DIY Attic Renovations: Everything You Need To Know

Almost every home will come with an attic, but some are more obvious than others. In essence, an attic is just the name for space at the top of your house, right below the roof. In some homes, the attic is already boarded up, so it almost forms an extra room. In others, there’s no ‘floor’ so to speak, but you can still use the attic as storage – or for other things. 

It makes sense to make the most out of all the space you’ve been granted in your home. If you have an attic, why don’t you use it?! For this reason, DIY attic renovations have become increasingly popular. Homeowners have realized they need some extra space, and an attic is a perfect way to provide this. You can add an additional room to your home without needing to move out or conduct any extensive building work – if you so wish. 

Keeping that in mind, this guide will explain some of the major factors when renovating your attic. It’ll help you figure out what needs to be done, along with any concerns you should be aware of. All in all, this will help you prepare your renovation and get the results you desire!

Carry on reading to find everything you need to know about DIY attic renovations:

Planning permission

Yes, this is a boring place to start, but it makes sense to get the boring topics out of the way! You shouldn’t need any planning permission for your attic renovation if you are just altering the interior. Unless your property is a special building with historic privileges that means you can’t alter it at all. In most cases, you should be fine to proceed without getting any permission. 

The reason this is mentioned is that you may want to extend your attic as part of the renovation. Or, you may wish to alter the setup of your roof to make it more suitable for a new room. In either scenario, if you are altering the way your property is designed, you might need planning permission. Emphasis on the word ‘might’ – there’s a high chance you won’t even need permission. Still, you have to check to avoid doing something that lands you in trouble. 

Room purpose

Before you start drawing up any designs or hiring people to help with your renovation, you need to consider the purpose of it. What will your attic become? What purpose will this serve your family? Honestly, this is something you will think about before you even worry about planning permission. By understanding the room’s purpose, you know what needs to be done to transform the attic. 

For example, if you want to make your attic storage space, you probably only need to do some minor renovation work. This will include putting proper flooring down, providing better lighting, and just generally making it a nicer place to put things. But, if you want to make your attic a new bedroom, more work has to be done. You have to plan the layout of the room, consider if the roof needs to be altered, think about getting furniture up there, etc. Figuring out the room’s purpose is a key step in planning the renovation and drawing up your initial designs. 

Renovation designs

Speaking of which, you need to start conjuring up your renovation designs. To begin, you need the actual blueprints for your house, so you can see the attic and the exact dimensions. Alternatively, if you can’t find the blueprints, you’ll have to draw them yourself by taking measurements. You just need to know the size of the floor space, the height of the ceiling in certain places, and that should be enough.

If you want to get the blueprints for your house, you can contact your realtor to see if they still have them. Or, you might be able to go online and find them on your council website. An alternative to all of this is to get an architect to help you with everything. They’ll either be able to access the blueprints online or create them for you. Now, you can make designs by using the blueprints and adding things to them. Decide where you want any furniture to go, select the layout of the room, and so on. 

You don’t have to work with an architect or designer, but it does help. Especially seeing as some will provide 3D drawings of your designs, letting you get a better feel for how your attic renovation will pan out. Anyway, keep playing around with design ideas until you find one that speaks out to you the most. From here, you can start preparing for the renovation. 

Pest control

One of the most common problems with an attic is that it attracts pests. Indeed, so many rodents are likely to come crawling into your home, making nests in the attic. So, before you transform it into a more productive space, you need to be sure that pests aren’t a problem. 

You’ll instantly be able to tell if there have been pests in your attic by looking around. Do you spot any droppings, signs of nests, food? If so, you need to find out where the pests are, remove them, then pest-proof your property. Before you start searching for rodent pest control near me, consider what to look for in a good pest control company. Ideally, they should have lots of experience dealing with all manner of pests. Also, they should act fast and use humane methods. Find someone that ticks these boxes, and you can get rid of all pests in your attic. 

From here, you need to identify any weak points in your home that caused rodents to come in. Block them off, protect your home, and you never have to worry about pests in the attic again. 

Check the roofing

Always be sure to check your roofing before renovating your attic. The first thing to look for is any sign of leaks. You can do this by entering your attic during the daylight hours, and blocking off any windows. Your attic should be as dark as possible, letting you see any beams of light shining through the roof. 

If your attic is pitch black, there are no holes in your roof to worry about. If you keep seeing beams of light coming through, it shows there are structural integrity problems. You’ll need to either repair or replace your roof, depending on how bad it is. 

Also, adding to this point, you may want to add more insulation to the roof and the walls of the attic. It can get quite cold in attics during the winter, and you want this place to be as comfortable as can be. 

Choose deconstructed furniture

Where possible use furniture that needs to be built. This is simply because it is so much easier and safer to take this furniture up into your attic. From here, you can construct it while you’re up there, eliminating any potential safety issues. 

Think about the entrance

Finally, consider the entrance to your attic. By default, you may have a hole in your ceiling and a dodgy ladder. It’s a smart idea to consider improving your attic entrance, making it easier for people to get up and down from it. Safety is your number one priority, but convenience is a close second!

Consider all of these different things if you want a DIY attic renovation. It’s a fabulous idea that helps you get more out of your home. You take advantage of all the space your home provides, and you can avoid the stress of moving home by giving yourself an extra room.