of all the details that will ensure you can enjoy your beautiful new living space for many, many years to come.
A Very Special Thank You
I would like to personally thank those friends of SilverMark who generously donated a total of $800 to the Joyce Uptown Food Shelf fall fund drive. Preliminary indications are that my Rotary Club has raised over $25,000 for the "shelf" again this year. Joyce Food Shelf provides 3 days of food to the working poor in cases of emergency when they have no other viable place to turn for food. Considering these tough economic times, we are especially appreciative of your donations to this worthwhile and critical community service.
Maintenance Tip: Snow and Ice Melt Tips
Salt and ice-melting chemicals might be easy to use on your sidewalk and driveway, but they can be harmful to pets, plants and concrete surfaces. An eco-friendly alternative is to use sand or kitty litter to improve traction on icy areas. If you decide to use chemicals, follow package directions carefully, apply thinly and evenly, and use the least amount possible. It's also helpful to pre-apply the product before ice forms.
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  See you next month!
Terry
Terry Streich, President
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