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.