Building Notebook - Lofts the Savvy Builder |
- Make sure loft stairs rise in the same direction the roof slopes to ensure ample headroom.
- Build a 3- or 4-foot high knee wall in the loft, which will be ideal for storage and create a surface for placing dressers and low furniture.
- Design a gable or shed dormer for your loft area; either one will provide plenty of living space and only cost a couple thousand dollars extra.
- Add a built-up floor system with a layer of sound-deadening drywall to help with noise reduction. Your builder also can add “sleepers” and a second subfloor.
- Create a dropped ceiling beneath exposed pipes, or raise plumbing fixtures above the loft floor to conceal the waterworks for a loft bathroom.
- Use ceiling fans to circulate the warm air that often collects in a loft. Also, consider mechanical skylights that can vent the loft while bringing in abundant light.