Whether you want to add value to your home or you just want to have an additional liveable room in your house, using the attic space is always a good idea. The attic is perfect for a guest room, a playroom, or even an office. Remodelling it by yourself might be a tiresome task, but it will be all worth it at the end. However, before you get started, there are a couple of things you must check first.

What to Consider

The one thing you should know from the beginning is that not all attics are suitable for living rooms. And it’s not only the size I am talking about here, certain floors might not be able to support furniture and people. Additionally, check the trusses supporting the roof. If they form a W, then most specialists recommend to “forget about it”. Apparently it will be too costly and difficult to remodel. If, however, the trusses form an A, you are good to go. The height also matters, because if the space is less than 2 meters high from the highest point of the ceiling to the floor, then it might be very difficult to feel comfortable.

Considering that your attic passes the above conditions, it’s time to decide what room do you want. Most people opt for a guest room or an additional bedroom (which in some cases is the same), but other good ideas include an office, a playroom for your kids (or for you) a yoga room or a gym. Personally, I wouldn't go for the latter, though, because you never know what might happen if you drop the heavy weights on the floor. Another very important aspect that you must think through is how are you going to get up and down the attic room. You have two options in general — either enlarge the current stairs or add new. Pick the option that would best work for your room, without having to sacrifice too much space.

Cleaning

Now, let’s get to the cleaning. You can’t escape that one, sorry. Even if the attic is empty it is probably full of dust and dirt that has accumulated over the years. In this case, all you need to do is give it a good cleaning. If it is full with different items, though, it might take a bit more of your time until you sort out everything. Most junk removal specialists in Melbourne recommend to go through all your belongings and sort them out in three piles — junk that you must throw away, items which you can donate or sell, and items that you use and need (holiday decorations, sports equipment, etc).

Once you handle that and the space is clean you can finally start creating the living room of your dreams. I wouldn't go into interior design in details because what furniture and wall colours you will use is entirely up to you. However, before you get into that consider calling an electrician to come and reroute any cables and install the required electric outlets. Call a plumber too, if you plan to have a bathroom. Finally, I would strongly recommend to insulate the room too.