Clever semi permanent loft ladder ideas

[KatyMac]

Looking for a folding loft ladder which won't look too awful if its left out most of the time (just for storage)

Did the solicitor or surveyor pick it up when you bought it @TheNightingalesStarling ?

Looking for a folding loft ladder This is literally what you asked for in your OP! Now you say ladders are a no! 🤷‍♀️

So is it a folding staircase you want?

Sometimes my ideas develop as I see pictures that I can't manage

Im sorry

But on the other hand MN is great for making me realise things about myself

Oops double post

Its very normal in the area so I don't think qthey were bothered beyond highlighting its not officially a room.

What are you currently using to access the loft?

I put a staircase along the wall and moved the loft hatch. I had to cut a bit into my bedroom ceiling to get the head height but nothing too intrusive.
Its fully boarded out with a reinforced floor and fully insulated. It does have a velux window.
I didn't bother with building regs as while it's great for storage its totally useless as a 'room' because of the beams that go across the middle, one down the middle from ceiling to floor and one anout 3 feet from the floor so you have to climb over it to get to the other half of the room. Its very obvious that it can't be used as room.
I was a bit worried about draughts but its much better insulated than it was before and Ive also put large rugs down. I keep the heated clothes dryer up there and it gets quite toasty when its on.

The cats also love it.

Stairs that fold out from the wall? Not sure they would fit though. Also expensive. https://bcompact-shop.myshopify.com/?_gl=11y1aqmk_gcl_auMjAwMDgzOTI4NS4xNzY4MDQ3OTUy_gaMzc3MjU3NjQuMTc2ODA0Nzk1Mg.._ga_2C5MJZRDMXczE3NjgwNDc5NTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjgwNDc5NTIkajYwJGwwJGg5MjIxNDI0Mjg._ga_8GZNHVH7GY*czE3NjgwNDc5NTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjgwNDc5NTIkajYwJGwwJGgxNDI4NjQ5NDY0

No answer to my earlier question which was - where is the insulation located?

If it is on the underside of the roof then fine, the whole loft area is insulated against heat loss.
If it is under the loft boards then leaving the hatch open in colder weather is going to cost you as heat will go straight up and out through the roof as if you had no loft insulation.

Look at https://theelectricloftladdercompany.com/

You can get a "ladder" that's almost a convincing flight of stairs, fitted with an eletric motor with remote control so it's very easy.

We had a cottage in Scotland which had a very good cross between a ladder and a staircase, very sturdy and permanent. It was easy to negotiate, as it had wider steps, not like ladder rungs
The loft area was well insulated (and we used it as a bedroom, despite not being able to call it one) and we had a hinged door/access point at the top, which was also insulated.
No problem selling it; it is not unusual to have this arrangement in Scottish houses.
It worked well, and I have considered doing something similar in my current house, because storage is so valuable.

I have also bought three of those leather pouffes that you stuff yourself, and they have been invaluable for curtain and fabric storage.

Look at Ramsay loft ladders.... Compact, have handrails, fold completely into the loft space when closed.

Depending on your budget could you have an internal lift - something like this picture...

The extra insulation goes it at the same time as the staircase i think as part of the job

Love the lift but think financially that's a no

I have a DOLLE Amsterdam staircase going to my loft hatch. It is so much better than a pull down ladder. I just go up and down it whenever I want and my hands are free to carry things. I do have to be very careful though.

This looks to be an Australian site, but would a fold down staircase with rails like this work?
www.handkrafted.com/bcompact/1846031/folding-staircase

Then open ceiling design shown would be unsuitable for a country where houses are heated, the warm air rushes up the stairwell and the lower parts of the house will be cold.

It would also presumably fail UK fire regulations.

My understanding is that the building regs bits only apply if you are using it as a sleeping/living room. If it is purely storage they don't. It's worth a chat with the local planning dept to check.

Electric loft ladder from loftshop.co.uk or similar. I put one in when I had a boarded out loft that I used as an office, but that couldn’t be an official room, plus the loft ladder landed at the top of the stairs so I couldn’t leave it down without blocking the stairs. With the electric one, I could go up to my desk, use the motor to close the ladder/hatch after me and unblock the stairs. When I wanted to open it from below, it was a simple wall switch. Also very cool when you come to sell - my estate agent was more impressed by that than the smallbone kitchen. The ladder came as a boxed unit with the hatch built in, so just retrofits the normal opening. Expensive - £2-3k (I couldn’t justify it now, as the current loft is just storage), but if you’re really using the loft and in and out a lot, well worth it, esp if you struggle with the foldable/ manual ones. Very solid as well.

Would it be cheaper to not move house and just install a lift instead?

There are other reasons I need to move (sent you an update about dd whether you want one or not 😉)

Love the electric staircase

I can’t read my PMs on my phone, so bloody annoying! Will read it in a couple of days.

How frustrating for you x
don't worry its not important

I've just googled this and it is very similar to what we had in Scotland.