Loft Hatch Trap Door Catch Conversion Kit

Product Information

Part L of the Building Regulations govern conservation of fuel and power or put another way, energy efficiency. As heat rises, in an uninsulated property 25% is lost through the roof. Insulating the loft helps reduce this but as the loft hatch is a similar area to a window it is important not to underestimate the role a well insulated and draught proofed loft hatch plays. It is pointless having a well insulated loft and a poorly performing loft hatch. Roof trusses are timber frameworks that span the cross-section of your loft space and support your roof. In instances where you’re having serious building work done, consider specialist renovations insurance. This covers against things going wrong with the building work, materials and property owners’ liability.

That scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation when Chevy Chase's legs go through the ceiling really put me off. For life. Try to look at as many layout options for the design as you can, and be really clear in your mind what you want, how it will look and whether it will fit your requirements. Do you want a new bedroom with an ensuite? Do you need more space to work from home? Do you just need more space for storage? To get started, my Dad and I decided on the loft hatch position, which was in the new DIY UPVC porch we installed. Important Tips In new properties Part L requires the overall U value of the loft is 0.35 W/m2K. Most of our loft hatch range meet or exceed this with some models having U values of 0.25 and even 0.15 (lower is better). U Value explainedNow, don't get too cosy as we haven't quite finished. You'll probably find that the wooden loft ladders aren't quite the right length. Ours were too long.

Once square, cut some plywood gussets and temporarily screw to two diagonally opposing corners, so it stays like that. You'll need to remove these later once screwed in situ. Many people neglect to factor in changes to the floor below the loft when planning a conversion, but it's worth having a think about where the staircase is likely to go and how much room it might take up. It was quite embarrassing in front of my Dad as I've used a hand saw for years, but we all learn from our DIY mistakes! Ensuring You Have a Perfectly Square Loft Hatch People who have been through a conversion can't stress this enough - the tradesmen at the company you go for will end up spending a good deal of time in your home, so it's vital you feel comfortable with them.

After drawing around the template, I drilled a hole to slot the jigsaw through and cut the UPVC cladding. Work usually starts on the outside of your property. After that, the focus turns to the inside of your house and the flooring, insulation and stud walls. The final stage will deal with plastering, electrics and plumbing. Top tips for a smooth loft conversion After taking the loft hatch support to the hole we created, we first needed to prop it with timber as it was hanging from the UPVC fascia. We knew what was above this area, as it was originally a flat roof with felt, simply joining the house to the garage. By 2019, my Dad built a pitched roof on top. Loft hatch sizes vary from brand to brand. This is also useful for a loft hatch replacement, which may require some adjustments in the roof.

Measure the length and width between the timbers which make the loft opening. It is worth noting that most loft openings are not completely square so if you measure at more than one point don’t be surprised if you get a slight difference in measurements. We list all our loft hatches by their structural opening size. In plain English, if you allow up to 5mm over the size we quote the loft hatch should fit. To give an example for a hatch 720 x 560mm will fit into an opening up to 725 x 565mm. Please note, due to most loft openings not being completely square always allow up to 5mm over to allow for this. Even a well-designed, space-saving staircase could take up a sizeable chunk of a room, so make sure you have space you're happy to lose and how it will affect your home's normal flow. It also needs to allow you to carry furniture up to that room.Then cut with the reciprocating saw again, but this time, from above and removed that section of roof. A loft can also affect not just mess in your home, but the current layout. For example, you may need to relocate a water tank from the loft to elsewhere in your home or get fire doors fitted to satisfy building regulations.

Insulating your loft will increase the energy efficiency of your home. This will help you save energy and keep costs down. Above, I took instructions from my Dad to cut as much as I could with my 2 in 1 reciprocating saw, inline with the opening we created. Drilling Through the Old Flat Roof Now we have a new loft hatch in place, we needed to trim the hatch to cover up raw edges in the UPVC cladding. We found this gap to be 21", which yours is probably different. Cutting the Bottom Folding Loft Ladders

Youngman Loft Ladder Installation

Some types of loft extensions, such as mansard conversions, work by altering the pitch of the roof to create more space internally. Rafters Are you tired of struggling with your old, clunky loft hatch? Or maybe you're looking to upgrade the insulation and add a touch of style to your home? Look no further. I then ensured it was flush with the bottom of the UPVC fascia cladding and screwed in the middle. Tip: By adding a screw in the middle, it allowed me to get level from either side easier. Get recommendations from friends, family and neighbours. Have an initial chat with at least three firms to get a feel for them and an idea of costs to work out if they're the best company for you. Ask to see examples of previous work from each company, and from any builders or architects you're working with.