Prices
Loft ladder and loft access prices
Most loft ladders are supplied and fitted for £250–£500 where the existing hatch is sound and the right size. Labour only, if you have already bought the kit, typically runs £130–£380. The final figure is confirmed after a survey.
- Stop guessing what a loft ladder should cost — see our prices before you book
- Most standard ladder installs go into an existing hatch and finish in a few hours
- Hatch widening, boarding and insulation priced separately, so you only pay for what you need
- Fixed quote after survey — the figure you approve is the figure you pay
5 years · 500+ installs · 4.9/5 · Fully insured
Typical supply-and-fit
From £250
Confirmed after survey
How to read these prices
Ranges, not guesses
These are our price ranges, published so you can budget before you pick up the phone. They are ranges rather than single figures because two houses on the same street can differ by a few hundred pounds — one has a 562mm opening in the right place, the other has a small hatch sitting across a joist.
The survey turns a range into a number, and it takes about twenty minutes. Once we have surveyed and given you a figure in writing, that is the figure you pay. Anything the survey uncovers is priced and shown to you before you agree, never added afterwards. If VAT applies to the job, it is already included in what we quote.
Loft ladders
Loft ladder installation cost
The biggest factor is whether your existing opening can stay as it is. Fitting into a sound, correctly sized hatch is the simplest version of this job and the cheapest.
| Job | Price | What's included | Time on site | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour only (you supply the ladder) | £130–£380 | Included: Survey, fitting, test, tidy | Time: 1–3 hours | Best for: You already have a suitable kit |
| Aluminium 2 or 3-section, existing hatch | £250–£500 | Included: Ladder, fit, alignment, demo | Time: 2–4 hours | Best for: Standard homes with a usable opening |
| Timber or concertina ladder, existing hatch | £400–£750 | Included: Higher-spec ladder, fit, demo | Time: 2–5 hours | Best for: Frequent use, warmer finish |
| Ladder and new insulated hatch | £450–£800 | Included: Hatch, ladder, seal, making good | Time: Half day | Best for: Draughty or weak existing hatch |
| Ladder and hatch widening | £400–£900 | Included: Carpentry, new opening, ladder | Time: Half day to 1 day | Best for: Hatch too small for a safe ladder |
| Electric or motorised loft ladder | £1,200–£3,000+ | Included: Specified unit, fit, test | Time: Half day to 1 day | Best for: Limited mobility or premium spec |
| Handrail added to a new install | +£50–£150 | Included: Extra rail and fixings | Time: Same visit | Best for: A safer climb |
More on the job itself: loft ladder installation.
Loft hatches
Loft hatch installation cost
Enlarging is priced as additional labour rather than a separate job — it is added to whatever hatch or ladder you are having.
| Job | Price | What's included | Time on site | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatch only, basic insulated unit | £230–£400 | Included: Supply, fit, draught seal | Time: 2–4 hours | Best for: Replacing a thin ply push-up board |
| Insulated hatch, mid spec | £300–£525 | Included: Better U-value lid, frame, seal | Time: 2–4 hours | Best for: Homes wanting less heat loss |
| Fire-rated hatch (often FD30) | £400–£700 | Included: Rated hatch, correct seals, fit | Time: Half day | Best for: Protected stairs, three-storey homes |
| Enlarge existing opening | +£150–£350 labour | Included: Joist work, new lining, making good | Time: Half day | Best for: Hatch too small for a ladder |
| Relocate hatch and close old opening | £260–£550 | Included: New opening, repair old ceiling | Time: 1 day | Best for: Hatch in an awkward landing |
| Hatch and loft ladder package | £450–£800 | Included: Combined system, sealed and tested | Time: Half day | Best for: One visit, one price |
More detail: loft hatch installation.
Boarding
Loft boarding cost per square metre
Boarding is quoted by area rather than as a single figure, because the work scales with the floor you want rather than with the house.
Rates
| Job | Price | What's included | Time on site | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised boarding, per m² | £50–£100 / m² | Included: Legs or bearers, boards, fit | Time: By area | Best for: Storage without crushing insulation |
| Basic boarding on joists, per m² | £50–£90 / m² | Included: Chipboard on joists, labour | Time: By area | Best for: Light, occasional storage only |
| Walkway only around the hatch | From £250 | Included: Partial deck for tank or light access | Time: Few hours | Best for: Minimum safe standing area |
Typical whole-loft jobs
| Job | Price | What's included | Time on site | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised system, 15m² | £750–£1,500 | Included: Survey, legs, boards | Time: 1 day | Best for: Small loft, or part-boarding |
| Raised system, 20m² | £1,000–£1,800 | Included: As above | Time: 1–2 days | Best for: Typical three-bed semi |
| Raised system, 30m² | £1,500–£2,700 | Included: As above | Time: 2 days | Best for: Larger loft |
| Raised system, 40m² | £2,000–£3,600 | Included: As above | Time: 2 days | Best for: Big storage loft |
| Boarding and loft ladder package | £600–£1,400 | Included: Access and deck in one visit | Time: 1–2 days | Best for: Empty loft with poor access |
Most people ask for more area than they will use. A 15m² deck reached easily from the hatch beats a 40m² one you crawl across twice a year, and it costs less than half. More onloft boarding.
Insulation
Loft insulation cost
Current guidance for a standard cold loft is commonly 270mm of mineral wool. A great many lofts still hold the 100mm that was normal decades ago.
| Job | Price | What's included | Time on site | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top-up 100mm to 270mm | £250–£750 | Included: Extra quilt, laid correctly | Time: Half day to 1 day | Best for: Homes insulated in the 1980s–2000s |
| Full mineral wool to 270mm, terrace | £350–£700 | Included: Clear, lay, tidy | Time: 1 day | Best for: Smaller loft, little insulation |
| Full mineral wool to 270mm, three-bed semi | £500–£1,200 | Included: As above | Time: 1 day | Best for: The most common job we do |
| Full mineral wool to 270mm, detached | £900–£1,500 | Included: As above | Time: 1–2 days | Best for: Larger roof area |
| Quilt insulation, typical average | About £650–£825 | Included: Standard three-bed semi guide | Time: 1 day | Best for: Budgeting before survey |
| Insulation around pipes and tank | +£50–£150 | Included: Jackets and pipe wrap | Time: Same visit | Best for: Stops freezing and heat loss |
| Insulation and raised boarding | Quote after survey | Included: Depth kept under the deck | Time: 1–2 days | Best for: A warm loft you can store in |
| Spray foam and specialist systems | £1,200–£3,500+ | Included: Separate specification | Time: Varies | Best for: Only after advice — not a default |
Spray foam is not a default and we do not treat it as one. You may qualify for help with insulation costs — worth checking theGreat British Insulation Scheme. More on loft insulation.
Repairs
Loft ladder repair cost
Surveys for new installation work are free. Diagnosing a ladder that is already broken is a chargeable call-out — and if the outcome is a replacement, that fee is credited toward the new fit.
| Job | Price | What's included | Time on site | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call-out inspection | £60–£120 | Included: Safety check and written advice | Time: 30–60 minutes | Best for: You are not sure it can be saved |
| Minor repair (feet, hinges, catches) | £80–£180 | Included: Parts and labour | Time: 1–2 hours | Best for: Sound ladder, worn fittings |
| Realign and re-fix existing ladder | £120–£250 | Included: Re-set into the hatch, test | Time: 1–2 hours | Best for: Loose or dropped unit |
| Replace hatch catch, lock or seal | £70–£160 | Included: New hardware, draught seal | Time: 1 hour | Best for: Hatch slamming or leaking air |
| Repair not recommended — replace | From £250 | Included: Inspection credited toward a new fit | Time: 2–4 hours | Best for: Rotten timber or failed mechanism |
| Emergency make-safe | From £90 | Included: Secure the hatch, advise next step | Time: Same day where possible | Best for: Ladder unsafe to use |
More detail: loft ladder repairs.
Packages
Two or three jobs, one visit
Most jobs combine services. Doing them together is cheaper than booking separately, because you pay once for getting there and setting up.
- One set-up, one lot of dust, one tidy-up
- Insulation laid to depth before boarding goes over it
- A single fixed quote covering the lot
- Extras itemised so you can see each part
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Ladder only, existing hatch | £250–£500 |
| Insulated hatch and ladder | £450–£800 |
| Boarding and ladder | £600–£1,400 |
| Insulation top-up and hatch seal | £350–£900 |
| Access, storage and warmth | Quote after survey |
Common questions
Questions about price
Why can't you publish one fixed price for every house?
Because the openings are not the same. A ladder into a sound, correctly sized hatch and the same ladder into an undersized opening across a joist are different jobs, and one costs several hundred pounds more. A single headline price would be wrong for most people who read it.
Is the ladder cheaper if my hatch is already the right size?
Yes, noticeably. That is the £250–£500 line. It is the simplest version of this work, and if your opening is sound and large enough, nothing else needs to happen to the ceiling.
Do I pay extra if you have to cut a larger hatch?
Yes, and you will know before you agree. Widening is shown as its own line, typically £150–£350 in additional labour, or as a combined ladder-and-widening job at £400–£900. It is priced at the survey, never discovered afterwards.
Is raised boarding more expensive than boards on the joists, and why?
Slightly, per square metre. It costs more because the deck is carried on legs above your insulation instead of crushing it flat. Compressed mineral wool loses most of its value, so the cheaper option can quietly cost you more in heating than it saved in fitting.
Can insulation, boarding and a ladder be quoted as one job?
Yes, and it is usually the better way to buy it. One visit, one set-up, one tidy-up — and the sequence is right, with insulation laid to depth before the deck goes over it.
When is a repair not worth doing?
When the stiles are cracked, the frame has pulled away from the joists, or the ladder was too short for the ceiling from the day it was fitted. In those cases we say replace, and the inspection fee comes off the new installation.
Ready to get started?
Get a fixed price for your loft
Send a photo of your hatch and a rough ceiling height. We will tell you what will fit and what it costs.
- 5 years
- 500+ jobs
- 4.9/5
- £5m insured
- 12-month workmanship guarantee