Wednesday 9 December 2015

Want loft storage but your builder / developer recommend you don't?

Do you have a new build house?
Want loft storage but your builder / developer recommend you don't?
Want to know why they recommend you don't get your loft boarded?

This is very common these day's that pretty much all developers / builders of new homes do not recommend you board your loft.
So why won't they recommend boarding out your loft?
The answer to this is twofold. Firstly they do not like to recommend any products, tradesmen or service providers for the simple reason if things go wrong they don't want the comeback.
This I can understand as they cannot guarantee these tradesmen will be reputable even if they have been used by others in the past, so they leave it to you to find your own tradesmen / services.
I recommend you use a Safe Trader scheme, usually run by your local council by trading standards who have a list of reputable tradesmen in your area.
The second reason they don't want you to board your loft is the fact that there is a lot of insulation in new builds and its very high, so they presume to board a loft they insulation would have to be removed or worse still squashed.
Unfortunately this can be the case with a cowboy builder or DIYer who has no knowledge of building regulations or good building practice.
Not too many years ago there was an influx of these "so called joiners" knocking on the doors of new build housing estates and selling cheap loft boarding from as little as £200.
What these guys didn't know is how to install a safe strong supporting sub-frame to hold the boarding and storage weight.
They used to remove the loft insulation and throw in the eaves or worse still they would squash it down so much it popped the plasterboard fixings, and later caused damp and mould issues.
So as a result of all this come back on the builders / developers over the years they have decided not to recommend using your loft for storage.
But... There is now a way to safety board your loft for storage even if you have high insulation levels without having to remove it or squash it down.
There is a system called LoftZone raised loft floor, and this allows a simple but very unique raised platform to be built above the insulation levels of up to 300mm, without any compromise to the existing insulation.
This system is supported by the carbon trust, its energy efficient and is made in the UK. It's won many awards including invention of the year at the Ideal Home Exhibition.
So now you know there is a product to board a loft in a new build house why won't the developers use it? Now the problem is that the builders / developers still have their blinkers on and even though some are starting to see the light, they still won't recommend boarding your loft for storage for no other reason than because of bad boarding in the past.
Now this new system has been introduced on to the market and is professionally installed by factory approved and certified installers. Things are about to change.
Oh yes, although the builders / developers will never recommend a trade but having your loft boarded professionally they cannot disagree with as it is all done to a code of practice, is safe and does not affect the loft insulation, cause condensation or weaken your ceiling or roof.
Done professionally you can get storage in your new home without fear of it being done in the wrong way or some poor DIY job someone may charge you for.
FREE surveys and written detailed quotes should always provided for this type of work, (as simple as it may seem) it cannot be guessed at. Never do the deal over the phone or by email.
If you are looking for a qualified installer for these types of loft storage products why not start by searching http://nationwideloftstorage.co.uk/
Link to safe trader www.traderregister.org.uk
Northwest Approved Installer http://www.loft-boarding-nw.co.uk