Not all ideas for adding storage space are good ones.

Adding Attic Storage Space

Recently I was showing homes to a lady who was looking at active adult community condos. We looked at a number of homes in one community (which shall remain unnamed). Each home had, in the laundry room, a pull down staircase leading to the attic. In each home, when you went into the attic, there was a wide open area which had a floor and it was tall enough to stand erect. Does this sound like it would be a great storage area?

Of course it would, but…

It was obvious that this was not how the building was constructed. In each of the homes, there was an area around the pull down stairs that went from the front to back and was about 20 feet wide. The attic continued to the end of the home and in that area there was a series of 2x4s that are called trusses. These trusses are engineered to hold up the roof and support the roof, even when loaded down with snow. And when a number of the trusses are removed, it can compromise the structural integrity of the roof. Let me explain in English exactly what I mean.

The roof could collapse under a heavy load of snow.

That’s right, in every home we went into, the roof support trusses were cut to make room for the homeowner to easily move around and store items. Granted, if the trusses were intact, it would be a lot more difficult to move around in the attic, but it would be possible.

In addition to compromising the roof supports, this brings up a few other things that may be important.

Since the home was a condo, the condo association is the owner of the roof, not the homeowner. This brings an additional legal liability to the homeowner. And, when the unit is sold, the buyer will probably have a home inspector look at the building. And I don’t know any home inspector who would not mention this in the inspection report.

Bottom Line

So if you are thinking of removing part of the truss in the attic for any reason – DON’T!

If you have questions or comments. Visit www.55plusinocean.com or call me . My number is 732-598-7700

Art Reiman – Realtor

Shady Oaks and Shadow Lake Village are great active adult communities in Middletown that you should look at.