Why DIY loft boarding and ladder fitting is a headache – if you live in Warwickshire and Worcestershire you should call in the professionals

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

Google DIY loft boarding and ladder fitting and you will straight away see some of the pitfalls of undertaking these jobs yourself.

Choosing a ladder is not straight forward if you don’t know what you are doing and you have to be confident when measuring up. You will need to make sure that the ladder you choose is the right height by accurately measuring from the floor of the landing to the floor of your loft. That isn’t the only measurement you will need – you must also ensure that the ladder fits the size of your loft hatch when folded. Of course, check that you take into account any clearance or pivoting space in the loft for the ladder once stowed.

No such thing as a standard loft

On to boarding. Having measured up so that you can purchase the boards and struggled to fit them in your car, you will need to cut them to fit. There is no such thing as a standard sized loft.  You will need the appropriate power tools and a large supply of screws. A workbench is also invaluable for cutting the boards to size.

Firstly, you will need a temporary work platform so you don’t fall through the ceiling and, if there is no lighting, some good quality work lamps. Pay attention to any light fittings from the celling below, electrical wires or extraction ducts as you work.

Protecting loft insulation

Insulation is the biggest obstacle to work around. You don’t want to remove it and reduce the heat efficiency of your home. It is also not a good idea to squash it down, which will affect its performance and restrict air flow to your ceiling joists. We raise the level of the floor and board over the top to protect both joists and insulation. If you want to do the same you will need to get measuring again and order more timber.

No mess and finished in a day

Plenty of people undertake boarding the loft and fitting a ladder themselves – we are not saying that customers are not up to it. Only that when you start looking at the time it will take you as a novice and factor in the cost of materials and, potentially, the hire or purchase of power tools, then the average cost of £35 per square metre for us to board doesn’t seem that high. Plus, on top of a professional job, we will be finished within the day and take away any mess! A major bonus when weighing up the pros and cons of DIY versus calling in the professionals.

Contact us to arrange a no obligation quote.

Wooden or aluminium loft ladder – Stratford and Chipping Campden jobs show that the right choice depends on the customer

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

We are often asked by customers which ladder they should go for.  Without wishing to sound non-committal, we can honestly say that it depends on the job! Two recent installations in the same week show that, whilst timber is right for one customer, aluminium is perfect for another.

Wooden ladder for comfort and aesthetics in Stratford-upon-Avon

Customers choose wooden loft ladders for strength, durability and the way they look. Aesthetics aside,  if you are going to be carrying heavy boxes up to the loft then a timber ladder is able to bear the extra weight you will be handling. For these reasons, our customer last week in Stratford-upon-Avon chose a wooden ladder.

You will see on the photo that this ladder stows in three sections within the loft hatch so that no extra clearance or loft space is required. We only use trade quality ladders, so unfolding and refolding is a cinch. Our timber ladders also feature wide comfortable treads – this can be an important consideration, particularly for older customers or those who may be negotiating awkward bulky items into the loft.

Light and easy to manoeuvre – aluminium ladder is right choice in Chipping Campden

If space is tight or the ladder is for light use, then aluminium is the way to go. The owner of this four-bedroom new build detached home did not need to carry heavy items up to the loft and chose aluminium as the best value option.

Aluminium loft ladders also offer the advantage of being light, making them easy to manoeuvre in and out of position. For some customers, this is an important consideration.

Partial loft boarding keeps customers in Chipping Campden and Redditch on budget

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

We’ve been pretty busy this week providing loft improvement services. There seems to have been a common theme with customers choosing to board part of their lofts.

This has been the case at jobs in Chipping Campden and Hunt End in Redditch. It’s a sensible choice. These customers have thought about what they want to achieve within their budget and decided to board the central section of their loft space.

Chipping Campden new-build loft

In Chipping Campden we boarded the middle section of a new-build property. This was a large four-bedroom detached home and it made sense to only board part of the loft as this would provide ample storage space for the customer’s needs. We also fitted an aluminium ladder, which was lightweight, easy to use and within budget. The delighted customer couldn’t wait to start using the new space– in fact, we even moved her belongings up to the loft for her.

Redditch part board

In Hunt End, Redditch, our next job was in a 1980s three-bedroom home. Once again, a useful storage area was created by boarding a central section.

Before we started, the space in the customer’s loft was unusable with only the joints to stand on between rolls of insulation.

Boarding and ladder options to suit your budget

“If you would like your loft boarded, it is worth talking the job through with us,” comments Stuart Dyson, owner of Stu’s Loft Ladders. “We can work to your budget by boarding an area of your loft. An average cost of £35 per square metre will give you a good idea of what to expect. If you want to add a ladder, we have options to suit your budget.”

Stu’s Loft Ladders works throughout the West Midlands in a 20-mile radius from our base in Studley. We are always happy to provide a no-obligation quote. Call us now on 07712 327889.

