How negative space is a design positive for your home – creating calm interiors by boarding lofts in Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

Now that we can have friends round again, we may be looking at our homes with fresh eyes. Suddenly the piles of paperwork on the kitchen counter or overflowing bookshelves seem untidy. You may want your home to look more like the examples you see online – more inspirational and less, well, lived in!

Whilst we need to be realistic about how busy homes actually look compared to publicity shots, there is a professional design technique that we can copy to give our interiors the wow factor – the creation of negative space.

Negative space features in all design disciplines, from graphics to architecture and involves creating an empty area to better emphasise certain features. It may be that you have a gorgeous armchair hidden behind a coffee table piled high with magazines or in-front of a busy shelving unit. By taking out the surrounding visual distractions, the eye will be drawn to the shape of the chair making it a central feature of your design. The same might be true for a picture you love, or a light fixture – by imitating the techniques of the professionals you can create impact with the items you really love.

Negative space not only draws the eye to certain features in our home, but can also create a calm and harmonious space. If not every square inch is taken up with possessions, there is mentally room to breath and a sense of order in busy lives. 

Loft Boarding Installation
Think of what you could store when you create space like this

Of course we are going to suggest that loft storage is the answer as boarding lofts and fitting loft ladders is our stock-in-trade. Genuinely, we hear time and again from customers who have fallen back in love with their homes by creating proper storage. Suddenly there is an accessible place to put the items that they don’t want cluttering up their living areas. Sometimes this can be keeping a few favourite ornaments on shelves whilst storing the rest, or putting CD collections that have been digitised out of sight. After all, we don’t always want to part with items or need a “holding bay”until we are sure.

So if the lifting of restrictions and the prospect of visitors is making you reappraise your home, then give us a call. We are always happy to provide a no-obligation quote so you can see what good value boarding the loft provides. Contact us now.

For Stratford-upon-Avon homeowners, loft boarding can be the first step to regaining control of the clutter

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

The Bank Holiday weekend is the perfect time to have a clear out and to take control of your possessions.

Often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we hang on to. Most of us have it – a dumping ground, whether that be the garage, utility room, cupboard under the stairs or spare bedroom. The place where we shove things that we may need later or don’t want to look at. Over time, that area can become overwhelming and we just shove things in and quickly shut the door.

If you don’t have loft storage, boarding the loft can be a positive first step in reorganising your home and sorting out the mess. Starting with a clean slate is an opportunity to tackle the problem areas in our homes. With a little organisation, the loft storage can be really functional. Think labelled boxes, shelving and enough boarded area to move around in between boxes so that items can be retrieved and returned easily.

Truss shelving is an inexpensive addition that creates an area for neatly storing boxes at the sides of the loft, leaving the floor area free to move around in. We can even build bespoke shelves so that items such as suitcases are off the floor and neatly stored.

If the mess in your home can make you scream, boarding the loft can be a positive first step to regaining control through proper storage

So, if you would like to create a little more order in your home, give us a call on 07712 327889 for a free, no-obligation quote. We cover Warwickshire and Worcestershire from our base near Redditch.

Can you board lofts in new build properties being constructed in Warwickshire and Worcestershire?

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

This is a question that we are asked a lot and we’ve talked about it on this blog before. Mainly we’ve addressed issues around insulation, which we can protect by building up the level of the floor to ensure that insulation is not compressed and retains its efficiency.

Some homeowners have concerns about the extra weight and whether they would invalidate their NHBC warranty by boarding the loft. They may have been told or heard that the trusses in modern houses are fabricated to hold only the materials in the house plus snowfall on the roof.

We are experienced in boarding new builds

Obviously protecting your 10 year warranty is of paramount importance – that is why you should call in a professional company who specialises in loft improvements. As proprietor of Stu’s Loft Ladders, I gained my experience working on new build properties for house builders as a carpenter so I understand well the details of their construction.

We always come out to quote on a job so we can see for ourself the construction of the property. By looking at the design and the way the trusses are constructed we can recommend how, or if, to board. 

The photo with this blog was taken at a new-build property in Chipping Campden. We boarded just the middle section of the loft for the owners.

It is our experience that in nearly all the new builds we have visited to quote, it is safe to board.  We never recommend storing heavy furniture, as much for the safety implications of carrying it up to the loft as load bearing concerns. However, for the weights of the boards we use and the items most will want to store such as suitcases, seasonal clothes and boxes of Christmas decorations, it is nearly always possible.

So, if you are unsure, give us a call. We will come out to look and advise.

Garages of New Build Properties in Warwickshire lend themselves perfectly to loft boarding

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

It’s not just lofts in houses that we board, but also garages and summerhouses – if it has a loft we can board it!

