We installed a Screwfix loft hatch + ladder

...And apart from an escaped spider, we had no major issues at all! We put in the 3-Sections Insulated Timber Loft Ladder Kit from Screwfix. Mostly a straightforward job, but we have a few tips if you're planning to do this yourself...
#loft #hatch #ladder
Welcome to Making a Home, the show about two Average Joes trying to improve their home. Slowly. With many mistakes. But that's what it's all about, right? Please subscribe so we can show you more of our adventures!
00:00 - Intro
00:34 - What we bought
00:47 - Removing the old hatch
01:23 - Preparing the area
02:25 - Attaching the hinges and ladder
02:52 - Placing the hatch in the ceiling
02:13 - Screwing into place
03:26 - Installing spacers
03:34 - Ladder catching on banister
03:47 - Cutting the ladder to size
04:56 - Results

[@andreesonce]

1:06 - 1:10 If you look at the grey floor at the bottom, you can see what looks like the very large spider scuttling away! Very helpful video, thanks!

[@ApocalypseofMichael]

Love Screwfix I do! Favourite store!

[@FamousJames]

I installed a keylite one from amazon but I took the ladder off the door to make solo installation easier. ours is a 10ft / 3.05m ladder hatch. I like how you told people what you did & why, where as in my video I said what I was going to do, did it & then showed what I did & why. I feel like us doing these is great because its shows people you don't need an expensive trade all the time

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

Congratulations on a well produced video. Showing the issues installing in a normal home.

[@eddiebaby22]

Great job guys

[@johnpawlowski836]

Great video, which amateurs will gain confidence from, I fitted mine on my own, then boarded the attic after adding extra thickness to the ceiling joists. Its floored and carpeted, and adds much needed storage space..

[@Bikeaddict4235]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Some info regarding the width of the ladder and joists would be good.

[@andrewdowniephd]

We had some workmen in our loft in the last week or two and yanked down the door catch and now it won't hold closed. So now I'm going to have to try and rig something to allow it to catch and hold or track down a replacement lock, hopefully at Screwfix. Not a fault of the loft ladder, just fools you pay to do a job and create even more work for oneself. The door hatch and ladder are brilliant and we've had ours for about 16 years without issues until now.

[@AtomicRobot-dm5np]

Loved your “Play” album - didn’t know you were into DIY too

[@mujtabashah2464]

Very good video, clear instructions and showed the issues that can come up when doing DIY!

[@anyanuri2010]

We gonna buy this loft hatch and ladder for our house as well

[@tony.mccall]

I fitted one of these, It's easier to take the ladder off the hatch before fitting it in the ceiling, the re-attach it once the hatch is in place.

[@makingahome_uk]

Yep, would definitely suggest doing it that way for anyone doing this in the future

[@krisjenkins4167]

Great video. I just bought the same one today

[@klashnacovak47]

Great video and diagrams is a big plus when explaining.

[@makingahome_uk]

Thanks 👍

[@rob1t]

Well done. You made that look easy. I'm still worried about that spider ❤

[@MorDreadful]

