How do you do an attic conversion, and what changes from before to after?
Short answer. An attic conversion starts with feasibility: rafters rather than standard trusses, enough headroom, a floor that can carry living space, room for a permanent stair, and a way to add an emergency escape window. If those check out, the work moves through permits, structure, roof and ventilation, then insulation, mechanical and finishes.
Feasibility checklist
- Framing: rafter framed attics with an open center are the easiest. Standard W shaped trusses cannot be cut without an engineer's redesign; attic trusses built with an open room are designed for it.
- Headroom: the residential code generally requires habitable rooms to have 7 foot ceilings, with sloped ceiling rooms allowed when at least half the required floor area has 7 feet and areas under 5 feet are not counted.
- Floor: ceiling joists sized for an attic are usually too small for living space and need reinforcing.
- Stair: a code compliant permanent stair, not a pull down ladder.
- Egress: sleeping rooms need an emergency escape and rescue opening.
- Roof condition: stains, soft decking or an aging roof should be dealt with before anything is closed in.
Typical order of work
- Design and permits, with an engineer if structure changes.
- Floor reinforcement and stair framing.
- Dormers or skylights, if any, along with roofing and flashing.
- Ventilation and insulation of the sloped ceilings and knee walls.
- Electrical, HVAC and plumbing rough in.
- Drywall, flooring and finishes.
Before and after, from outside
Many conversions change nothing you can see except a new gable window. Others add shed or gable dormers or skylights, which change the roof's drainage, add step flashing and new valleys, and may need HOA approval. See skylights and roof replacement and HOA roof approval in Georgia.