Hatching loft improvement plans in the West Midlands

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

Loft hatches – you might not spend much time thinking about yours, but if it is in the wrong place, then it could be preventing you from accessing the storage potential in your loft.

Moving the loft hatch

We regularly move loft openings for customers to more convenient locations. In older houses loft hatches are often in bedrooms – problematic if it means shifting heavy furniture out of the way in order to gain access. It is also not very handy to have a loft hatch in a child’s bedroom – with a small child evening trips up to the loft are out of the question and with a teenager you will have to negotiate a path through their floordrobe.

Change the direction of your loft opening

Most loft hatches are on the landing. However, if your loft hatch is too near the stairs, it could be unsafe for you to access it and you could think about making a change. That doesn’t have to be a complete move, it could mean simply changing the orientation. People imagine that this will be a messy job, but we live up to our promise to leave your home as neat and tidy as we found it.

Energy efficient loft hatch

If you live in a period property, an ill-fitting loft hatch could be a cause of heat loss in your home. An insulated, tight fitting loft hatch could help you to save energy. You can choose from timber or U-PVC, the latter in a white finish suiting most paint schemes.

Loft hatches – bigger could be better

The other option that you might consider is enlarging the loft opening. It’s obvious – the size of the loft opening dictates what you are able to store. Too small and negotiating larger boxes into the loft will be tricky. Enlarging the loft hatch is one of the most common add-on jobs that we do when fitting a loft ladder. This is particularly the case in new-build properties, which have smaller loft hatches fitted as standard. Again, we leave your ceiling looking as it did before, plastering and painting around the new loft hatch so that it looks as if it was always that way.

No obligation quote

Call us now to get a quote on 07712 327889.

Spring means time to look up with loft storage in Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

Spring is on the way! With lock down measures set to ease over the coming months and, hopefully, not long until refuse and recycling centres start opening again, it’s the perfect time to have a clear out. If you are tackling a project like sorting out the garage or shed, you will be left with some items that you want to keep, but don’t want to have hanging around taking up space.

With a loft ladder and boarding, you could keep those items in the loft and be able to easily retrieve them when you want them. So, if you only use your camping equipment or sun shade for the beach once a year (well we can dream during lockdown) then you could have them out of sight in a properly boarded loft. The same goes for sentimental items like photos that you will put into albums one day or CDs that you no longer play, but can’t part with.

Not boarding your loft = wasting space

We can’t say it enough – if you have a loft that is not boarded then you are wasting space in your home. At an average cost of £35 a square metre, boarding might cost less than you think and enable you to revolutionise the way you organise your home. All those items that you are keeping for occasional use or for “one day” won’t need to crowd your living areas. You could swap over your winter and summer clothes, vacuum packing them for protection. Think about how much nicer it would be to organise your wardrobe space and see what you have to wear. Our customers nearly always have plans for what they will store in their loft and it always amazes us from fishing gear to dance trophies. Really the possibilities depend on you.  

We are taking bookings now and provide no-obligation quotes for jobs throughout Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands. Call us on 07712 327889.

We do more than board lofts and fit ladders for customers throughout Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

Want to fit a loft ladder but worried about safety? No worries, we can fit a bespoke handrail. Want to take larger items up to the loft? Again, no problem we can enlarge the loft hatch to make this simpler.

The above are just two examples of additional jobs that we can offer when boarding the loft or fitting a loft ladder.

Optional extras no problem for skilled carpenters

With over 10 years of experience in loft improvement, there is not much that we can’t fit as part of a job. These are all jobs that we only undertake as add-ons for customers meaning that you get the benefit of having skilled carpenters improve your loft.

The most popular add-on that we do is to build truss shelving. These shelves sit on the V of the roof trusses and provide a handy area for storage, leaving the floor clear to move around in your loft.

“We are doing more and more truss shelving,” says Stuart Dyson, owner of Stu’s Loft Ladders. “The cost is minimal as part of a loft boarding or ladder fitting job. Customers are obviously thinking ahead to how they are going to use the space they create.”

Truss shelving is not the only kind of bespoke storage we can build in. Whatever you need to store, we can most likely build shelving for it. A popular option is shelving that is the right size to store suitcases.

Handrails

In addition, we regularly fit handrails for customers who are worried about being unsteady on their feet, possibly due to ageing or disability. Having a handrail in the loft itself, makes customers feel secure and could prevent an accident.

Insulation

We can also add additional insulation if your existing levels are too low. It makes sense – we are up there working and so customers can get two jobs done at the same time.

So, if this has got you thinking, then give us a call on 07712 327 889 or fill in a contact form here.

I live in Warwickshire and I’m interested in loft boarding, but do I need to insulate first?

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

If the levels of insulation in your loft are not as you would like them then it is no problem – we are able to fit additional insulation as part of a loft boarding job!

Environmentally and financially it makes sense to increase the levels of insulation in your loft. With many of us working from home, we are spending more than ever on heating. We understand that you don’t want to have two separate firms in to sort out your loft, which is why we offer insulation fitting as an add-on to other loft jobs.  We source the insulation for you (so no handling those prickly fibres that get everywhere) and then fit it before boarding.

