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

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.

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

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

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.

Loft Boarding Installation

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

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.

Live in Warwickshire or Worcestershire? What to expect when we board your loft

Ever thought about boarding your loft, but thought it would be too much hassle? All that dust and disruption, you may have thought. Tradespeople walking mess through the house as the job drags on. If that was your mental image then read on to see that the reality is very different – hardly any disruption or mess and the whole job is normally done in less than a day!

Keeping customers safe during Covid

Now more than ever, you may be nervous about having people in your home. We want to reassure customers that we are following guidelines to keep you as safe as possible. That means wearing masks when we are not in the loft space, hand sanitising before we come into your home and taking away any waste materials and wiping surfaces when we leave. We also recommend opening windows on the floor with the loft access. We are always respectful that it is your home and you need to feel comfortable.

Will you need to see the loft before the job?

Ideally, yes. The price we give you is the price you will pay. As every loft is different we arrange a brief visit before we quote to make sure that it is accurate. This also means that we can make suggestions to help you make the most of the loft space. Perhaps you assumed a wooden ladder would be best, but there is not sufficient space. We can recommend telescopic loft ladders that are strong and easy to use. Or you might find the loft access point tricky, but not have realised that is is a relatively simple job for us to move it altogether.

When will you be able to start the job?

We are a small, family-run business and so we can be flexible around your needs. Generally speaking, we can book most jobs in within a few weeks on a day to suit your schedule.

How long will the job take?

Of course, every job is unique, but we have been doing this for a decade and find that 95% of the jobs we do can be completed within the day. Normally we are done by afternoon leaving you free to start storing items in your newly accessible loft space. There is always the exception and, if you have a very large loft area to board, then we may have to come back the next morning – it will be the next morning as we only do one job at a time.

How much mess will there be?

If we are boarding the loft then nearly all of the work is done in that space, including cutting the boards so that there is little disruption to your living space. If we are fitting a ladder, then we will work around the loft access but this creates no mess. If we are enlarging or moving the loft hatch then there is a little more involved, but we always put down dust sheets that protect your floors. Rest assured we see cleaning up as part of the job. Once recent customer commented that her husband didn’t even notice that we had been there until she pointed out that the loft hatch had changed. But then if we are fitting a new loft hatch, we even paint around it so that it looks as if it was always there!

Fixed loft ladders and boarding help home-owners put safety first in the Midlands

This week we were messaged on our Facebook page by a homeowner in the Midlands whose husband had put his foot through the ceiling of their bedroom whilst trying to retrieve boxes from the loft. Whilst the image of a boot coming through the ceiling calls to mind a scene from a classic British sit-com, it does raise a serious question – how safe is your loft?

Making loft access safe in the Midlands

Loft boarding

Ok, so we know that there are more exciting things to spend your hard-earned cash on than loft boarding, but if you are balancing in your loft space between joists, then you really need to think about it. You will reap the reward for years to come and avoid the nightmare scenario like our Facebook friend of having to repair a hole in your ceiling. Or worse, a trip to A & E. Loft boarding can be completed in less than a day and will even add to the insulation in your property, so it is a win-win situation.

Install a fixed ladder

Without a doubt, the single most important thing you can do to improve safety when accessing your loft is to install a fixed ladder. We are often surprised at how risk-averse adults will blithely climb a precarious step ladder carrying heavy boxes. Not to mention having to heave themselves up to the loft from the platform of a ladder that stops short of the ceiling.  A fixed ladder means just that – it will not move from under you. Add to that a hand-rail and your ascent to the loft is not only much easier, but far safer. Some of our customers have thought for years about getting a fixed ladder before age catches up with them and they decide that they just can’t take the risk of using a step ladder any more. Stu’s Loft Ladders can even build a handrail around the opening in the loft if you want to increase safety when coming down the ladder too.

Reposition the hatch

Housebuilders often position loft hatches on the landing so as to avoid bedrooms with heavy furniture. This can mean that the hatch is a bit too near the stairs for comfort. We can move the loft hatch – either partially so that we change its orientation, or close it up and relocate to a safer and more convenient location. If you are using a step ladder to access your loft hatch near the stairs, then you really should call us in to talk about making the whole process safer.

In summary, if you feel that accessing your loft is not safe then it probably isn’t and you should talk to the experts. Contact us now to find out more.

Looking for loft improvements in the Midlands – why choose a specialist loft company?

We specialise in improving lofts and loft access. It’s what we do, day in day out and it’s been that way for more than 10 years.

You can’t beat experience

All our experience means that very little throws us on a job because we’ve seen in all. Loft access in an awkward place? No problem, we can change the orientation of the opening or even move it altogether. Roof is low where the loft ladder comes up – again we can easily solve this with the right ladder which will not require much stowage space.

We can easily enlarge the loft opening to make it a more practical size, as above, or even move it altogether

Not all quotes are equal

We pride ourselves on offering value for money. We work quickly and efficiently because we know our trade inside out, which means that our prices are competitive. As always, be aware of quotes that seem too good to be true. Some firms will quote low to get the work. Check what exactly is included in the quote. The price you get should be the most you will pay on the day without any hidden extras. You should also find out what kind of ladder you are getting.

There can be a huge difference in loft ladders in terms of their specification and what weight they can bear. We only source top quality ladders from a specialist trade supplier that we have been using for a decade. Our happy customers are testament to the reliability of the products.

