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Your loft ladder installation service includes all that’s required to get any loft ladders fitted and provide easy and safe access to your upper storage or living spaces. The service consists of taking the measurements, installing the box frame, fitting in the ladder, installing the loft hatch and making any necessary adjustments. 

Doing the measurements

Your handyman takes the necessary measurements at the area where you intend to have your loft hatch and ladder installation. This step includes measuring the distance from the floor to the spot on the ceiling where the hatch will be placed; this will determine the allowable ladder length.

They also measure the length of the loft ladder when retracted. The measurement determines the dimensions for the hatch or trapdoor (which houses and tucks away the ladder up into the loft or attic). 

Cutting the hatch

If your home doesn’t already have a hatch in your ceiling, your handyman can cut out the hatch for you. Be sure to pick a spot in your roof that won’t cut through structural pieces, or have electrical wiring running through them. Consult a loft ladder expert or loft ladder fitters beforehand to find the right spot.

Once you’ve established where the loft ladder can be installed, your handyman measures and marks out a hatch, they then proceed to cut out the hatch from your ceiling.      

Installing the box frame

After the hole has been cut out, your handyman proceeds to install a box frame. Be sure to provide the wood to make this frame if one isn’t included or isn’t already part of your loft ladder. Some Taskers may offer to procure the wood from the store if you don’t have these handy. They can then nail or screw the box frame onto rafters surrounding the hatch opening. 

Installing the ladder

Once the box frame is done, your handyman can move to the loft hatch and ladder installation. This ladder is fixed to the box frame with nails, screws, or a combination of both. Note that some types of loft ladders are already attached to the hatch door or trapdoor, and some models don’t come with a separate trapdoor.

Inform your handyman beforehand if a separate trapdoor must be fabricated and installed. You can avail of the MDF cutting service to prepare the materials for making a separate trapdoor.  

Making final touches

Your hired handyman installs the latch on the trapdoor so you can keep it locked and tucked away when not in use. Any final adjustments are made to the loft ladder, such as tightening screws and adjusting the box frame’s alignment.

If your loft ladder is a timber ladder, the third and final section of the ladder will usually be more than the length needed to reach your floor. Your handyman can measure the excess timber and saw these off at the appropriate angle. After everything is done, your handyman tests the ladder to make sure it’s safe and ready for your use.