High above the rest of the house may be a hidden treasure of empty space. Your attic space may be large enough to finish it off and have an entire new room or it may at least, once converted, provide you with some much needed square footage for storage.

Unfinished areas such as attics usually aren't up to code. So building permits are required and numerous considerations must be given. Generally attics were designed for storage at best.

Often the ceiling height, windows, stairs and insulation would all need to be adjusted or added to meet code. Check with your local building department for your city's specifics.

Careful planning to thoroughly think through the process before getting started, making sure to get several estimates and expert opinions can save you endless headaches. Sometimes developing livable space out of an unfinished area can be more challenging than building an addition.

Make a list of things to consider such as: Who will live in this space? Will it have a bathroom? Is their enough headroom for livable space? Where are the plumbing, heating and air conditioning facilities in the house located and are they accessible to the attic?

But if you're simply looking to maximize your home's square footage by adding storage space, flooring your attic can be the perfect solution.

Carol Pollard and her husband Eric recently converted a portion of their once-wasted attic space into 400 square feet of usable storage for their 1,800 square-foot home.

"You can't believe how much you can store in that amount of space," says Carol, a Roseville, Calif. homeowner.

With a family of four, Pollard says she was quickly running out of space; she didn't even have room to park their two cars in the garage.

"Because we only had a two-car garage and we had so much stuff with the boys' [things] and Christmas decorations, it was just terrible," says Pollard.

The Pollard's home had so much attic space with headroom that it could have been another story in their home. But it would have involved more costly construction, in part because the attic was not insulated. Instead the family opted for the extra storage space, reinforcing the attic floor and putting in electrical wiring for lighting, which cost them approximately $3,000.

It's money well spent for the Pollards as they believe the floored attic has added value to their home. Most homes being built in their area have three-car garages and thus more storage space. But now the Pollard's home provides a fair amount of extra space as well.

And there's yet another benefit, "We had a new heating system put in and of course it made it very simple for the contractor to just go in and put in the new air handler and things and, because he didn't have to get into all this dirty attic space, I think it helped us in the pricing for that," explained Pollard.

Some developers are realizing that the attic space can be an extra selling point. With the rising costs of homes in California, Fieldstone builders has built models that offer finished attics to maximize space.

"They've been turned into poker rooms to pool rooms, the husband's retreat from home; it's just been something exceptional here," said Akasha Hiler, Sales Associate with Fieldstone Communities Incorporated in East Lake, Chula Vista.

The East Lake project is sold out of the finished attic model. Hiler said not many developers in San Diego offer models with a finished attic; yet they seem to be very popular, "We have many people who are still on a waiting list in case anything possibly comes back on the market."

Attic conversions can cost thousands of dollars to create extra storage or livable space. Take your time, do your homework and the end result may add both value and comfort to your home.

Published: June 28, 2004

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Phoebe Chongchua is an award-winning journalist, an author, customer service trainer/speaker, and founder of Setting the Service Standard, a customer service training and consulting program offered by Live Fit Enterprises (LFE) based in San Diego, California. She is the publisher of Live Fit Magazine, an online publication that features information on real estate/finance, physical fitness, travel, and philanthropy. Her company, LFE, specializes in media services including marketing, PR, writing, commercials, corporate videos, customer service training, and keynotes & seminars. Visit her magazine website: www.LiveFitMagazine.com. Phoebe's articles, feature stories, and columns appear in various publications including The Coast News, Del Mar Village Voice, Rancho Santa Fe Review, and Today's Local News in San Diego, as well as numerous Internet sites. She holds a California real estate license. Phoebe worked for KGTV/10News in San Diego as a Newscaster, Reporter and Community Affairs Specialist for more than a decade. Phoebe's writing is also featured in Donald Trump's book: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buying Foreclosures. She is the author of If the Trash Stinks, TAKE IT OUT! 14 Worriless Principles for Your Success. Contact Phoebe at (858) 259-3646 or . Visit PhoebeChongchua.com for more information.