Loft ladder installation
Loft ladder installation, fitted to your hatch
- Replace unsafe chairs and loft poles with a fixed, permanent ladder
- Survey first, so the ladder actually fits the opening and ceiling height
- Insulated, draught-sealed hatch options where the old board is leaking heat
- Most standard installs finished in a few hours
5 years · 500+ installs · 4.9/5 · Fully insured
Typical supply-and-fit
From £250
Most jobs done in one visit
What you get
A loft you can get into safely
If getting into your loft means balancing on a chair, wrestling with an awkward hatch or dragging a stepladder through the house, the space quickly becomes more trouble than it is worth. A properly specified loft ladder gives you safe, fixed access — and can be fitted with a sealed hatch where the existing opening needs upgrading.
The problem
Old hatches, loose loft poles and makeshift access make every trip into the loft awkward. If the hatch is poorly sealed you may also be losing heat through the opening while useful storage sits unused above you.
The solution
We measure the existing opening, ceiling height, joists and available swing space before specifying the ladder. If the old hatch needs replacing, we can fit a properly sealed and insulated hatch as part of the same job.
The result
Solid, permanent loft access, a tidy finished opening, and a ladder that is straightforward to use whenever you need something from the loft.
Which ladder
The ladder has to suit the loft, not the other way round
Four types cover almost every home. Which one fits depends on your opening size, floor-to-ceiling height and how much swing space the landing gives you.
- Timber
- Quiet, solid underfoot and forgiving on older openings. Usually the most comfortable to climb.
- Aluminium
- Light, slim and durable. A good fit where the hatch is on the small side.
- Concertina
- Folds into very little space above the hatch. Useful where headroom in the loft is tight.
- Electric
- Operated at the touch of a button. Worth considering for high ceilings or limited mobility.
How we fit it
Fixed into the structure, not into the plasterboard
A loft ladder carries a person and whatever they are holding. The frame has to be fixed into the joists, square to the opening and set at a safe climbing angle.
- 1Sheet the landing and protect the floor below the opening.
- 2Check the joists and confirm nothing structural is being weakened.
- 3Fit and square the frame, fixing into timber rather than board.
- 4Hang the ladder, set the angle, seal and align the hatch.
- 5Test it with you, clear up and take the waste away.
What's included
What's included in the job
The standard installation covers everything needed for a safe, properly fitted ladder. Anything extra is identified at the survey and shown separately on your quote.
Standard supply-and-fit
- Survey and specification
- Ladder chosen for hatch size and ceiling height
- Secure fixings into the structure
- Alignment, draught seal and test
- Waste taken away
Often added on the same visit
- Hatch widening
- Insulated or fire-rated hatch
- Handrail
- Loft boarding
- Insulation around the opening
You only pay for what the survey shows you need.
Time & cost
What to expect
These are our price ranges. The survey turns the range into a fixed figure, given to you in writing before we book the installation date. VAT is included where it applies.
| 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, 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 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 |
Full breakdown on the prices page.
The numbers
The numbers behind the install
Experience, cover and typical installation figures at a glance.
5 years
Fitting loft ladders and hatches since 2021
500+ jobs
Completed across Bristol and the surrounding area
4.9/5
From 120+ verified homeowner reviews
£5m
Public liability insurance on every job
A few hours
Typical time on site for a standard hatch
150kg
Minimum tread load, specified to BS EN 14975
12 months
Workmanship guarantee on every fit
Fixed quote
Confirmed in writing after the survey
Common questions
Common questions
A few practical things homeowners want to know before booking a loft ladder installation.
How long does a standard installation take?
Most standard installations into an existing opening are finished in a few hours rather than days. Widening a hatch or trimming joists adds time, and the survey tells you which applies before you commit.
Do I need to empty the loft before you arrive?
No. We only need clear access to the area immediately around the hatch, and a clear landing below it to work from.
Will you need to cut a bigger hatch?
Only if the existing opening is too small for the ladder that suits your ceiling height. Many older Bristol properties have a small push-up hatch that will not take a fitted ladder, and the survey confirms it either way before anything is cut.
Will there be a lot of mess?
There is some dust if an opening is cut. We sheet the area, manage the dust, take the waste away and leave the room clean.
Do I need Building Regulations approval?
Usually not for a ladder giving storage access through an existing opening. It changes if the loft is becoming a habitable room, or if structural work is involved — a retractable ladder is not a substitute for a staircase. We tell you where you stand after the survey.
What guarantee do you provide?
We provide a 12-month workmanship guarantee on every installation, alongside the manufacturer's warranty on the ladder and hatch supplied.
Related services and areas
Useful guidance
Official sources, if you want to check any of this
We would rather you verified the standards than took our word for them.
- BS EN 14975 — loft ladders — the standard behind the 150kg tread-load figure
- HSE — work at height — why a fixed ladder beats a chair or a loft pole
- Approved Document K — safe access and protection from falling
- Planning Portal — loft conversions — where storage access ends and a conversion begins
Ready to get started?
Ready to make the loft usable?
One photo of your hatch from below is usually enough for us to tell you what will fit and roughly what it costs — before anyone visits, and before you commit to anything.
- 5 years
- 500+ jobs
- 4.9/5
- £5m insured
- 12-month workmanship guarantee