Built a house with an attic
Mansard construction in Russia is gradually coming to naught, after 20 years ago there was a real boom of such houses. Most of the available projects that were proposed by various design offices were, namely, with attic elements. Of course, such a house looks prettier, it is compact, it does not stand out much even with a one-story building.
Will there be savings?
For pontorez, I’ll make a reservation right away that I’m talking about ordinary budget construction, and not about palaces, as in the village of Gryazi among famous media people. No, we are talking about those who have saved up money, took out a loan and are building a long-awaited house for themselves, trying to save on what will not be at the expense of quality. That is, about hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who are tired of living in apartment buildings.
So we, having decided to save on gas-block and brick, made the second floor with attic elements. We saved a little, because insulation, wood, steam and waterproofing also cost a lot of money. But the project that we did ourselves, we liked more in appearance than if it was two full-fledged floors.
Honestly, if I could return everything now, I would still make the attic the way we have it. Everything suits me and I like everything. Our house looks very nice, a little tower that does not put pressure on the street, like a whopper in 2 floors.
In the summer it's hot in the attic
The most important question - is it hot in the attic in summer? This summer with its 40-degree heat was a real challenge. But I didn't feel the difference between the first and second floor. It was stuffy both there and there, the same way. Therefore, I cannot say that the attic is a gas chamber in summer. The point is how the roof insulation cake is made. If everything is done correctly, conscientiously, then there will be no such problem. We also have a hatch in the corridor of the 2nd floor in order to carry out an audit of the attic. Not only insulation, but also a ventilation duct. You can go up there and do some work.
Arrangement of furniture
There were no problems with the arrangement of furniture. We have bedrooms on the second floor. And there are beds under the slanting walls. Therefore, all tall pieces of furniture normally stand against opposite walls. I would like to note that the height of the walls to the roof slope is 170 centimeters. That is, our attic is not low, but only in the upper part of the 2nd floor. And the floor area is fully used.
I also cannot say that the sloping walls are crushing. On the contrary, they add coziness and some intimacy to the space. Therefore, all the questions that are asked in the attic are not essential to me.
But if you decide to make an attic floor out of savings, then this will not work. I am afraid that at modern prices for wood and insulation, it will be even more expensive than a full-fledged floor with a roof. Nevertheless, we erected the box and put the house under the roof already 3 years ago, so the conditions were completely different.
So weigh the pros and cons, build what you yourself like and enjoy.