We are being asked to board and fit ladders to a garages quite a lot recently Typically, these are on detached properties with a separate garage, often on new build developments. The style of garage being built by householders at the moment lends itself perfectly to boarding with apex roofs that allow plenty of space for storage.

Use the space you have

With more and more people working from home or running their own businesses with stock and paperwork to store, using the space they already have makes perfect sense.

Garage loft boarding in Stratford-upon-Avon

The photo below shows a job last week in Stratford-upon-Avon. Here the owner of a new build property on the south side of the river wanted to realise the potential of storage space in their garage. We completed a full board, cutting the floor to fit neatly around the roof supports and up to the eaves.

In most cases the space is not the issue but access is. The loft hatch fitted is too small to allow for larger items to be stored, or even for smaller items to be taken up without it being awkward. This was the case at the job shown below, where we fitted a new hatch and ladder. With a sturdy timber ladder, the customer is now able to take up heavier items with comfort.

Enlarging garage loft hatch

We are always happy to quote, so contact us now by using our contact form or call us on 07712 327889.

Full board or half board – either way goes for loft improvements in Wellesbourne and Stratford-upon-Avon

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

Full board or half board? Not the choice you make when booking your next holiday, but the decision on whether to create storage in your loft by using all, or some, of the space available to you.

The choice is individual to the home and homeowner as illustrated perfectly by two loft boarding jobs that we carried out this week in the vicinity of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

Part loft board in Wellesbourne

The first was in Wellesbourne, a village between Warwick and Stratford, where the owners wanted a part-board of their loft. They decided that for their storage needs and budget, a partial board was adequate and we were happy to oblige.

Before and after – you can see the difference boarding makes

Full board in Stratford-upon-Avon

Later that week we were in the town of Stratford itself, carrying out a full board of a garage on the south side of the river on the new development at the top of Loxley Road. The owner wanted to maximise the storage potential available in this sizeable area. They were delighted with the neat finish around the roof supports. The continuation of boarding up to the edge of the loft means that any unsightly insulation is kept out of sight, making the loft a nicer environment without those prickly fibres.

If you are unsure about whether to board the entire loft or only a part of it, we are always happy to provide a quote for both options. Contact us now to find out more.

Meet the team – your independent firm for loft boarding and ladders in Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

When you are considering booking a company to carry out home improvements, you want to know as much about them as you can, so we thought we would give you the low down on the team behind Stu’s Loft Ladders.

My name is Stuart Dyson – the Stu behind the company name. I am a trained carpenter and I’ve always been self employed. Prior to forming Stu’s Loft Ladders, I worked for some of the big homebuilders.

Independent firm specialising in loft improvements

I set up Stu’s Loft Ladders ten years ago as I could see a need for an independent firm specialising in loft improvements. None of the new build homes I had worked on had their lofts boarded or had fitted ladders and, with most people needing storage space, I could see a gap in the market.

My mission was, and still is, to quickly complete loft boarding or ladder fitting using all my carpentry skills and to do so with the best customer service and a smile on my face.

We source the best trade loft ladders

We source the best trade ladders, so that customers can be assured that whichever ladder they choose it is a quality product.

We are a small team. I work with Ross, also very experienced in loft improvements, and together we carry out every job. When you book SLL, it is us you will see, from initial quote to the finished job – we do not subcontract as we want to oversee the quality ourselves.

Covering Bromsgrove to Evesham, Stratford-upon-Avon to Worcester

I have lived in Sambourne, between Redditch and Alcester, for 16 years – it is a handy base as we work boarding lofts from Bromsgrove to Evesham and Stratford-upon Avon and Warwick to Worcester.

My van is a regular sight around the Redditch area and beyond, so if you see us out and about, say hello .

You can contact us here to arrange a free, no-obligation quote.

Enlarging the loft opening is no problem in Stratford-upon-Avon and Redditch

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

It makes sense that the size of your loft opening will dictate the size of the items you can store up there.  What customers don’t always realise, until we enlighten them, is how easy it is to enlarge the loft opening.

New builds may have small hatch as standard

More often than not, modern house builders will install a small loft hatch as standard. In fact, we often enlarge the loft opening for customers in new builds. We can fit a new hatch with insulated surround and door either in maintenance-free plastic or, if you prefer a more traditional look, in timber.

Having a loft opening of 1 metre in length not only changes what you can store, but also how easy it is to carry any items up to the loft. The extra room gives you space to manoeuvre and the confidence that you won’t scrape your knuckles on the sides whilst carrying a heavy box.

Above shows the loft hatch before…
This is the neatly finished job with a larger hatch

We are skilled carpenters and we’ve been fitting loft hatches for more than a decade, so we can ensure that none of your ceiling joists are compromised.  As part of the quote, we will make good the plaster around the new loft hatch and paint around the hatch to ensure that it looks as if it was already there.

