Atlanta Attic Remodeling

Most Atlantans aren't privy to the fact that a virtual remodeling gold mine lies right above their heads. While almost every one of Atlanta metro's 5,000,000 plus residents will tell you that bathrooms and kitchens are where it's at when it comes to smart home remodeling, you'll probably be hard pressed to find anyone who talks your ear off about what a great investment Atlanta attic remodels are. Well, there's no better time than the present to get educated. Believe it or not, along with the exploding basement remodeling industry, attic remodels top the list of remodeling projects that add value to your home.

Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value Report and Atlanta Attic Remodeling
Here's the skinny. According to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value Report for 2006, attic remodeling in Atlanta and elsewhere in the Southwest Atlantic region are second only to basement remodels when it comes to remodeling projects that pay you back. In fact, with a return rate of over 90%, a new attic remodel even outstrips the old diehards of the remodeling world, kitchens, and baths. What is it that makes attic remodels so attractive to Atlanta area homeowners and buyers? For homeowners, attics are an excellent way to add valuable square footage onto your home without undertaking a large addition project. And when it comes to homebuyers and average Atlanta homes, the more bedrooms there are, the better.

There is a Catch: Make Sure Bedrooms are Part of your Atlanta Attic Remodeling Plan
If you are considering shelling out for an attic remodel, this is one time you want to think inside the box. More specifically, you want to make sure every room in your new remodel is up to city, county, and state building codes regarding bedrooms. Unlike basements, attics are not looked at as great spaces for entertainment areas, exercise rooms, or other recreational uses. Most likely this has a lot to do with an attic's location in the house. Tucked away high up in your home, attics tend to be separate from the rest of the house, making it less convenient as a gathering area than more central spaces. And since many bedrooms are located upstairs to begin with, it's only natural to try to group additional bedrooms areas in the same place, especially if you've got young children and keeping them within earshot is a priority. For those reasons and others, an attic remodel that focuses on officially adding bedroom spaces that are up to code is far and away the best investment you can make when it comes to attic renovation in Atlanta.

The Difference between Bedrooms, Home Offices, and Playrooms
From the standpoint of an average joe, there isn't a difference between these popular uses of attic space, much like few people could really tell much of a difference between New and Classic Coke. The truth is that when it comes to attic remodels, the same general space can just as easily be used as a playroom or home office or bedroom and most of us wouldn't think twice about it. To those sticklers down at the building code and permit office, however, the difference is an easy one to spot. For a room to qualify as a bedroom from their perspective it must have a window large enough to serve as an emergency escape route. The exact measurements vary from city to city and county to county, even across the metro area (which shouldn't be all that surprising since Atlanta's metro area is no larger than the state of Maryland), so be sure to check in with your local city services office to make sure you get it right. As a basic guideline, however, an emergency escape route has to be big enough for residents to climb out of, and for emergency personnel to climb in through, if it's going to pass specs in the eyes of those taskmasters down at city hall.

How Important is it that your Atlanta Attic Renovation Meets Code?
I suppose the answer to that question depends on what you hope to get back from your investment. If you're like most homeowners, and are concerned with improving your home's value as well as its livability, then it's very important that you factor bedrooms into the equation. The difference between an attic bedroom remodel and a home office remodel on the Cost vs. Value Report put out by Remodeling Magazine mentioned above is over 20%. In terms of dollars and cents, if your attic remodel is focused on bedrooms and costs $25,000, you can expect it to improve the value of your home by $22,500 the day the remodel is completed. If you decide to go the home office route for your attic remodel (which has a return of under 70%, though looser code requirements), that same $25,000 will only improve your home's value by $17,250. That's an immediate difference of over $5,000 simply by installing windows that allow you to count your newly refurbished space as a bedroom rather than something else.

Finding a Good Atlanta Attic Remodeling Contractor is very Important
Taking the time needed to make sure you hire a good contractor for Atlanta attic remodels is critical if you want to get the most out of your project. Always remember that Georgia doesn't require its contractors to be licensed, meaning that it's up to you to determine their knowledge and qualifications. Getting multiple bids, checking references, contacting the Better Business Bureau, and using a referral service like ServiceMagic, are all ways to make sure your contractor is on the up and up. It's something that's even more important with attics than some other common home improvements. While attic remodels in Atlanta are great investments, not all attics are suitable for these projects. Low ceilings, ceiling joists that aren't built satisfactorily for use as floor support, and difficult access options, can all rule out an attic remodel as a practical venture. Having a good contractor evaluate your home before any work is started is a must in helping you decide whether to embrace the booming home improvement wonder that is attic remodeling in Atlanta, or whether it's best to start looking into other options to add square footage to your home.