Arrangement of the basement and of the attic

Service Description

Arrangement of the basement and of the attic

Even if we do not live in Japan and the problem of space does not  crowd us in drawers yet–it is true –very modern, the real estate prices are big enough to already spur us to arrange well the available space instead of buying a new residence. And where should we direct our attention if not down to the basements, or above, to the attics.

Those who have houses with free spaces, available and suitable for further designs they are proved really lucky. Because, it is good to know, not every garage, attic or basement can become, through a real transformation of Cinderella, the luxurious dependencies that we want or we dream about them when we get the idea of a transformation.

Besides the financial constraints (which are about hiring a specialist to assess the feasibility of work and a team of workers) there are technical constraints, which sometimes are insurmountable. It is enough to say that a future attic or basement depends on the height of the ceiling.

The architect’s requirements gauge a minimum acceptance of 1.80 m, an optimal average of 2.20 m and a maximum comfort of 2.50 m and the cellars and the basements often do not meet these dimensions. To gain height the masonry of the cellar should be adjusted in the direction of the foundation or woodwork of the roof should be raised or, if the height of the lower level permits, the floor of the attic should be lowered.

In these conditions, it is the time to evaluate if the obtained space deserves the trouble and the expenses. If we come to a positive conclusion, these are the issues that should concern us further.

Access routes: Ideally, the basement or the attic should already have a way of access (a practicable interior staircase), and the problem is like solved, requiring only some aesthetic and security improvements. If this staircase does not exist, there must be imagined a staircase model suitable for the place configuration (straight, angled at 90º or spiral).

Flooring: To be acceptable as a house, the outbuildings necessarily need to have the floor. In the basement, the simplest solution is casting a reinforced concrete slab directly on the hard-packed ground. A waterproofing insulation applied on the concrete substantially reduces the risk of mold and after application of a screed layer, it can be covered with hardwood floor, carpet or any other chosen plating material. In attics, the boards placed on the beams can be covered by the floor, the most economical version is the chipboard, which, in their turn, can support a decorative plating.

Windows: If the basement is placed entirely below the ground, this does not necessarily mean giving up on windows if you sprinkle well the soil and smooth the surface from the front court place designated for it. This will create “an English yard”, connected to the drains for drainage of rainwater.

If there is already stale, they can be increased by resorting to the same process. The attics usually do not induce many problems: any window can be enlarged, any time can be created new openings equipped with tip-up skylights. If they are large enough, some of them can be converted into balconies. However, do not forget to get the urbanism certificates and the building permits required and do not omit that it should fulfill the specified distance from the neighbor’s yards.

Insulation, heating, ventilation: Although we find them at the outskirts of our houses, the outbuildings should benefit more than any other spaces in the house, of an insulation and ventilation well-thoughtful. The infiltration of the humidity and forming the condensation can make outbuilding uninhabitable.

In basements, the harder it is to prevent the ingress of moisture by capillary action, while if in case of attics,the roof should be inspected and carefully insulated to avoid overheating during the summer and the excessive energy consumption in winter. For heating you can choose between extending the existing system (which may require a more powerful power supply) or for purchasing an independent system, especially for the outbuildings.

After it was made sure that all these details are taken into consideration, we can be sure that the attic or the basement are on the right way and they will become exactly what we dreamed them of being.

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