Can I Change My Roofline to Finish My Attic?

Structure

• The first task in turning attic space into living space is to find out if it is structurally feasible. Attic floor joists often are not up to the task of carrying the load new floors, walls and roofing members add. You need a structural engineer or an architect to determine the structural capacity of your house and what modifications are needed to raise it, if needed. Ceiling height, which is determined by local code, is another issue. Seven feet is a typical finished-ceiling height requirement.

Dormers

• Dormers add adding living space below the roof. Dormers are created by making openings in the roof planes and framing new walls in their places. The new walls and roof planes raise the ceiling height in these areas, increasing the floor space where adults comfortably can stand up. Dormers, outfitted with windows, increase natural sunlight and ventilation.

Styles

• The gabled -- or doghouse -- dormers are the small dormers you usually see on a Cape Cod house. Often added to steep roofs where floor space already is adequate, gabled dormers add little floor space. They increase light and ventilation. Shed dormers are the long dormers topped by a single, sloped roof. Often seen on Dutch Colonials, they add a lot of floor space. The second floor of a Dutch Colonial often has as much living space as the first floor. The A-frame, eyebrow and many dormer combinations also are found on North American house roofs.

Tips

• Windows often are added to gable ends of attics to improve light and air. This is only possible when floor space already is sufficient. Skylights, too, can supplement light and air. You can get the benefit of a dormer without altering the facade by adding one or more dormers to the back. When adding floor space to an attic, you also have to consider the location of existing features such as chimneys and heating and plumbing equipment, as well as where a new staircase fits into the house.