How to Plan and Remodel Attics and Basements -- A DIY Guide

A quiet retreat in the attic or or a completely soundproof media room in the basement. No matter what kind of new room you need in your home, this guide will help you create it.

Filled with ideas, photos, diagrams and easy-to-follow do-it-yourself instructions, this manual guides you through your attic or basement project, from beginning to end.

This exclusive DIY Guide offers...

• Idea-packed color photos and diagrams of remodeled attics and basements.
• Illustrated guidelines for planning new attic or basement rooms.
• Checklists for determining how much to do yourself to save time and money.
• How-to “DIY” instructions for attic and basement construction.

Contents of this Guide:

• Planning to Remodel
  • Introduction and Guide contents
• Practical Considerations
• Design
• Hiring professionals
• Getting ready to build
• Plans
• Doing it yourself
• New Heights for Attics
  • Exploring possibilities
  • Defining the space
  • Refining your design
  • Construction techniques
• The Lowdown on Basements
  • Introduction and exploring possibilities
  • Making a basement livable
  • Making the space appealing
  • Construction techniques
  • Glossary of basement remodeling

Planning to Remodel

Converting a bare attic or basement into a pleasant living space should be an enjoyable experience. It involves seeing your dreams and ideas become a reality as you create environments that will suit your family’s needs.

A conversion is a big project. Doing it well involves much more than nailing some plywood to the attic floor joists, rolling out a carpet, and moving in the furniture. You will be faced with a lot of planning and work unless you expect nothing more of a recreation room than the existing basement with painted walls and a table-tennis arrangement.

For the project to run smoothly and for the space to suit your budget as well as your desires and needs, it must be planned carefully and coordinated skillfully. Unless you are planning to do all the work yourself you will be dealing with a lot of people who will have a myriad of questions that you must be prepared to answer quickly and accurately.

Before you plunge into planning, designing, and building your project, you must focus on some practical issues first. These lay the groundwork for everything else that comes ahead.

A smooth and efficient remodeling project is usually the result of careful planning and organizing. Being well prepared enables you to avert problems rather than having to solve them half way through the construction process.