Maybe you have always dreamed of a better master bedroom, as large as the house and as private as can be. Or perhaps your teenager needs more space – but you can’t imagine where you’ll make it. Maybe you want a little rental unit, or a romp room for the kids. The answer you’ve been looking for might be, literally, over your head, but can you add a room in your attic.

You have two choices if you want to add onto your home’s living space: either build outward or convert an unlivable space into something you can live in, instead. As attractive as it sounds to add on to the house, it usually costs much more to build an addition, plus you have to worry about easements, buried lines and much more. For most people, it isn’t very practical.

Almost everyone has an attic, however. Of course, some simply aren’t practical to convert. Others are begging to be transformed. As an added bonus, an attic conversion increases your home’s value significantly.

Here are some essential considerations to help determine if attic conversion is feasible for your home.

1. Do You Have Rafters?

The first thing you need to determine to find out if your attic is convertible: Do you have rafters or trusses? Grab a flashlight and take a quick peek inside your attic and you’ll know.

Rafters are large internal beams that create a triangular structure with the floor at the bottom and the roof peak at the top. The inside of the triangle provides an opening that’s easily remodeled.

Trusses are a network of W-shaped boards that support the roof. With no central opening, one must be created. This should never be done by a DIYer, as the trusses are load bearing. A structural engineer must determine how to support the weight while modifying the trusses. In the end, it may not even be practical to convert an attic with trusses, due to the costs involved.

2. Is There a Staircase?

You probably don’t have a permanent staircase leading to your unfinished attic space – but you will need one. Building codes will not allow a permanent living area without  permanent stairs leading to it.

Stairs aren’t difficult to build, but they do eat up a large amount of space. A straight stair will take 10 to 14 horizontal feet of floor space, while a spiral space will take up about 5 feet. Think about where you might want the stairs and how you will work around the space. Keep in mind typical code requirements:

Stairs must have a minimum of 6 feet 8 inches of headroom the entire length of the stairs.

Stairs must be at least 36 inches wide.

Treads must be at least 10 inches deep.

Risers must be at least 7 ¼ inches high.

3. Is There Enough Headroom and Space?

Building codes vary on headroom and space. However, most require that at least half of the attic has a height of 7 feet 6 inches. Don’t forget to factor in the inches you will lose with flooring and ceiling coverings. In addition, the living space must equal at least 70 square feet with a minimum width of 7 feet.

4. How’s the Floor Strength?

Your attic was probably built with dead loads in mind – things such as boxes and trunks that don’t move. When converting your attic, you need to consider live loads – people, animals, and anything that moves. As home improvement expert Bob Vila explains, most building codes require a load capacity of 30 pounds per square foot.

5. What About Lighting?

Some building codes require a certain amount of lighting. Here’s where dormers work like magic. Not only will a dormer raise the roof height (helping you attain the minimum headroom) and add light, it also provides a second exit – which most building codes require. Check your local building code for further information.

6. Can You Heat and Cool It?

You’ll probably want to add insulation to keep the space warm. More importantly, you may need to extend electrical lines, plumbing and HVAC systems.

Each window type for home has specific features and characteristics. In addition to appearance (from inside and outside), consider their function, whether or not you want to open them and the amount of light they let in. Also think about how you’ll clean and maintain them. 

Double-Hung Windows

Double-hung windows offer a classic look. They have operable upper and lower sashes. Lowering the top sash and raising the lower sash can allow warmer air near the ceiling to move out through the top, while cooler air can flow in through the bottom. Many double-hung windows have sashes that tilt inward, allowing you to clean the exterior surfaces from inside your home. This feature is particularly valuable if the windows are on a second story.

Single-Hung Windows

Single-hung windows look similar to double-hung models, but only the lower sash is operable. As with double-hung windows, some models allow you to pivot the sash inward to clean the exterior.

Sliding Windows

Sliding windows have one or more panels that move horizontally along upper and lower tracks, allowing you to easily open up half of the window for ventilation.

Accent Windows

Accent windows are available in a standard rectangular design or shapes that offer more visual variety, such as an octagon. These windows are usually fixed and don’t allow ventilation.

Glass Block Windows

Glass block windows are constructed from individual blocks sealed together with mortar. The thick, break-resistant glass provides privacy but still allows light into your home. Glass block windows are fixed, but some have a built-in vent you can tilt open. Other models — designed for use in a laundry room — include an outlet for a dryer vent hose.

Basement Hopper Windows

Basement hopper windows are hinged on the bottom and open from the top. They can provide airflow for a basement and are typically placed low on an exterior wall.

Other Types of Windows

Projection windows extend out from the house. A bow window is an assembly of three or more individual units positioned at slight angles — 10 degrees, for example — giving the appearance of a gentle outward arc. Bay windows are similar but fit together at greater angles — 30 or 45 degrees, for example — and project further from the house.

Picture windows are fixed models designed to offer wide, unobstructed views and provide lots of light.

Casement windows are hinged on one end and pivot out for ventilation at the other end. They’re easy to open and provide good air flow.

Awning windows have a top-hinged sash that tilts out from the bottom. The design of an awning window helps keep rain out when the window is open.

Skylights mount in the ceiling and may be fixed or operable. During the day, they function like overhead light fixtures.

Windows and Energy Efficiency

Some windows feature two layers of glass (double-pane) or three layers (triple-plane). Air or argon gas, which has better insulating properties, is sealed between the panes as an insulator. If the unit is properly constructed, condensation shouldn’t occur between the panes, but a drying agent, called a desiccant, may be used between the panes as added protection from condensation.

Low-emissivity (Low-E) glass has a coating that allows light in but blocks much of the heat that contacts it. A Low-E coating can help keep your home cool on a hot day by reducing the exterior heat entering your home. On a cold day, it can keep most of the interior heat from escaping through the glass. Low-E glass also reduces the amount of ultraviolet (UV) light entering the home, helping protect carpets, upholstery and furniture from fading.

The U-value or U-factor of the window indicates the rate at which heat flows through the window and frame and measures overall energy efficiency. A lower U-value means the window will insulate better.

Windows may be labeled as ENERGY STAR® certified for specific zones of the country.