Close to home in Hagley
Hagley is one of the closest places we work, just south of Stourbridge across the county line into Worcestershire. Much of the village grew through the twentieth century, so alongside a handful of older cottages and period houses you will find streets of interwar and post-war semis, roomy 1960s and 1970s detached homes and a good number of bungalows, plus some newer infill. Each of those has its own loft personality.
Detached houses with roomy roofs
Many detached homes in Hagley and West Hagley have wide, uninterrupted roof spaces. That is great news for storage, but larger lofts also mean more boarding to plan, longer carrying distances from the hatch and more insulation to get right. We usually suggest boarding a generous central area with a clear walkway from the ladder, so you are not stepping over joists to reach the far corners.
Watch out for older insulation
Homes from this era were often insulated to the standards of the day, which typically means a fairly thin layer between the joists. Topping up to around 270mm makes sense before boarding, because lifting boards later is a nuisance. You can read more about how we top up loft insulation before we fit a storage deck.
Bungalows: loft storage really pays off
If you live in a bungalow in Hagley or nearby Blakedown, your loft is often the only realistic place for extra storage, since there is no upstairs. Bungalow lofts are frequently large and fairly low-pitched. The hatch is commonly in a hallway ceiling, which tends to be a good spot for a ladder. A sliding or folding loft ladder fitted to suit your hallway means you no longer need to drag a stepladder out of the garage every time you need the Christmas decorations.
Semis and newer homes
Interwar and post-war semis usually have hipped roofs with a central area of decent height, while newer infill houses tend to use trussed rafters. With trusses, we work within the bays between the webs and never cut or alter them. We will show you, on the survey, roughly how much usable storage area you can expect, so there are no surprises.
Raised boarding as standard
We fit boards on loft legs so they sit above the insulation instead of crushing it. That lets you keep a full depth of insulation and still have a firm, level floor to stack boxes on. We also keep the eaves clear so the roof space can ventilate properly. Find out more about our approach to raised loft boarding.
Hatches that fit the house
Older hatches are often small, uninsulated and let a steady draught down onto the landing or hallway. A replacement insulated hatch with a proper seal can help with that, and where the opening is too small for a ladder we can look at enlarging it, once we have checked the joist layout.
What boarding is and is not
Boarding is for storage. It does not create a habitable room; that would be a loft conversion, a separate job needing structural design and Building Regulations sign-off. We are always happy to talk through the difference.
Arranging a visit
We start with a survey, measure up and then send a written quote. Call 07506 746177 or email hello@smartspacelofts.co.uk to arrange a time that suits you.