What I will say, for older houses. We are currently in the process of buying an old house. We have asbestos survey being carried out very shortly because the loft was pulled up on the RICS level 3 survey. The house is 120 years old so a RICS lvl 3 was needed (any house over 50 years should be surveyed at RTICS lvl 3). The 'rag felt' was pulled up and possible asbestos there and in the insulation of the loft which can not be confirmed in the survey hence a specialist survey needs to be done. BECAREFUL ion older houses as asbestos was NOT deemed illegal to use until 1999. Unless you know for sure, in old houses or houses you are not sure of, check with a survey first to be on the safe side as if there is asbestos insulation there, it will have to be taken out by specialists and the house can not be lived in during that time until the air tests have come back as safe. This may also mean the loft hatch being taken out during this process. Asbestos can exist also in Artex coverings. Remember, it may have been used up to the date it was deemed illegal to use though not as much as in 1945-1965. There are 3 types of asbestos so that you are aware. It is deemed highly dangerous to human health so take precautions where necessary, especially if you do not know when the ceilings, loft etc were done as it can even be around the boiler, switch boxes etc, in fact, anywhere. Asbestos is safe while it is sealed and in good condition but if flaking occurs on those areas, like paint starting to flake on Artex ceilings/walls, you do not know when this was done, you may want to have that checked as you can't smell it or anything. Not all Artexing may contain asbestos mixed plaster but it can have. So long as it is sealed and that is in good condition, it should be safe and this coming from specialists. Once any asbestos that is confirmed in the loft has been taken out and air deemed safe to dwell in the property again, might be 2 weeks so good chance for a holiday, then proceed with installing a new lofty hatch, though you may want to install new insulation also and any boards you want up there, if there is no other sources of asbestos. This is very much overlooked so be safe people. Houses built from 2000 should be asbestos free legally, if not then there is some installed illegally when built, though I doubt this will be the case Other than that, a very helpful video.

[@burdenstephen]

My plumber told me that The regulations for having a boiler in the loft require a ladder with a handrail

[@thetruth156real3]

I put the ladder on, got all the brackets in the right place and then took it off, put the hatch up and then put the ladders back on, the springs are very hard to stretch, I used mole grips to pull them into place.

[@makingahome_uk]

Yep, mole grips make it much easier to manage

[@AgroGamesGuides]

Great video also great timing for me personally my hatch and ladder comes tommorow another bonus my house is the same shape as yours so hopefully I have a little wiggle room with the bannister

[@makingahome_uk]

Glad it was useful! Good luck with your install :-)

[@slashingbison2503]

Got to check that ceiling isn't asbestos before doing stuff like this.

[@Andy713uk]

Great video. Would have loved to hear more about how to made the hole bigger!

[@makingahome_uk]

If you have a plasterboard ceiling its pretty straightforward, we just used a hand saw to cut the plasterboard back to the required length, then to get a straight line across the back side I used a stanley knife against a piece of wood to cut a straight line into the plasterboard. After a few strokes the cut should be deep enough to break the excess plasterboard off, should leave a nice straight line

[@matthewedmondson2713]

@@makingahome_uk same this is what I needed to see. How did you move the wood that you had to cut past?

[@007JHS]

When I installed my loft ladder the springs correctly installed would have been under way too much tension... I used a couple of strips of perforated steel to make spring extenders... no chance now of fittings pulling free due to over tensioned springs. On the opposite side of the opening up in the loft I also installed an upright panel so that someone moving around cannot step back and fall through the open hatch.

[@ColinRichardson]

So, just to confirm, the cheaper modal doesn't come with the metal pole and lock, and doesn't come with the bottom feet paddings, and doesn't come with the metal handrail? I feel better for getting the more expensive version, though it was from Costco, so it ended up being about £2 more expensive than the cheap one from screwfix.

[@charlieburden]

Great video! Would you be open to making a video installing a keylite loft ladder?

[@ryanrepairs6944]

Just subscribed good video

[@makingahome_uk]

Awesome thank you!

[@tomasmorrissey7324]

Fitted vone at home grand job good spring so easy close but id like if der was a handle to help older people climb it

[@Mike_5]

Great video just what i want to do to and with that wooden sturdy ladder good enough for a new room in the loft (obviously not for living in tho you Planning Peeps out there!)

[@makingahome_uk]

We're very happy with it, it's definitely very sturdy and easy to use. Good luck with your install

[@Mike_5]

@@makingahome_uk Thanks Bud!

[@52memor]

Screwfix and B&Q are owned by the same company

[@TheSilentWonder]

1. Nice show & tell video. This is one my many projects I have lined up! 2. Are you an ex Saffa by any chance? I'm sure I can hear a bit of the accent from the old country. And 3. Your house layout is eerily similar to mine, even down to the artex ceiling and placement of the hallway light! Creepy! 😁

[@makingahome_uk]

Nice detection work there! Yep, ex-saffa, been here over 20 years though so the accent has softened a bit. Haha, I suppose they built these places to a pretty standard spec, so I can imagine there must be a fiar few of us out there! :-D

[@Ring0147]

I have one of these installed , however where do the springs go ?