We only fit the best quality ladders whether aluminium or timber such as this one

Bespoke details

You might want more than the standard loft package. We are trained carpenters and can add in bespoke items. Recently one customer with mobility issues asked for a custom-made railing around the loft opening so that she could use it safely. We can also build loft storage with shelves wide enough to take bulky boxes and suitcases. 

Above: this customer wanted a bespoke safety rail

We take out the hassle factor

We often share photos of the jobs that we do under the title of “what a difference a day makes.” Our experience means that we can complete most jobs in less than a day- leaving you free to start storing and organising your belongings in the new space we create. We use large dust sheets and take away any debris with us. We can even paint loft hatches so that you would think they had been there all along. 

Customer recommendations

The fact that we have been improving lofts for more than a decade means that we have lots of recent reviews from happy customers. Take a look at the reviews section of this website and see our Facebook page. We are proud to be called reliable, professional and friendly by our customers.

Contact us now for a no-obligation quote and find out why using a specialist is best!

New build owners in Redditch increase space with loft boarding

New houses are getting smaller. That is according to research from LABC Warranty, the body that provides warranties for new build homes. The research reveals that houses built in 2010 onwards are an average of 4m2 smaller than those built a decade before. The average living room is now 1.6m2 smaller too and bedroom size is also shrinking.

Stu’s Loft Ladders has been pretty busy since lockdown eased and what we are noticing is that a large proportion of our work is in new build properties. Surely if you have bought a new build you have everything you need with built-in storage? Apparently not. The size of properties means that a couple of years into ownership people who love their homes are hankering after more space and looking upwards.

New build loft boarding and ladder fitting in Redditch 

This week we improved loft storage in two relatively new properties in Worcestershire: one in Webheath, Redditch and one in Feckenham, a village just outside the town.

You can see from the pictures the difference that boarding makes. In the house below it was previously impossible to store things in a clean and tidy manner. With the loft boarded, suddenly the owners were able to free up space in their living areas and bedrooms.  Not bad for a day’s work.

We are always willing to talk through your questions – please call us on 07712 327889. 

Looking for loft ladders and loft boarding in the Midlands – Get ready with a September Sort Out

For many of us, whether we have children in school or not, September always feels like a fresh start. The summer is over and it’s time to address those issues and jobs that have waited until it is business as usual. Although in 2020 nothing is “as usual,” students returning to school and workers back to the office, still provide a taste of normality and the chance to look ahead. 

September Sort Out is doing its annual rounds of promotion on social media and online – you can easily find a calendar to help you tackle the contents of your entire house in just 15 minutes a day over the course of the month. Having a “good sort out” is one of the most quoted reasons from our customers for boarding the loft and or fitting a fixed ladder. Nobody wants to board the loft to fill it immediately with junk they have been hoarding elsewhere. Usually they intend to store clearly labelled boxes with contents that have already with sorted and organised. We all start with good intentions!

Decluttering Top tips for loft storage

If you are having a September Sort Out. Here are our top tips:

  1. Tackle a small area first. Even if you want to declutter the whole house, starting with one bookcase or problem area is less daunting. You can do the rest in time. You don’t have to stick to a schedule, but breaking the task down into manageable chunks makes sense.
  2. Before you start, gather together five boxes or bags and label them: items to throw away, recycling, charity shop, for sale, and a final one for storage.
  3. Ask yourself, “When did I last use this item?” If it was more than a year ago, then think, “Why am I keeping it?” If it is for sentimental reasons then maybe you could display the item somewhere to enjoy it, rather than gathering dust in a pile. If it is an item that you may need in the future, but don’t use regularly, then it is probably perfect to store in the loft.
  4. Think about how you store items. A box with a lid will keep the items in good condition so that you don’t feel like you are just dumping them out of sight to gather mildew. For clothes, think about vacuum packing to keep them moth and dust free. Items sorted and grouped and even labelled will save time in the future – we all know this, but sometimes can’t be bothered or just want to get on with the job. Gathering the right storage boxes or bags in advance, together with labels and marker pens, means that it is much more likely to happen.
  5. Think about your loft access. If you don’t have a fixed ladder, then adding one can make an enormous difference to how easily and safely you can retrieve items. If you are balancing between ceiling joists when you go up to your loft, then it is definitely time to think about getting it boarded.

We help Warwickshire and Worcestershire homeowners reclaim space with loft improvements

Love having the family home but wish there was more storage space?

So for lockdown you were delighted that family members came home to stay? Several months later and you are still glad, but wish that they would sort their stuff out. Or take some of it to the tip? Perhaps they went back to their own homes or back to uni but still left you minding some of their belongings.

Whether it is children home from university or family members who lived alone and opted to move in, we all come with so much stuff these days. Space is at a premium in our homes and extending or moving is not always an option, particularly in the strange times that are 2020.

In less than a day, we help customers to declutter by providing loft improvement services. There is often a lot of wasted space sitting above our heads that can become usable storage with little interruption to your home lives.  

Loft boarding

Loft Boarding Installation

We can board all or only part of your loft. This doesn’t mean compromising on insulation – you can keep that in place and the boards we use increase the heat efficiency of your home.

Fixed loft ladder

A fixed ladder makes accessing the loft safer; you know that the ladder is not going to move around when you are on it. There are several options for budget and preference depending on the space you have.

Enlarge or move the loft hatch

The third part of the service we provide is to improve the loft opening itself. We can enlarge loft hatches, fit a new, neat surround and hatch door or even move the opening to somewhere more convenient.

So, if you need to accommodate belongings – yours and those of family members  – then maybe looking up will provide the answer.