Attic Renovation and Shed Dormer Framing in Braintree, MA

As this Braintree, MA family’s children continue to grow, the homeowners needed more usable living space without moving to a larger home. The goal of this project is to transform the attic into a practical new living area with two bedrooms and one bathroom.

This attic renovation and shed dormer project is currently in the framing stage. Although the project is not finished yet, the new space is starting to take shape, giving the homeowners a much clearer view of how the attic can be used.

Client Needs

The homeowners wanted to create more private and functional space for their growing family. By renovating the attic, they could add two bedrooms and a bathroom while making better use of the home’s existing footprint.

Project Challenges

One of the main challenges was connecting the new framing to the existing structure properly. With an attic renovation, the original roof and floor system may not be designed to support new living space, so the structure has to be evaluated and reinforced carefully.

Another important challenge was making sure the new dormer, roof framing, floor system, and support posts worked together as one stable structure.

Solution and Framing Work

WOW Construction replaced the old ridge beam with a 24-inch LVL beam to strengthen the roof structure for the new shed dormer. We also reinforced the existing header and beam areas to help support the new load.

To create a stronger load path, we installed 4x6 PSL posts running from the attic level down toward the basement foundation. This helps transfer structural loads properly through the house instead of relying only on the older framing.

Materials and Details

This framing stage includes LVL structural beams, reinforced headers, PSL posts, rafters, hurricane ties, and I-joist floor framing. These details may eventually be hidden behind finished walls, but they are the foundation of a safe and usable attic living space.

Current Result

The project is still in progress, but the new attic area is slowly coming together. As the space opens up, it becomes easier to plan the best layout and think through how to maximize every part of the new square footage.

We are excited to see this Braintree attic renovation move into the next phase.