NO! We do not hard sell, or constantly chase up our customers, if we have given you a price, we then leave you to make your own decision, we do not pass your details on to third parties etc, and we do not harass our customers, you are under NO OBLIGATION and our quotes/estimates are FREE.
All we ask, is that if you have any questions or concerns, to please get in touch so we can help and assist you.
We will not ask for deposits, or 'upfront materials' unless otherwise already agreed and in writing.
We are often asked ‘Does installing a Raised timber deck, XL Loftlegs, Loftzone etc in our loft, invalidate our NHBC warranty?’ This has been discussed in regards to this issue at length with the NHBC Technical Department and consulted a Chartered Structural Engineer to ensure we can provide the best possible advice to our customers. It is also important to clarify that this statement applies to all raised loft storage systems.
The NHBC responded with....
It is therefore imperative for our customer’s peace of mind that we confirm that installing a Raised timber deck, XL Loft Legs or Loftzone kits will not cause the defects mentioned above. The NHBC has confirmed that....
Chartered Structural Engineers confirm the above is correct and that trusses in new homes that are fitted with a loft hatch should be designed to BS 6399-1:1996*. This states that the truss must be designed to carry a 25kg/m² loading for storage and a 90Kg load to account for a person accessing the loft.
Therefore we can confirm that a correctly installed and loaded raised loft storage system will not invalidate the NHBC warranty and that if the new house was constructed with a loft hatch then the trusses should have been designed to support a storage load of 25kg/m² and a 90kg person.
*Extract from BS 6399-1:1996
5.2 Ceiling Supports and similar structures
The following loads are appropriate for the design of frames and covering of access hatches (other than glazing),
supports of ceilings and similar structures:
a) without access: no imposed load: or
b) with access: 0.25KN/m² uniformly distributed over the whole area and a concentrated load of 0.9KN so placed as
to produce the maximum effect in the supporting members
Lighting is important for your loft; you need to see what you are doing and where you are standing.
We can install a simple LED light bulb and switch, so you can immediately switch on the light before stepping off your ladder. No point having a switch further inside where you can’t see to switch it on.
We install LED bulbs as standard nowadays or LED tubes as an alternative.
LED bulbs are now the norm, as everything is converting to LED because it's much cheaper to run than the older incandescent bulbs and last considerably longer. A 6w LED bulb is equivalent to the old 40w incandescent bulb, which gave off around 470 lumen's.
We recommend 1 bulb per 14ft (4.5m) or 1 LED tube per 24ft (7.3m)
When going for lighting, the modern way is to choose is by Lumens not watts. The more lumens, the brighter the light. Lumens are to light, what litres are to milk.
LED tube lighting is our most popular type of lighting because they are energy saving, and have a very high lumen rating (for the watts output), and spread the light much further than a standard bulb. If you plan to use your loft quite a lot for storage, hobby or study room then we recommend a tube light.
A 4ft LED tube light can give out as much light as 7 bulbs, but uses less energy to do so as its equivalent to only 36w instead of 280w for 7 bulbs,
We often get asked to create a working platform, stage or walkway for any contractors who may need to access your loft to work on Boilers, Solar panel equipment, TV or networking equipment, pipe work or electric cables. A contractor can refuse to do this work, if there is no safe area to walk on or if the access to your loft is not suitable or dangerous.
We can help provide easy safe, access to your equipment in your loft by providing what is recommend for working at height safety requirements.
The walkway / boarding must be constructed by using a raised sub-frame system to avoid compression of any existing loft insulation. Any insulation compression will diminish the effectiveness of the insulation considerably.
Loft safety is very important, accidents can happen and helping prevent them especially in lofts is very important. The most common accidents in lofts are falling through the ceiling and falling down the loft hatch opening.
In both cases we can help prevent this from happening, by installing good quality strong flooring in the areas you want to access and install a rail or balustrade around the opening of the hatch, to stop anyone from walking backwards or stumbling towards the loft hatch. It’s a long way down and could be quite nasty, so it’s worth considering installing a safety balustrade or railing.
