Loft boarding

jlss said:
Yeh loft insulation is horrid stuff i don't like it myself, brings me out in a rash and itching for ages after.

Tounge and groove is good stuff tbh.

4x4 is not that big really, was the loft ladder included aswell purchased by the builder and installed aswell ?
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I'd have to cover head to toe and face mask or I'd be off work for a week. Fibreglass (or whatever) nearly kills me :D. One of few things I'm a pansy about.

Loft-ladder is including in the price but I've found a few for <£70.

We haven't said yes yet. I've asked for a break down and he's hesitated which to me suggests he's ripping me off and is now attempting to fudge it.
 
jlss said:
Yeh loft insulation is horrid stuff i don't like it myself, brings me out in a rash and itching for ages after.

Tounge and groove is good stuff tbh.

4x4 is not that big really, was the loft ladder included aswell purchased by the builder and installed aswell ?
Click to expand...

You can get it in tin foil type stuff. Plus there's always sheep's wool and some other kind of fiber that doesn't irritate the **** out of you.

I quite agree though, glass fiber/fiber glass (can i spell fiber/fibre?, probably not.) is evil, wicked, nasty, horrible stuff.
 
You have to ensure you know exactly what you are getting for your money befor you can complain.

For exemple, is it a cheap nasty loft ladder which is just been attached to the existing hatch board or a proper new one with insulation built in and made of wood with a bannister as this cost £120?

Does you existing loft hatch board swing down or does it lift up? If lifting up then he will have to modify your hatch to make one which swings down.

As stated already does you insulation go over the existing joists? If so then he will need to raise the joists for the area you are having covered which is more material costs and labour.

It could be a very cheap deal if all the above is required. If it's just boards and a simpl ladder then it is expensive.
 
just about to do this myself, B&Q do proper loftboards (cheap wood) ladder, saw all that is needed.. you cant go wrong if you can cut wood and hit a nail, at the end of the day it does not need to be 'pristine finish'
 
Greebo said:
You have to ensure you know exactly what you are getting for your money befor you can complain.

For exemple, is it a cheap nasty loft ladder which is just been attached to the existing hatch board or a proper new one with insulation built in and made of wood with a bannister as this cost £120?

Does you existing loft hatch board swing down or does it lift up? If lifting up then he will have to modify your hatch to make one which swings down.

As stated already does you insulation go over the existing joists? If so then he will need to raise the joists for the area you are having covered which is more material costs and labour.

It could be a very cheap deal if all the above is required. If it's just boards and a simpl ladder then it is expensive.
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I don't know the details, and am awaiting the breakdown.

It will be a cheap nasty ladder for sure (at our request, will barely be used), but a new swing down hatch.

From what I remember joists are largely at the level of the insulation, save for an inch max.

Maybe I just live in the wrong world, costing wise.
 
I would always recommend screws not nails.
Screws are easier to remove should you need to, but also the nails will send shocks down the timber into the ceiling plaster. If your unlucky it will dislodge or weaken the plaster and you could spend loads of time filling and repainting the ceilings :)
 
So you've got

Battens probably an inch
New boarding
Loft ladder
Loft hatch

All the labour, plant, materials and waste taken away

Yes you live in the wrong world
 
The people who were in my house previously boarded over part of the loft by the insulation raises above the joists which as meant the chipboard is squashing it down and probably loosing its insulating properties.

Have any of you use the spaceboard and then chipboard on top? or is it better to use battons to raise it and then lay the chipboard? Are the battons screwed to the joists first and then the chipboard into the battons?
 
Would love to get mine done but there's no way in hell I'm going to do it. Need to find a ladder I wouldn't be scared of falling down, and a tradesman who will do it without fleecing me (I seem to pick them every time).
 
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Berserker said:
Would love to get mine done but there's no way in hell I'm going to do it. Need to find a ladder I wouldn't be scared of falling down, and a tradesman who will do it without fleecing me (I seem to pick them every time).
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Use ones which are recommended by friends and get them on a small job first :)
 
robskinner said:
I would always recommend screws not nails.
Screws are easier to remove should you need to, but also the nails will send shocks down the timber into the ceiling plaster. If your unlucky it will dislodge or weaken the plaster and you could spend loads of time filling and repainting the ceilings :)
Click to expand...
 
Jono said:
You can get it in tin foil type stuff. Plus there's always sheep's wool and some other kind of fiber that doesn't irritate the **** out of you.

I quite agree though, glass fiber/fiber glass (can i spell fiber/fibre?, probably not.) is evil, wicked, nasty, horrible stuff.
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Yeh know what you mean about the foil type stuff, i just assumed he had the old style crap already laid down nasty horrid stuff it is. :D

Is the only building material that does not agree with me.
 
Remember with boarding a loft, most older house's joists won't give you enough room for the recommended level of insulation (270mm IIRC). What we ended up doing was having the 100mm already there, then two layers of Knauf Space Board and then boarding over the top of that (2 layers of space board = ~ 200MM of insulation).

Needed some *really* long screws to get all the way down to joists, picked them up from screwfix.
 
A loft floor needs to reinforced in order to become strong enough to walk on regularly. Putting boards down isnt the whole job though maybe yours is already upto spec, a ceiling joist is different to a floor joist
 
As said, do not use nails, and I would insulate before you do it, will be better for you in the long run.
 
not just as simple as people have said, cutting out the hole in the ceiling in the right place, as well as having to trim out with timber for the loft ladder....If its going to be trod on a lot, youd have to make sure the ceiling joists are adequate, whch they probs wont be, 4x2's most likely, if you were to board over the existing joists, expect cracks in your ceilings below.....a days work for someone who knows what there doing if the joists dont need replacing...(if its not going to be in use often).

Could say 12-15 an hour for most tradesmen...do the maths + materials.
 
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