Do I Need A Permit To Finish My Attic

The basic space requirements for a finished attic boil down to the sizes of the finished rooms.

Do i need a permit to finish my attic.

I received a call the other day from a woman that was very excited and needed advice. If your attic joists won t bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage you can install inch plywood or. At some point you ll want to sell this house buyers will want to know that the new addition is legal. Account for codes and safety photo by casey dunn.

Finished is important to remember when you re measuring an empty attic space. Finish my basement or attic do i need a permit. Flooring ceiling and wall materials and other elements will reduce headroom and floor space and it s the finished area that matters. A permit keeps you and the contractor honest and should ensure that the modifications are up to code.

When done without proper planning or adherence to local building codes it can actually reduce the value of your home or stall a sale. In my opinion you should always get a permit. Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. In rare cases especially in new construction homes the attic may have been built unfinished with the correct flooring in place with the idea that the homeowner could later on finish the space.

After almost completing her attic with a contractor the contractor never returned ignored her calls repeatedly and finally when she caught him on the phone he responded that he had no more time to complete. To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes. Finishing your attic can add space and utility and increase the value of your home as long as it s done properly. Once you have a permit install subfloor panels over the floor joists so you can lay down flooring.

Before finishing an attic get the necessary permits from your local housing commission so you don t get in trouble later on if you try to sell your house. In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards. Please submit your questions v ia email. Whether you envision your house s top floor as an away from it all master suite a quiet home office or a hangout spot for the kids read these 14 tips to help you finish your attic remodel.

Think to the future too.