We can make and install simple wooden balustrades, or we can install universal metal rail versions, which simply install to your loft joists or flooring. If you need a helping hand getting in to your loft, why not have installed a hand grab rail to assist your balance when climbing the ladder in to the loft area? We can also create a safety balustrade around the edge of the boarding, to prevent stepping off the safe boarded area on to the plaster board ceiling.
Please speak to us, so we can understand your requirements.
Yes we do, it's important that your insulation is up to the latest standards as heat rises, and in a home with just half of today's recommended levels of insulation, a quarter of your heat is lost through the roof.
Insulating your loft, an attic or flat roof is a simple and effective way to save that waste and reduce your heating bill. Loft insulation is effective for at least 40 years, and it will pay for itself over and over again in that time. If your loft is already insulated, it's worth checking that you've got enough insulation to get the maximum saving.
If everyone in the UK installed 270mm loft insulation, we could save nearly £210 million and almost 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, the equivalent of taking nearly 364,000 cars off the road. Installing 270mm of loft insulation will save the average household around £187 a year.
Important: Storing items in your loft incorrectly can compromise the efficiency of your loft insulation. Putting boxes and suitcases away in your loft directly onto your insulation will start to cost you more money on your heating bills because you are effectively making it impossible to breathe and circulate air through the fibres. Wool fibre type loft insulation must be none compressed, so air can circulate through it to be most effective. Boarding directly onto insulation or squashing it down in between your joists will also reduce its efficiency considerably.
Building regulations specifications
The door is unlocked by using your hand, or the stow away ladder pole, by sliding to open the catch mechanism. This door can also be used in conjunction with the aluminum and telescopic loft ladders.
The revolutionary design of the multi-point catch mechanism means that this door can maintain a more effective draught seal around the entire accessible opening, helping to meet the air leakage requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations and preventing the problem of moist warm air entering.
This loft door has been independently tested by the BRE to BS EN 13141-1:2004, and easily surpasses the requirements for air leakage, which are outlined in the current building standards, certification is available.
Having updated your insulation level to the government recommended 270mm, but what about your badly sealed and inefficient out of date, and maybe very small loft hatch? The most important part of retaining heat in your home is to heavily insulate the ceiling area at the top of your landing, and update the old loft hatch to a more efficient modern building regulation spec hatch. Your upstairs landing is where most of the downstairs heat ends up, and a bad loft hatch will just let it all through, costing you £100's a year There is just no point in having a heavily insulated loft and leaving in the old inefficient loft hatch.
Reverse hinging an old wood loft hatch is no longer seen as good practice, as it does not comply with air leakage requirements of Part L of Building Regulations. Also, your loft hatch needs to be a good size to allow items, a ladder and yourself to pass through.
We can replace, make larger, move and improve your loft access door!
We do various standard stowaway, aluminium loft ladders for various ceiling heights. The floor to ceiling reach maximum needs to be about 2.69m to 3.0m and come complete with an operating pole to reach and stow the loft ladder in your loft space. With non-slip 'D' rungs and load capacity 150kg (23.5st), these ladders are super strong and safe to use, passing BS certification EN14975. They only weigh from about 4.3kg so they aren't hard to put to use.
We only install the best top quality aluminum stowaway loft ladders, ladders that we are familiar with and have installed for many years. We do not use alternative cheap imports which have not been tested for safety or use in the UK.
Our ladders do not come as standard with a handrail, so they may need to be ordered separately if you need one. But not all aluminum ladders can have a handrail as they may not make one for it, so please speak to us so we can understand your needs and requirements.
All our ladders are installed by our experienced fitters, and all work and parts are guaranteed and warranted as standard!
Ladder installation does not include a loft hatch, this is a separate item that may or may not be required and is priced separately.
If your current hatch swings down to open, and you are happy with this, you will not require a replacement hatch.
Boarding directly onto your joists by removing or squashing insulation is bad practice nowadays. If you're boarding your own loft, follow the advice given on our website and if you choose another company to do it, make sure they are doing as advised here. If you are not confident in what another company describes or proposes to do, contact us for free advice on 07553139123.
