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How to 'retromodel' your old houseHere's what you need to know to take your home back to its origin.
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Remodel for less with junkyard gemsReclaimed materials can save you bundles, if you know how to find them.
The house a storm builtWhen violent winds damaged their home, this couple decided to start over.
© Jamie Grill/Getty Images
Courtesy of Graf Developments, Dallas
Courtesy of JM Bogan Remodeling, Seattle
Courtesy of Victor Lisabeth, Traverse City, Mich.
Courtesy of Solo Construction Services, Southport, Conn.
Courtesy of D&J Kitchens & Baths, Sacramento, Calif.
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Attic rehab: How to create a new look
By Alyssa Abkowitz of SmartMoney
Even before the recession hit, many homeowners had run out of rooms in their houses to renovate. So now with the economy slowly recovering, where are they looking to improve? Up. As in the attic.
According to a survey by the Home Improvement Research Institute last year, one in five respondents said they planned to finish an attic room in the next few months. What’s more, the cost of attic conversions has risen 36% in recent years, to nearly $50,000, according to an industry study.
But converting an area of the home that was never intended as a living space into an office or guest room can pose some challenges, from flimsy floors to drafts. Here, five contractors spell out some problems they encountered in recent attic renovations, and their solutions.
Read:
The new attic renovation
- Video: Use the Web to improve your home
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 | Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring. |
Attic rehab: How to create a new look
Media room
Cost: $100,000
Developer: Graf Developments, Dallas
Challenge/need: To create a media room for Houston couple John and Debbie Vice, remodeler Bruce Graf needed to take several basic steps. He reinforced the existing floor with 2-by-12 lumber, then soundproofed the room by adding several layers of extra insulation. To move the leather chairs into the attic, Graf cut an opening in the wall of an upstairs bedroom, created a special door, then hid it behind a full-length mirror.
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 | Home remodeling horror stories |
Attic rehab: How to create a new look
Grown-up retreat
Cost: $200,000
Developer: JM Bogan Remodeling, Seattle
Challenge/need: When Bernard Jalbert and Carole Jones wanted someplace to take a break from their live-at-home 20-year old, they asked Michael Bogan to convert their Seattle attic into a sitting area that could double as an office. To maximize light and offer views of the Cascade Mountains, Bogan added dormer windows and skylights. He also replaced the decade-old roof, integrating it into the roof of the garage.
Slide show: 23 creative home offices
- On our blog, 'Listed': Gen-Yers turn up noses at soaker tubs, cookie-cutter suburbs
Attic rehab: How to create a new look
Flex apartment
Cost: $20,000
Developer: Victor Lisabeth, Traverse City, Mich.
Challenge/need: The Traverse City, Mich., homebuilder had been planning to convert his empty attic into a family overflow space, complete with a walk-in closet and kitchen. But when the economy soured, he decided to keep his son downstairs and rent out the attic to earn extra cash.
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| Home remodeling horror stories |
Attic rehab: How to create a new look
Extra bedroom/project room
Cost: $300,000
Developer: Solo Construction Services, Southport, Conn.
Challenge/need: To renovate the Civil War-era barn, contractor Bahman Azarm of Solo Construction mixed contemporary lighting with old-fashioned design, even saving the old rafters. Owners Merril and Bob Adelman use the space for weekend relaxation.
- On our blog, 'Listed': Gen-Yers turn up noses at soaker tubs, cookie-cutter suburbs
Attic rehab: How to create a new look
Media room
Cost: $200,000
Developer: D&J Kitchens & Baths, Sacramento, Calif.
Challenge/need: Before the renovation, Sheila and William Nolan’s attic was a jumble of old trophies, stuffed animals and weird nooks and crannies. Contractor Darius Baker converted the space into a media room/guest room, complete with a bathroom, laundry room and custom California Closet drawers and cupboards built underneath the eaves.
Read: The new attic renovation
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| Home remodeling horror stories |
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