Why board your loft? Who wants to clamber around that dusty space? You can easily put a few boxes up there after all and it will save you money and hassle, right? Not quite! 
 
Boarding your loft has numerous benefits beyond making it easier to “put a few boxes up there”. And the cost and hassle are really pretty low in relation to the advantages. 
 
1. More space — for storage and for living 
This is the obvious one — boarding a part, or all, of your loft creates masses more storage space for stuff up there, and moving stuff to the loft removes clutter and creates space downstairs (for more stuff, or for people to move around more comfortably). A typical loft of a semi has a loft area of around 40-50 square meters. This is a lot of room, and if you just use the space around the hatch to place carefully balanced boxes on the joists, you are NOT utilising any of that. 
 
2. Much easier and safer access 
Fitting loft boards creates flooring in your attic, so you don’t need to worry about falling through the gaps between the joists into the room below, or sticking your foot through the ceiling. Boarding will allow you to say goodbye to precarious balancing on the joists every time you need to venture beyond the hatch area. And the older you get, the more important this benefit will become. 
 
3. Lower energy bills 
Boarding provides extra thermal insulation for your roof space. Some panels are insulated, others can be laid over existing insulation increasing its efficiency. Considering that up to 30% of the heat loss from a house happens through the roof, anything that shaves even part from that number is a good idea. 
 
4. Better sound insulation 
As with heat, the same with sound. An extra layer of solid material above the ceiling will help dampen any sound pollution, from the noise of rain to road or airplane traffic. 
 
5. No more external storage 
If you already use external storage facilities, you might find that boarding your attic creates enough room for all your stuff to be moved back home without cluttering up your garage or living areas. This means easier access and no more bills from the storage facility. 
 
6. Increase your house value 
Granted, a full, habitable loft conversion will have a much bigger impact on the price you can ask for your house when selling it. But that’s a big-ticket investment, needs time and creates quite an inconvenience. Simply boarding your loft will make your property more attractive to potential buyers, while creating a basic, non-habitable loft conversion will definitely add value to your property. 
 
7. Extra room for casual use 
A full room-in-the-roof loft conversion with all the bells and whistles, one that conforms to all the safety requirements and building regulations, will set you back by at least £15k, and that’s the minimum — the actual prices is more likely to be over £20,000 and can go as high as £40,000. Basic boarding is much cheaper! Creating a luxury storage room lies somewhere in between price wise but has all the advantages of avoiding the red tape, while reaping some of the benefits of more comfortable, usable and simply more pleasant space. This could involve creating fitted eaves storage or custom-build cupboards and shelving, lining the ‘’walls” (i.e. the roof), installing roof windows and more. 
 
Whether you want to book a survey, get a quote or simply ask any questions on loft boarding or anything else related to all things loft – do get in touch. 
 
The Loft Access Company have over 22 years’ experience in all things loft related - including installing loft insulation. If have any other questions or would like to book in a no-obligation survey, please get in touch. Thank you for reading! 
 
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