Jane Burton Taylor investigates the renovations that can add value to your house.

Extract from full article in Sydney Morning Herald  Domain:

Convert an attic

Added value: $80,000 with drop-down stairs, $150,000 for usable room with fixed stairs.

Kell estimates it costs $20,000 to convert an attic for storage and $40,000-$50,000 to turn it into a home office or bedroom.

The latter involves strengthening structure, insulating, adding an operable skylight window and installing stairs – either drop-down or permanent.

But there are challenges, such as where to locate the stairs without messing up the lower-level layout.

“Attic conversion is a definite bonus, especially in areas like ours [the inner west] where land size is only around 180 square metres. Even with pull-down stairs and lining, an attic conversion will make the house more saleable,” Pilcher says.