How Much Does It Cost to Finish an Attic?
The longer you live in your house, the more obvious it may become that you could use more living space — perhaps for a guest bedroom, home office, or workout space. Your first thought might be to build an addition, but the sticker shock may cause you to shelve that idea and instead consider an attic conversion.
Fortunately, an attic conversion is an idea that may be more economical than a complete home addition. Read on for a full breakdown of the cost to finish an attic.
Should You Convert Your Attic Space?
There are many benefits of converting an attic into usable space, including:
• The space already exists in your home, making this choice both cost- and time-effective.
• You don’t need to pour a foundation, again making it a more viable and economical option.
• Wiring is likely already in place and can be modified to suit your needs.
An attic conversion also allows you to use the entire envelope of your home, rather than wasting potential living space.
Before you fully commit to your attic remodel, though, it’s crucial to make sure your attic has the potential to become a usable living space (more on that below).
Tips on Converting an Attic
One of the first things you might do before converting your attic is to see if your roof is being supported by W-shaped trusses in your attic. If so, building an addition might be a better choice. If your attic contains A-shaped rafters, though, that’s a plus; if there’s enough open space beneath the rafters, then you can potentially convert your attic into usable space.
Other steps to take before an attic remodel include:
• Check your local building codes to make sure your remodel will fit. The rules vary by area but a typical requirement is that the attic space must be at least 7.5 feet high and over 50% of the floor area. The thickness of the material will also factor into the final headroom and ceiling height. The quickest way to add significant costs to your attic remodel is to be forced to change course mid-project because of a code violation.
• Determine how you’ll get into the space. Will you need to add a staircase or expand the current one? Stairs that go straight up will need more floor space than, say, spiral staircases. Or perhaps your only option is a pull-down access point; this will limit what furniture and materials you can fit into your attic conversion and how utilitarian the new living space might be.
• Consider whether you’ll need to add windows. If you’re creating an additional bedroom, codes may require an egress window in case of fires. But even if they aren’t required, you might consider adding windows or punching skylights that open to brighten the space with natural light.
• Decide how much flooring needs to be reinforced, along with any electrical or plumbing issues. If you ultimately decide that your attic has what’s needed for a successful conversion, it’s time to think both practically and creatively to shape what may well become the most interesting — and potentially challenging — room in your house.
• Consider your priorities and budget. Once you get a sense of costs (listed below) and what’s most important to you, you’ll want to come up with a budget and a plan for how you’ll pay for the upgrade. If you don’t have enough cash to cover the project, you may want to explore financing. Funding options for finishing an attic include using a credit card (generally the most expensive route), getting a home improvement loan (a type of unsecured personal loan designed for small to mid-sized home renovations), or applying for a home equity loan or line of credit (which uses your home as collateral for the loan).
• Consult with a professional unless you’re already an experienced builder. Ask friends, family members, and building associations for recommendations and referrals, then request quotes from at least three contractors to understand both possibilities and associated costs. When you contact contractors, ask them for credentials. Compare bids and, tempting as it may be, don’t automatically choose the lowest one. Make sure the contractor describes what will be provided as well as the estimated time frame.
Want to know how much value your attic conversion will bring to the table? Check out SoFi’s Home Project Value Estimator.
How Much Does It Cost to Finish an Attic per Square Foot?
On average, you can expect to pay between $10,600 to $50,000 — or $50 and $150 per square foot — to refinish your attic, according to Angie (formerly Angie’s List). A specialized or high-end attic conversion can cost as much as $200 per square foot.
Overall, costs vary depending on the overall square footage and the materials you use.
How Much Does It Cost to Finish an Attic per Task?
If you hire individual contractors for each aspect of your attic remodel, then it’s easy to see what each portion of the remodel is costing you. However, if you hire a contractor to manage the entire project, you likely won’t receive the project broken down into great detail.
What follows is a breakdown of common costs involved in an attic renovation.
Cost of Walls and Ceilings
New walls and ceilings can effectively transform an unfinished attic into a space that’s both comfortable and livable. Although prices vary by where you live, attic drywall can cost an average of $1,000 to $2,600 to install, with ceilings costing anywhere from $200 to $12,000.
Other aspects to consider: Will you paint the walls and ceilings? Add wallpaper? Do you need trim and crown molding? All of these features will be additional costs and can quickly cause your project budget to skyrocket.
Cost of Flooring
Flooring is another important consideration, so first think about what’s located directly below the attic space. Do you need soundproofing? If a bedroom is located below the attic space, you’ll likely want some sound control. Insulation provides that to some degree, and carpeting adds even more dampening.
The cost of attic flooring will depend on the current state of the attic and what materials you choose. Replacing floor joists to beef up the strength will cost anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000, while installing subfloor will run between $500 and $800. Installing the flooring itself averages between $1,531 and $4,848, depending on material and square footage.
Recommended: Renovation vs. Remodel
Cost of Windows and Skylights
If there currently are no windows in your attic, you may want to add an egress window, which will run you between around $800 and $2,400, as a safety precaution. You also might want windows or skylights to brighten the space with natural light. Expect to pay an average of $2,500 – $5,500 to install an attic window, and $1,000 to $2,400 to add a skylight.
Recommended: How Much Does It Cost to Replace Windows?
Cost of Heating and Cooling
Your attic conversion might require additional heating and cooling. The price to install an attic fan is around $400 to $900, and a standard window AC costs about $150 to $800 per unit. A skillful contractor could also potentially tie in your current climate control system.
For heat, baseboard heaters run $942 on average. If you need to add HVAC ductwork and vents to extend your home’s AC and central heating systems to the attic, you can, expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.
If your attic is difficult to access during the renovation period, contractors may tack on a surcharge. To get an idea of how much your attic renovation will cost, you may want to use an online home improvement cost calculator.
How Much Does It Cost to Finish an Attic Yourself?
It’s generally cheaper to go the DIY route than to hire a professional — though you will need some know-how. If you’re making minor improvements to your attic space (such as adding an attic fan and cleaning it up, you may be looking at an attic remodel cost as low as $300. However, if you’re looking to make a total transformation, your costs for materials could run as high as $50,000.
Though you’ll certainly save on labor costs, make sure to take into account the time involved if you decide to do it yourself as opposed to bringing in a professional.
Recommended: Four Ways to Upgrade Your Home
How Much Does It Cost to Finish an Attic by Type?
How much it costs to finish an attic will also vary depending on the type of attic space you’re creating. Here’s a look at how much an attic remodel costs by attic type.
Cost of Finishing a Walk-Up Attic
The cost of finishing a walk-up attic generally ranges anywhere from $8,100 and $26,000. Large portions of the costs are typically adding a staircase and installing flooring.
Finishing an Attic as a Storage Space
If you’re finishing an attic to serve as a storage space, your costs are generally a little lower as there isn’t as much polishing involved. Generally, the attic remodel cost for a storage space runs from $4,600 for a simpler setup to $18,900 if the space is larger and you opt for more elaborate storage systems.
Cost to Finish an Attic With a Dormer
Installing a dormer — a window that juts out vertically on a sloped roof — can add in some ceiling height and natural sunlight into an attic. However, it will set you back. On average, the cost to add in a dormer along with finishing the attic can run between $8,800 and $32,400.
Cost to Finish an Attic Above a Garage
The cost to finish an attic above a garage can vary widely depending on what’s involved, such as the installation of heating, insulation, or ventilation. You can typically expect to pay anywhere from $4,600 up to $24,000.
Recommended: Garage Conversion Ideas Worth the Effort
What Factors Influence the Cost of Finishing an Attic?
As you may have guessed from the wide-ranging estimates above, the cost of finishing an attic can vary a lot depending on what’s involved and what materials you use. Here a look at some major factors that can affect how much it costs to finish an attic.
• Square footage: How large your attic is will play a big role in the total costs involved in remodeling. The bigger an attic is, the more materials required and the more time it will take to finish it, which translates to additional labor costs.
• Need for structural changes: You’ll also pay extra if your attic is an odd shape or difficult to access. These challenges could call for structural updates, such as the addition of height, the expansion of space, or the creation of a staircase.
• Intended use: Your planned purpose for your attic will also influence cost. If you just want to add in some additional storage space, you’ll pay a lot less than if you plan to install a full suite complete with a bedroom, bathroom, and closet.
• Extra features desired: Perhaps unsurprisingly, the more features you want in your newly remodeled attic, the more it will cost you. Big-ticket items include windows, electricity, plumbing, and heating and cooling.
Of course, another factor that influences your cost is whether you need to get financing for the project and, if so, what terms you’re able to secure.
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The Takeaway
An attic conversion can be one way to create a unique room and add more usable space to your home. It also tends to be more economical than adding an addition to your house. There are a lot of technical aspects to consider, and before getting started, it’s best to check with your local building department so you know any building or permit requirements upfront. You can then come up with a project wishlist and start soliciting bids from at least three contractors.
At the same time, you’ll want to determine if you’ll pay cash or finance all or some of the project. One financing option you might consider for an attic renovation is an unsecured personal loan. Offered by banks, credit unions, and online lenders, rates are typically lower than credit cards. And unlike a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC), you don’t need to use your home as collateral to qualify.
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