More Reasons Why All New Builds Should Have LoftZone Installed…

It’s a pretty strong argument: Raised Loft Boarding = Protected (Extra) Insulation = Safer (Extra) Storage and Access = Lower Heating Bills = Increased House Value (around £10,000)

Volume builders tell us that the most common  complaint that they get from purchasers of their houses is the lack of space for bulky storage.

LoftZone StoreFloor is a very easy to fit storage deck above the insulation. It’s been installed into over 150,000 of UK lofts and is the only such product with a BBA certificate.

Some builders see it as a useful addition to the customer-specified options list. Others, such as Shanly Homes, install it as standard (to create safe access and a super useful selling feature).

There is no need to upgrade the roof trusses – the product provides a storage deck, not a livable room – and the British Standard for roof trusses allows for at least 25kg/m² of dead load plus 90kg in transient point loads. We wouldn’t have got our BBA certificate had the product caused loading issues in standard truss designs.

NHBC has confirmed that the LoftZone deck does not affect its warranty.

Other useful technical points

• The LoftZone StoreFloor product allows a deck to be built above the full depth of insulation in a loft. It’s been fitted into thousands of properties in the UK, mainly domestic but some non-domestic too (e.g. schools). 30% of our sales are into new build houses.

• There is a 45 second video about what it is and why it’s needed here.
• It’s either used as a storage platform, in which case it’s usually the homeowner who specifies and buys it, or it’s used as a safe access platform, in which case it’s the designer or builder who specifies it. It’s a requirement under CDM2015 for there to be safe access for maintenance workers (Clause 82(b) here) and if there is equipment such as boilers, MHVR, solar inverters or pumps, then these need safe access that doesn’t reduce the SAP score for the roof.
• LoftZone is lighter and faster than using timber to raise a deck above the insulation, moreover it doesn’t cause cold bridges through the insulation, which timber does, and which 2013 Part L says the SAP score for the roof has to be amended to account for (psi factor losses). Timber is also very difficult to use (almost impossible) to raise up a large deck as there are too many obstructions, whereas LoftZone is designed to span over and avoid these.
• Finally, using LoftZone increases the level of consistency in the build process, by providing a standard product and procedure, rather than relying on local trades to build their own deck using carpentry. 

So as you can see, there’s a proven market demand for raised decks in a loft, and there is a healthy margin available for whoever sells or installs it. Gone are the days when builders/architects simply told their customers never to use the loft, the British Standard for truss roofs allows some storage in a loft and now there is a BBA-approved product on the market just for that. We suggest it could be useful for you, both as a way to easily provide more storage space and safe access platforms in your properties, but also to make additional margin.

For more information, let’s talk! (07968 192044) or please drop me a line….

Allen Jesson

Business Development Manager

LoftZone

www.loftzone.co.uk

LoftZone – Winner of Best New Invention at the Ideal Home Show