[@irishRocker1]

What screws do you use to mount the frame to the joists?

[@paulrumbold2436]

Hi , great job , boilers in a loft for me is a no ,no ? Pipes will freeze ? Pilot light goes out ? Up and down ? Rather you than me ?

[@makingahome_uk]

The pipes are all lagged so shouldn't have any freezing issues, and we very seldom have to do anything on the boiler, apart from occasionally checking the system pressure. In any case, it takes literally about 30 seconds to extend the ladder and go up, so no inconvenience really.

[@stevecraft00]

Modern boilers dont have a pilot light. They dont freeze, all modern boilers have frost protection built in.

[@Screwfix]

As per the manufacturers installation manual - we do not recommend or endorse modifying the positioning/placing of the L-Bracket holding the ladder by offsetting the ladder to the side. This is extremely dangerous and there is a potential high risk of personal injuries if the L-brackets give way due to poor fixation. Please review the manufacturers installation manual more details.

[@JustMeTalking]

Yeehar 😊

[@Bikeaddict4235]

Not surprisingly considering some peoples diy skills 😂

[@markjarman7819]

Completely disagree. Being in the trade simply moving the ladder over a small amount on the hatch would cause no problems in safety. Like the guy said the spring catches slightly but no drama.

[@sa0818]

Hi, I have the same ladder but the door doesn't close.. the fella who fit it doesn't answer my calls now -_-. Any clues as to how I can adjust?

[@dylanakent]

Boiler in the attic? 😨

[@-chris1965]

Just been quoted £700 to have one fitted,might have a go myself

[@makingahome_uk]

Go for it! It wasn't too tricky really other than needing two people to lift it into the ceiling

[@-chris1965]

@@makingahome_uk Only thing i'm worried about is starting from scratch,not making a hatch bigger

[@afrost1986af]

Definitely trying to have your pants down mate. I've fitted loads of these for people n charged a lot less. That includes forming a new opening if needed and putting architrave around them including supply of materials. No reason why it should cost anymore than £400 really maybe less going off of today's price's for materials.

[@-chris1965]

@@afrost1986af Hatch/ladder delivered today £155 probably have a go over the weekend

[@afrost1986af]

@driftwannabe1099 yes i have mate I'm a carpenter/joiner so see it all time 😂 is ridiculous how much it's gone up.

[@davidduke9771]

Just fitted one of these. Didnt know i had to assemble the ladder...the instructions are ok...just need a microscope to read them!!. The tension springs were a problem to attatch...just got the "Hulk" to help😂🥴....not a job for someone who hasnt got some " building" knowledge. It seems ok though....so far. Just got to patch the ceiling up now!!😫😫

[@berniea65]

How do you put the springs in..Im baffled as the instructions dont tell you..

[@makingahome_uk]

They are very stiff. It helps to use some strong pliers or vice-grips to hold them as you stretch them.

[@ColinRichardson]

Screwfix = B&Q.. Same company..

[@shaundavey5938]

Was it an insulated trapdoor??

[@makingahome_uk]

It's rated as an insulated trapdoor, but it's just a thick piece of wood really. Having said that we haven't had any issues with cold getting through the door, even in the very cold weather we've had lately

[@stevecraft00]

This is my only problem with this product. Though it is hard to see how they would add insulation to it.

[@roybatty4687]

Not sure your gas engineer is going to want to climb up a ladder

[@stevecraft00]

I was cringing the entire time you were fiddling with that ceiling. Did you have the artex tested for asbestos? You could at least include a warning for others thinking of doing the same job.

[@eamonnleyden7040]

2 by 3

[@makingahome_uk]

Wow, weird thing to split hairs over. But if you google it you'll see it is actually '3 by 2', not '2 by 3'.

[@seymourbutts9717]

I genuinely thought the voice over was a piss take