Very dirty loft

[CrispyMonkey]

Buying a house and survey came back that loft is very dirty. It's not used for storage by current owners and also needs loads of insulation putting down. I knew it needed a loft ladder and new hatch - owners had said it was partially boarded so had visions of it being immediately usable when clearly we will need to do something with it right away (storage important for us).

I have visions of thick dust and enormous cobwebs. Do we need to hire equipment and do this ourselves or can we pay someone to clean it up before it gets boarded etc?

Am also slightly concerned as to why they have never used it when they are self confessed stuff people and lived there for 7 years.

Is it a modern or old house. We've always lived in old houses with the accumulated dirt from the centuries. Can't see that being a problem, you just insulate and board it. A bit strange for a modern house though perhaps.

I'd be a bit baffled by this as most lofts are pretty cobwebby and grotty.

I would want to see pictures to establish what 'very dirty' constituted.

You could easily do it yourself I don’t know of any company that would want the job to be honest who wants to clean out a loft?

Well they probably never used it for storage because it was inaccessible and dirty.
You can pay some to come and clean insulate and board it out. I had mine plasterboarded as it had no felt and the mortar kept dropping on stuff. Had a new roof on recently and it kept most of the muck behind it.
Have a decent wooden ladder fitted not a metal one.

I don’t think that’s a huge issue really. There are loft cleaning companies but they are expensive.

Does the survey confirm that the loft is empty? The cleaning, insulating and boarding of it wouldn’t bother me too much (actually I’d feel reassured to know my insulation was up to standard) but the thought of other people’s junk which needs clearing would pee me right off.

Useful points ,thanks. Will ask for photos and check about light and how boarded it is. Will also do decent wooden ladder and loft hatch. Not worried about insulation and boarding, more the very dirty seems odd. It's a 1930s house.

Will go back to surveyor and find out.

Influenced by going into my current neighbours loft and it being clean and perfectly boarded inside. So have a pinnacle of clean loft as my aim

I wonder if it's dirty because there isn't any felt inside, or it's fraying, and letting outside dust and pollen in. Normally if the felt is in good condition it's just a little dusty (or maybe it's had a new roof recently). Either that or there is a hole somewhere for dirt to get in. Even spiders who make huge webs need holes for dinner to fly through.

Definitely a strange comment from your surveyor. Ask him to clarify.

To be honest, we've always looked in the loft of any that's a potential, either on first viewing if possible, or going back for a second viewing and each having a good looking through the hatch ourselves, this comes from someone who has a real problem with heights, but I still go up and have a look. Go back and have a look yourselves! Our last house, DH boarded usually old furniture left in house on completion!!!, he was happy to walk over, but someone else wouldn't appreciate.

our survey said this. We’ve now moved in and can confirm we have a very dusty loft.

nothing a sweep won’t sort (probably)

By "very dirty" do they literally mean piles of dirt or just a lot of dust ?

I think most people would guess what piles of dirt might imply.

I second looking in the loft of any place you buy and don't understand why people don't do it, for two reasons. One is you can see the condition of the roof, and two you can get an idea of the size and whether it would be possible to do a conversion which adds potential value.

Wasn't able to access the loft on viewing as it doesn't have a ladder. I suppose I could have asked for one or brought my own.

Have re-read survey - says generally dirty so slight exaggeration on my part.

@INeedAnotherName this is probably it. It has no sarking material underlining so anything can come through. It needs insulation as has none and underlining and cleaning. And probably boarding

Not interested in a conversion but definitely looking for it to be a usable space for storage. So clean, boarded, no water risk and a light!

@GasPanic do you mean rodents?

Also wondering if they haven't done their loft because the roof will need doing at some point so thought it might be a waste.

Could it be soot from coal fires decades ago? My parent's house loft was absolutely caked in black coal dust, as was everything they'd stored up there. Very unpleasant to clear it out. I think there'd been some leakage from the chimneys (maybe pointing failures) so the soot and fumes were partly going into the loft rather than out through the chimney. If that's what it is, it's a VERY messy and unpleasant job.

@taxguru hadn't thought of that.

Is it acceptable to go for another look at the house with a family member who is better at this kind of thing?

We’re selling and our buyers came over to do a second viewing and asked to view the loft. Ours has thick cobwebs all up one side - I hate it and have been meaning to sort it out but we just never had time.

I didn’t think it was odd that they wanted to view the loft so am wondering if you could also book in another viewing to do the same?

It must be pretty common ☺️

Absolutely acceptable to view again to check out whatever as it's up to you to make your own enquiries, and many want to measure up for furniture/curtain fittings if want a main excuse.