When homeowners want to increase the square footage of an older house they often think addition when they could be thinking conversion, as in transforming an attic into livable space. “When you convert an attic space into a livable area you discover the ‘hidden space’ you never thought you had,” said Francisca V. Alonso, of AV Architects and Builders. “You can save money on not having to build walls for this ‘new floor.’ However, you need to consider that you will have limitations on ceiling height and overall dimensions of the space.”

Alonso said the structural supports of the new floor need to be reviewed to see if it can handle the loads.