Here at More Than Loft Ladders, we often get asked if we can board a loft in a new build home. The loft space is an area of the home that can be really helpful when creating extra storage space in your home – especially new builds.

We wanted to put together a summary of how we can carry out this work without compromising the warranty.

Can I get my loft boarded in my new build house? 

The short answer is YES.

We also often get asked “Will boarding my loft invalidate my NHBC Warranty?”. The answer is NO, boarding your loft will not affect your warranty as long as it is installed correctly.

These are the main reasons given by house builders that advise you not to board your loft:

• It will compress the insulation – this is not true.
• The roof structure isn’t strong enough to carry the extra weight – the roof structure is strong enough.
• It will cause damp – this is not true for any home.
• It will invalidate your NHBC warranty – not true, correctly fitted loft boards will not affect your warranty.

If the work is carried out correctly and airflow is maintained above the insulation, then boarding your loft will not affect your warranty.

If you have any maintainable equipment in your loft (such as mechanical ventilation, alarm system, CCTV, solar panel controls, boiler, etc.), then Construction Design Management 2015 regulations and the NHBC require boarding to be in place. This creates both a safe maintenance area and ease of access.

Additionally, a small lower ‘landing area’ is often required to allow safe access to the loft. If this is the case, a minimal area will be near joist level. More Than Loft Ladders will ensure airflow is not compromised in these instances, maintaining proper ventilation throughout the loft space.

As a leading UK loft boarding company, More Than Loft Ladders has successfully boarded hundreds of new build lofts with absolutely no problems at all. We use a product called Loft Leg along with battens to ensure a gap is present to facilitate airflow.

For your assurance, we are busting the myths over boarding lofts in new builds. Here are the facts…

Gareth Storey, Owner of Loft Leg:

“We have discussed this issue at length with the NHBC Technical Department and consulted a Chartered Structural Engineer to ensure we can provide the best possible advice to our customers. It is also important to clarify that this statement applies to all raised loft storage systems.”

NHBC says:

“If installed at the instruction of the homeowner, boarding does not invalidate our warranty, but any defects found to result from the installation of said system (e.g., condensation or structural damage) would not be covered by the warranty. Therefore, homeowners have it installed at their own risk. This applies to any changes made to the building after the warranty period has begun.”

NHBC also confirmed that…

“Where access to loft space is provided, structural design is required to take account of live loading on ceiling joists for the purposes of occasional entry and maintenance. A nominal live load allowance is included in acknowledgment that homeowners are liable to place light, miscellaneous, and infrequently used items, which might be suitable for spreading across widely spaced joists, in the loft area.”

Why airflow is important to your loft:

The high levels of insulation in modern houses keep more heat in the rooms below where you want it. This, in turn, means the loft is generally colder than those rooms below. Modern appliances such as washing machines, tumble dryers, and showers increase humidity in the home. This increase in humidity can slowly make its way into the roof space, resulting in a cold area with a high amount of water vapor present.

This means that maintaining airflow is crucial.

Boarding directly onto joists or a platform that is not above the level of insulation means that the air doesn’t cool fully before it hits the boarding. The boarding then acts as a thermal bridge, which gathers condensation. Over time, the boards may rot and become unsafe, and it could also affect the structural timbers.

It is recommended that there should be a 50mm (2-inch) gap between the boards and the insulation to ensure a good amount of airflow. Chartered Structural Engineers confirm the information contained in this document is correct and that trusses in new homes fitted with a loft hatch should be designed to BS6399-1:1996*. This states that the truss must be designed to carry a 25kg/m² loading for storage and a 90kg load to account for a person accessing the loft.

This is why we can confirm that a correctly installed and loaded raised loft storage system will not invalidate the NHBC warranty. If the new house was constructed with a loft hatch, then the trusses should have been designed to support a storage load of 25kg/m² and a 90kg person.

We hope that this gives you the assurance needed to go ahead and use that valuable space in your loft. More Than Loft Ladders offer a range of packages to help you make the most out of your loft. If you want to enquire about any of our services do not hesitate to contact us – we look forward to hearing from you.