Did you know that the high quality boards we use actually increase the insulation levels in your home?

Should the insulation go above the level of the joists in the loft, we have a tried and tested system to sort that too. We build up the floor supports so that the level of the boarding is raised to accommodate and protect your new insulation.

To find out more contact us now. We provide a free, no obligation quote so you know what the final cost will be.

Loft Boarding Installation

Looking for storage in Warwickshire and Worcestershire? Why boarding the loft and fitting a loft ladder could save you money

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

The cost for us to fit a quality loft ladder starts from £295. This might seem like a considerable outlay, but if you are thinking about paying for storage, then you really should consider it. Having a sturdy and easy to use loft ladder means that you will be able to safely access your loft.

Compared to storage facilities, a loft ladder could pay for itself in six months

Storage in a dedicated facility comes in at around £50 per month for a 5ft x 7ft area or £85 for 6ft x 10ft. Some facilities may cost less, but sting you with an access charge every time you want to put something in or out.  Based on the lower of these two figures, a fitted loft ladder would pay for itself in six months. Of course, you would also have the benefit of it for as long as you need.

Every m2 of loft boarding is less than a month’s storage

The same is true of loft boarding.  Every job is different, but as a guide you could think about paying £35 per square metre with Stu’s Loft Ladders.  So, you could look at it, that every square metre is less than the cost of one month in storage. You could board an area of 10m2 and fit a ladder for around £650 total and, compared to the cheapest storage costs, break even in a year. To boot, you will have gained more storage space at home than that cost would have bought elsewhere with all the extra convenience.

Boarding the loft could add value to your home

Boarding the loft could add value to your home. As a job that many homebuyers think of doing, having a loft that is already boarded could help your home to stand out for practical-minded house viewers.

Unless you are storing large items such as bulky furniture, boarding the loft is a great alternative to paid-for storage. Think about it. Your loft is secure and you can access items whenever you need them. You can also store them indefinitely without the costs racking up as they would in a storage facility.

Take a look at our services page to find out more.

“I live in the West Midlands and would like my loft boarded, but there’s so much insulation!”

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

No problem, give us a call! You might think that you can’t board your loft because there are such thick layers of insulation, but we are used to seeing this and have a system that protects and even improves the thermal efficiency of your home.

Experienced carpenters

We raise the floor so there is no need to remove any of the loft insulation. This is particularly important if you are in a new build as you do not want to invalidate your new home warranty. We are experienced carpenters and can work around the nooks and crannies of your loft to create a raised boarding area that protects your insulation.

Boards improve thermal efficiency

We upgrade the floor supports to accommodate the insulation and then board over the top. Did you know that the boards we use actually help to conserve heat – another great reason to board your loft.

Contact us to find out more.

What to look for in a loft improvement firm in the West Midlands

Posted by Stu's Loft Ladders editorial team on

Prior to fitting a loft ladder or boarding a loft, we always provide a job-specific quote, either in person or from photos. We like to make sure that every quote is accurate and that customers have considered all the options. Nine times out of ten the customer awards us the job. During Covid we are finding that there are more firms offering loft improvement services – in difficult times, tradespeople diversify! Customers should beware and know what they are getting for their money, so we’ve drawn up a handy checklist of what to look for when choosing a tradesperson for a loft job.

Recommendation, recommendation, recommendation

We are not going to teach you to suck eggs – we all know that a recommendation is best. But we are also all open to being swayed by the idea of a bargain. Not all loft contractors are the same. Make sure you get a solid recommendation. Really you should be hearing the same name come up from several sources.

If no-one in your network can make a recommendation, then online local groups, such as Facebook’s Stratford Forum, Redditch Recommendations or the Bidford Forum are a good place to ask. Again, see if the same name comes up a few times. Check out your potential firm’s Facebook page – take a look at the number of customer reviews and how recent and regular they are. Also check that the firm’s own posts are accompanied by photos showing real life installations.

Ask questions

Talk to potential contractors and ask questions. They should be happy to answer them and to tailor the job to your home. You might not need a heavy duty timber ladder if you are storing smaller items. You might not need to board all of the loft. A good contractor will suggest what is right for you and your budget.

You don’t want to end up employing a cowboy!

Loft firm checklist

  • Are they experienced in lofts and carpentry – not all lofts are the same and contractors need to be able to do more than fit a standard kit
  • How long have they worked in your area and where are they based? You don’t want to go with someone who is intensively targeting your town for a period and then is gone.
  • Where do they source their loft ladders from? We use tried and tested ladders from a trade only supplier. We know they are top quality because we’ve fitted them on hundreds of jobs.
  • Is the price they quote what you will pay? Check that it includes all materials and VAT with no hidden extras.
  • Ask to see photos of recent jobs or if they can give you the details of a recent customer who is happy to talk to you.

Oh and did we mention recommendations!