Skylights & Dormers for the Attic

Adding Attic Space

A relatively simple, low-cost way to boost your home's square footage is to convert unfinished or underused space overhead. If your house or garage has an attic that sits idle because the roof pitch is too low and there aren't enough openings to provide adequate light and ventilation, reworking your roofscape may be a more affordable strategy than adding on at ground level

In attics that already provide sufficient headroom under the highest part of the roof, dormers or skylights may be all you need to make most of the livable floor space and eliminate the dreary, tunnel-like effect that's often characteristic of undereaves areas. Even a single one-window dormer or narrow skylight can make a big difference in a modest-size room by adding valuable headroom, balancing the daylight, and providing cross ventilation. Adding twin dormers (on the same slope or on opposite slopes) or a double-window dormer multiplies the benefits considerably, making an undereaves area feel almost like a full-height room

For maximum space gain, you may consider dormers that run almost the full length of the roof. (This approach usually requires reworking your roof's structural framing, a job best handled by an experienced contractor or structural engineer.) Roof windows, a relatively new option, combine the advantages of skylights and dormers. They mount on a sloped roof like a skylight but can be swung or pivoted open like a dormer window, and they come equipped with screens and shades. One version unfolds outward to form a mini balcony.

Like bump-outs, dormers and skylights are projects that a seasoned do-it-yourselfer could tackle, so they offer additional potential for cost savings. Of the two, a skylight is probably the simplest and quickest option. But both require carpentry skills and involve working on high ladders and roof slopes, so you may want to have a contractor do the installation.

The low-pitched ceiling in this attic bathroom is barely noticeable, thanks to an operable skylight that delivers fresh air, soaring views of the treetops, and extra inches of precious headroom.