Strengthening an attic floor
In every house, after 10 or 20 years, lack of space often becomes a reason to want change. And when a side extension is impossible, the solution comes from the attic.
But beware of rushing. Raising the roof space requires reinforcing the attic floor and calls for a thorough, professional study. Increasing the living area and anticipating every problem means addressing several key questions: weight, access, acoustics and execution.
While these notions seem simple, calling on a BET (structural engineering office) is essential to ensure a trouble-free project and a secure future.
Strengthening the floor: prerequisites and feasibility
Weight is the first thing not to overlook.
Converting your attic and installing a jacuzzi or a billiard table does not impose the same structural loads as a small reading lounge. Whatever the situation, a full study is needed to determine feasibility and the solutions to implement.
However careful anyone may be, there are things only a professional can detect. Weak joists, a pest infestation threatening the integrity of the structure, or telling a load-bearing floor from a non-load-bearing one are all points to check, and the list is not exhaustive.
Next comes the question of access. Wanting to use your attic is a great idea, but you must make sure you can get up there. Many projects started without a prior study, or with a botched one, have been stopped dead by an access problem.
Quarter-turn, straight-flight or spiral staircase, it does not matter which solution is chosen as long as it has been studied beforehand. And by study we also mean calculating the size and position of the floor opening to be provided. (see the article on creating a floor opening)
Other important issues, such as getting furniture through, must also be addressed ; it would be a shame not to be able to fit out the space as you dreamed for lack of a wide enough passage for furniture.
Finally, one last important point to mention : acoustics.
You dream of watching your children play and enjoy their new play area, but not at the cost of constant noise and echoes.
Several solutions exist to effectively reduce or even soundproof an attic. Whether it is impact noise or airborne noise, or whether you want to block noise coming in and going out, a professional such as OMPT GROUPE can present you with a range of solutions.
From simple acoustic insulation to mineral and plant-based wools, dry screeds and noise-reducing glazing, there is a combination of solutions suited to every situation, which we study case by case
To conclude, the various constraints involved in using an attic must be studied with as much rigor as experience, and only a seasoned professional can help you with that.
Strengthening the floor: carrying out the work.
Besides imposing a load that was not originally planned for, creating a new living area by raising your roof space may alter the passages and circulation of the other rooms.
From our many years in business, we have seen that the decision to convert an attic often leads to a redistribution of the existing spaces in the rooms below, notably because of the staircase. Whether it is a change of use of a room or an enlargement, these changes sometimes require creating a new floor or opening a load-bearing wall
With its experience, OMPT GROUPE guides its clients from start to finish on these issues and puts in place the solutions needed for the project to run smoothly, so the space can be fitted out in complete safety and with the best possible optimization.
Timber beams used for their strength and robustness, joists support most floors and will need to be reinforced to carry the new room or rooms. The options for your floor are all effective and will depend on your finish choices and sometimes on height constraints.
When the client chooses to leave the beams exposed, the upper floor must be reinforced by carefully replacing the joists with larger-section joists, or even by erecting support posts. Depending on the future layout of your interior, these reinforcements can be hidden in the partitions.
On the other hand, when the attic headroom is large enough, creating a new floor becomes the better solution. New joists or strengthening with a steel structure can be built into the structural work, making the necessary reinforcement completely invisible
In conclusion, converting an attic raises issues of stability and long-term strength and can sometimes be a technical challenge.
It is essential to call on a team of professionals such as OMPT GROUPE, whose knowledge and experience will make your project a success with complete peace of mind.
Our long-standing know-how and our references are the guarantee of your project's success.
We are here to help. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.