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

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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?

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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

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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

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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.

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.

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.

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

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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.

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

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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.