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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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

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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

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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

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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

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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.