Help me get up into my loft!

[StartingAgain33]

Hi all
I have a loft that I'm too terrified to go up into because it's a metal ladder with a little handrail further up the top that just feels a bit slippery. I want to replace it with proper wooden steps / a ladder that has more of a step like feel (if that makes sense) and a proper handrail. Any ideas where I could get one of these and who could fit it? (I have looked online and everything that is close to what I want is stairs, not a retractable ladder?)

@Gladioli23 this is it...

@PippaOwl thanks so much - will give him a go...! I still might look into getting hatch relocated as well but this is a good start :)

Mine is based right at the top of the stairs but is set up to go away from the stairs.

Very poor diagram attached, but hopefully shows how it goes away from instead of towards the stairs, by virtue of attaching the ladder to the opposite side of the hatch. My landing is only 3ft square but the bottom of the ladder sits in the doorway to the upstairs room - it means it's quite enclosed and tight but less scary than going to the top of the stairs.

@Gladioli23 Yes, I understand. Wise choice! I'd have the same issue no matter what way the ladder went because the hatch is directly in the middle of that stairwell (it's a spiral staircase), so I think relocation might be needed.

[quote StartingAgain33]@Gladioli23 Yes, I understand. Wise choice! I'd have the same issue no matter what way the ladder went because the hatch is directly in the middle of that stairwell (it's a spiral staircase), so I think relocation might be needed.[/quote]
Keep in mind that hand rails really limit what you can put in the loft, they really restrict the space.

I'm looking to change mine too, what I'd really like is a lift 🤣🤣

[quote StartingAgain33]@Gladioli23 Yes, I understand. Wise choice! I'd have the same issue no matter what way the ladder went because the hatch is directly in the middle of that stairwell (it's a spiral staircase), so I think relocation might be needed.[/quote]
A loft hatch in the middle of a stairwell above a spiral staircase sounds like the sort of thing that would appear in my nightmares!

@Gladioli23 it does appear in mine!! As does the massive pile of crap in the hallway and the autumn and winter coats that plague me up there....!!

I have no advice to add on ladders - but just to say I started reading the thread and thought you were being a scaredy-cat- but now I see what you are dealing with and it sounds really scary! So sorry for doubting you! I’d say moving the hatch would be the best plan

This is a link to an Irish company but there is a UK service available, scroll to the bottom of the page for the number. In Ireland, the name is so well regarded that everybody just calls a loft ladder a "stira", it's an anglicized corruption of the Irish word for stairs. It's the loft stairs equivalent of referring to a vacuum cleaner as a Hoover. Ladders are made in a variety of widths and lengths to suit and you can add a handrail, and more importantly an Attic Safety Balustrade to guide you safely onto the ladder. This was the market original product which other companies have copied

www.stira.com/products-page/

UK fitting service contacct details www.stira.com/stira-fitting-service/

@Bouncebacker haha thanks for the validation :) and @SageRosemary this is amazing!!! thank you!!!