Loft hatch in the wrong place?

If the hatch is in the wrong place entirely, we can move it. Check out this review left earlier this month by a happy customer who asked us to move his loft opening.  You’ll notice that he was very pleased on the tidiness of the job!

Why we depend on customer recommendations for loft boarding and ladders in Worcestershire and Warwickshire

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

The past year has been tough on small businesses. Although we were allowed to continue working with precautions during the second and third lockdowns, anxieties around Covid-19 have impacted on our work and we are as delighted as everyone to see a return to normality.

We only share genuine recommendations from our loft improvement customers

So more than ever, we are thrilled when customers take the time to share their experiences of booking us to board their lofts and fit their ladders. We, like many independent family-run firms, don’t have a big budget for advertising and rely on word of mouth. Direct recommendation also benefits our customers reassuring them with real-life examples of loft installations. It can be unnerving to entrust work within your home to a firm that you have not used before and, as most people only have their loft boarded or a ladder fitted once, we work with new customers on every job!

So, to every customer who has written a review on this website, our Facebook page or their own social media accounts, we want to extend a massive thank you. Your recommendations have kept us going through this pandemic!

Recent reviews from customers in Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Here are a selection of genuine customer recommendations for loft boarding and fitting loft ladders taken from our Facebook page:

“Brilliant team of lads. Polite, reliable and hard working. Stuart even called to start work earlier than planned. Very professional and would recommend. Thank you Stuart and team for giving us a usable loft and more storage space,” Mr & Mrs Hunt, Stratford upon Avon.

“We had our loft hatch relocated and new ladders. Really lovely guys. On time, neat and tidy, and great job on where the old hatch was. Thank you!” Louise Walker, Redditch.

“What great guys – turned up on time and were friendly but professional and did a cracking job – so pleased with our new loft ladder and installation – I would definitely recommend them and they even cleaned up after themselves – if you need a loft ladder these are the guys to choose!” Heather Porter, Worcestershire.

What to expect for Warwickshire and Worcestershire homeowners, from quote to installed loft ladder and boarding

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

What can you expect when you give us a call or message us to find out more about loft boarding or fitting a fixed loft ladder?

No Obligation Quote

First of all, we will ask your address and book a convenient time to come round and take a look. We will need less than half an hour of your time to see the loft and loft access. In most cases, we will be able to give you a cost on the spot. And the cost we give you is what you will pay with no hidden extras. We will ask you about how you intend to use the loft so that we can advise on the best type of ladder. We may also suggest enlarging or moving your loft hatch, which can be easily be done at the same time. If it’s a boarding job, we can give you a price for boarding all or part of the loft space depending on your storage needs.

Booking the job

We are a small, independent firm and can be very flexible on dates, fitting in to suit your schedule. Most jobs can be done within the day.

On the day

We will generally arrive in the morning and start by putting down protective sheeting to make sure that your carpets and floors stay clean. During Covid we are taking precautions to keep customers safe including wearing masks and hand sanitising. You may also want to open some extra windows for ventilation on the floor where we are working.

We bring all the materials we will need, so that we can complete the job in one go. We bring lighting to help us work in the loft so it doesn’t matter if you don’t already have lighting up there. We have been boarding lofts and fitting ladders for over a decade so we can work quickly and to a high quality. If you are having a new loft hatch or moving it, we will plaster and paint around it so that you will not see any marks on the ceiling. We remove any waste and vacuum any dust so that your home is as tidy as we found it and the loft space is clear of debris. We have even been known to help customers move some of their belongings up to the loft before we go.

Click here to contact us or call 07712 327889.

Live in Stratford-upon-Avon? Board the loft and you might find items to bring in cash

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

If you can’t find what you are looking for in your loft because it is not boarded, then you could be missing out. Taking a look at the value of items sold on auction websites reveals where you could make some extra cash.

Vinyl is making a comeback and if you are holding on to LP’s and singles that you will never play, listing them could bring in some money.

Whilst some will never part with vinyl, old tech is less sentimental. A “vintage” Nokia fetches around £20 whilst a Nintendo Gameboy could earn £45 on eBay. An original Walkman sells for between £20 and £50, depending on the model.

With people taking up new hobbies in lockdown, sewing machines have been in demand. If yours is gathering dust in the loft, then you could pocket the money and put it towards something you’ll love.

Boarding the loft makes locating items easy

If you are thinking of decluttering your loft over the long Easter weekend, but need to make some home improvements so you can actually find what is up there then, call us on 07712 327889 to talk about fitting a fixed loft ladder and boarding.