Your insulation and loft need to have airflow. Stopping air circulation in lofts by boarding all of your loft or blocking eaves, roof or soffit vents can cause problems like condensation build-up, which may lead to damp ceilings and loft timbers. Do not squash insulation down, and if you use a sub-frame above your insulation, do not box in the ends so that air can pass underneath your storage floor and through the insulation so it can work efficiently.
NO! Completely boarding your loft is not advisable. If done incorrectly can prevent air circulation in your loft and lead to condensation build up, so it's best to leave the lower outer areas like the eaves free from boarding. As mentioned, it’s just adding unnecessary expense boarding areas that you can’t reach easily so therefore you won’t use.
Boarding more than 3/4 of your loft space will not conform to current building regulation part L (The conservation of fuel and power). Air flow is very important in a loft space, so it must never be compromised.
Any area can be boarded, providing the area in your loft will allow it and it can be made strong enough to allow boarding, and that the airflow of your loft is not compromised at all.
Normally, we only board areas which are accessible by standing or kneeling but not lying down. Keeping your storage area central, and at the highest point will be most practical.
There is no point going to the unnecessary expense of boarding your eaves, as they are too low and not really that accessible. Plus you need to keep these areas clear so as to allow airflow around your loft, this is very important.
New build properties are completely different to older purlin style roofed houses, such as Pre-war terraced and detached. In some cases Timber self-supporting sub-frames are required in these houses to add support and strength so as not to rely upon the existing ceiling joists so a much safer, stronger area can be gained.
Part L of the building regulations governs the conservation of fuel and power used by buildings. This affects brand new properties and older existing properties. All energy-efficient products work to a U value, which is the heat loss measurement. The lower the U value the better the energy efficiency will be.
What we at Inner Loft / Inner Group do is never decrease the energy efficiency of a property, in fact, we actually increase it by suggesting replacing old loft hatches and topping up insulation levels.
Although we always conform to building regulations where applicable, and always make sure your existing joists are supported or strengthened, building control can be a grey area sometimes when it comes to building work.
So, if you decide to have your loft boarded for more than just storage, like a mini loft conversion or luxury loft storage room and depending on where you are in the country and type of property (listed or other) this may or may not require an application to building control.
No planning permission is required, but a wildlife license may be required if the work affects protected species like bats etc. This information is available by contacting your local building authority.
You do not require planning permission to board a loft for storage. Planning permission is only required for major works or large attic/loft conversions for living extension purposes. However, in some homes the timber joists may not be adequate in strength to support a "load" or storage weight.
In Most new houses, the joists may only require a simple raised sub-frame to be of a correct height to avoid loft insulation compression or removal.
Insulation has to comply to the relevant building regulations, both when installed and when fitted retrospectively.
Very strong because we use purpose-made 18mm thick, tongue and groove particle board, which is made from various recyclable particle materials held together with super strong glue, this gives a strong secure fit. It's safe to walk on and store on, distributing weight evenly over the raised deck system or sub-frame (the framework we build underneath the boards) surface allows really safe strong storage.
Very strong because we use purpose-made 18mm thick, tongue and groove particle board, which is made from various recyclable particle materials held together with super strong glue, this gives a strong secure fit. It's safe to walk on and store on, distributing weight evenly over the raised deck system or sub-frame (the framework we build underneath the boards) surface allows really safe strong storage.
Very strong because we use purpose-made 18mm thick, tongue and groove particle board, which is made from various recyclable particle materials held together with super strong glue, this gives a strong secure fit. It's safe to walk on and store on, distributing weight evenly over the raised deck system or sub-frame (the framework we build underneath the boards) surface allows really safe strong storage.
This is common with boarded or non-boarded loft spaces. There are 100's of factors that can cause this, but it’s not the boarding.
Raised loft boarding continues to allow air circulation in the loft space so no restrictions or blockages are created.
The cause is usually something that generates heat, even in the slightest, like an aerial amplifier, solar PV controls, boiler, water pipes, electric cables, NAS computer/CCTV equipment, lack of insulation in certain areas and leaving the hatch open for long periods of time.
