If the option is available, there are many good reasons to go up into the attic to create a 3rd floor.

Rather than spending money on improving the basement - the place which homeowners typically think of first - the attic is an ideal spot for creating an office, reading room, gym, additional bedroom or complete master suite.

There are some things to keep in mind however, to ensure that this potentially tricky project turns out as expected. Because you are essentially carving space out of the roof of the house, getting adequate headroom, light and heating/cooling are the main challenges.

We typically make use of dormers to add headroom, increase floor space and make room for windows to be installed. Skylights are also a perfect way to brighten up what begins as a dark space.

Heating and cooling is always a challenge as well. These spaces are difficult to access, and their location right up against the roof offers the potential for extremes of hot and cold. Good planning is critical.

Over the years we've found that the most effective approach for heating/cooling is to locate a separate furnace with thermostat up on the 3rd floor. This way the 3rd floor's unique environment (relative to the rest of your house) can be managed independent of the rest of the structure.

Pictured at right is the framing of a 3rd floor addition. The bottom two pictures show the same space when finished. Total usable space gained was just over 550 square feet, and all with minimal changes to the home's exterior.