Rethink Your Attic and Recoup Your Home Renovation Costs - with Benefits
by Wendy Croix
wendy.croix@homeimprovementideas.net
Senior Home Improvement Columnist
Home improvement gurus agree. One of the best ways to add space to your life, and resale value to your property, is to turn your attic into the bonus room you've always wanted. A bedroom alone will yield a solid return on your investment. Add a bath--even the prefab variety--and you've got two enhancements to your lifestyle and your property values.
The Cost-Benefit Analysis
Adding an attic bedroom or new bath are at the top of Remodel Online's list of top home renovation ideas. Either improvement will return an immediate 83-86 percent on your investment at resale, according to Home-Tech Information Systems and NAR real estate gurus' estimates. However, if you’re in hot real estate market area, you stand to recoup much more--and you've made your home marketable to a larger group of buyers.
Your Addition and Home Renovation Process
You'll need a solid construction plan to realize your home renovation idea.
- Before you let your imagination take flight, check the building codes in your area and find out which permits you'll need and which drawings you'll have to submit.
- With or without a professional, create your drawings, get inspections, and get your permits.
- Hire a contractor if you're not bold enough to take on a major project yourself, and make sure your contractor has a clear idea of your plans.
- Next comes the framing. With an attic room you'll need to meet headroom requirements. Dormers, either two smaller dormers or a single shed dormer, supply the necessary standing room. Pick the style that fits your home's existing architecture.
- Once the framing is complete and the basic plumbing has been installed, you'll run water, gas, and electric as needed. The experts at Black and Decker suggest having the building inspector take a look at your project at this stage.
- Now the fun begins. You'll finish the walls and add the decorating details. And listen for the cha-ching of your escalating home values.
About the Author
Wendy Croix, Ph.D. is a creative writer, freelancer, and self-confessed home improvement junkie. She's also a professor with more than twenty years’ experience in the field of education.
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