Once condensation has built up it may take some weeks to dissipate, especially if it remains to be cold, close to freezing point.
A solution to try is to get some extra soffit or roof vents fitted, check for obvious tiny leaks into the loft from down below.
We recommend another layer of breathable membrane fixed to the roof truss, this acts as a double layer that water cannot penetrate through and also provides an air gap between the inside of the loft and the outer layer.
Next year it may not do it again, it just seems to happen more when it has snowed or heavily frosted and this suffocates the breathable membrane under the roof tiles preventing normal airflow, same as icing up on the roof as well, these are the main issues that cause condensation on the roof.
Warm air meeting cold air creates condensation, even the slightest bit of warm air, it does not have to be hot at all. Ceiling air leaks are common, holes in the airing cupboard ceilings or boiler placement upstairs does not help when it is very cold outside.
We advise you should always put items like clothes, soft toys, moisture sensitive and material items in a bag or vacuum seal bags to prevent dust, debris, and condensation from getting to them.
A loft is not a warm space. In most cases, by the time you have got a workman to fit the extra vents, the condensation has gone! and it may not appear again for some time, not even next winter.
It's all about the weather, the cold, internal heat sources, and moisture in the air that causes this reaction.
In a lot of cases, it is something that cannot be helped. There will most likely always be some degree of condensation in your loft space.
This is not recommended due to the shifting weight that would be concentrated in 1 area. It is also unlikely there would be ideal headroom for this.
New houses constructed with loft hatches, built to British Standards are designed to carry 25kg per square metre of permanent load and 180kg per square metre of temporary load. Our floors are designed to hold more capacity than this. But we recommend sticking to this capacity.
One of the most common questions we get asked is “Will boarding my loft void my NHBC warranty?” The short answer is NO it will not affect your warranty as long as it is installed correctly. There are several reasons your builder may say otherwise with the following reasons: • It will squash the insulation – this is not true. • The roof trusses are not strong enough to carry the extra weight – the roof structure is strong enough. • It will cause damp – this is not true if done correctly with a raised loft boarding system like ours. • It will invalidate your NHBC warranty – correctly fitting loft boards using one of our raised floor systems will not affect your warranty.
We have a separate page dedicated to all the NHBC information which is direct.
Absolutely. Inner loft / Inner Group specialize in boarding out new and old loft spaces. All our work is carried out in accordance with building regulations and does not affect your NHBC new build warranty
Depending on the size of the area and the ease of access, most loft boarding jobs take between one and two days to install.
If you're converting your loft into an extra bedroom, or a room that is considered a living space, the work will have to meet the government's Building Regulations. The room must be accessible via a permanent staircase and must have the correct fire regulations. You require a full loft conversion, Unfortunately, this is not something we do.
You can board out your loft without Building consent but it can only be used for storage or a non-living space. Such as a hobby room, etc.
Yes, as long as the boarding is raised above your insulation level and has a small gap to allow airflow. Not raising the boarding can cause dampness and mould to form in your loft from restricting the airflow.
No. putting boards directly onto your joists. Will squash your insulation and restrict airflow in your loft. Not only is this against building regulations but it can also cause damp and mould to form in your loft from restricting the airflow.
The answer is, almost always, yes. Most lofts can be boarded, although the installation is not always simple. There are restrictions/regulations around what you can and cant do in your loft.
One of the most common questions we get asked by our customers is “Will boarding my loft void my NHBC warranty?”
The answer is NO, it will not affect your NHBC warranty providing it is installed correctly.
There are quite a few reasons your builder may say otherwise with the following reasons:
It will squash the insulation –this is not true, the kits we install raise above the insulation (300mm)
The roof trusses are not strong enough to carry the extra weight – the roof structure is strong enough.
It will cause damp – this is not true if done correctly with a raised loft boarding system like ours.
It will invalidate your NHBC warranty – correctly fitting loft boards using one of our raised floor systems will not affect your warranty.
Please see our NHBC Section, with the NHBC statement for further peace of mind.
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