unfinished attic or bedrooms?

[Lysander in Charlotte]

My subject has a well finished attic with skylights, hardwood floors, and ample closets that is divided into two bedrooms. The attic has sloping walls on two sides. The level portion of the ceiling is only 6.1' from the floor. The entire attic measured from where the wall meets the floor is 440 s.f. Measured from where the wall is 5' from the floor the two bedrooms total 194 s.f. Does the fact that the bedrooms are only 97 s.f. each and have 6.1' ceilings preclude my calling them bedrooms?

Many thanks,
Lysander

 

[Don Clark]

8)
Lysander:

IMHO, I would call it a finished attic. Most building codes call for a minimum of 7' ceilings. If you follow the ANSI Standard at www.nahb.com their method is to measure only the area where the minimum heighth is 7'. However, this is a voluntary standard. By calling it a finished attic you have not ignored it's value. Everything useable has value. just measure it in the most practical way and form an opinion of value for the finished attic. Just don't call it living area. This is a common problem in my market. We don't have many basements cause if you dig down a couple of feet you may hit water, so, we have lot's of FROGS(Finnished Room over a Garage), and finished attics. As long as you have accounted for the space and provided a reasonable opinion of value for that space I doubt anyone will question the method.

Don

 

[Larry Lyke]

Don's right. It isn't GLA, and although you can use the finished space, it doesn't qualify as habitable space for adults.

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

I agree. Just call it a finished attic and value it separately from GLA. Hopefully you have at least 1 comp with similar attic so you don't need an across the board adjustment / red flag. Basements, FROGs, detached rooms, same idea.

 

[Dave Smith]

I have a "Frog" with a 6'1" ceiling height, finished equal to the balance of my two story house, with access from the GLA.

The house is for sale. We will find out how the public reacts to the 330 Sq. Ft. "Frog."

Stay tuned. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: