Anyone starting out in their own home for the first time, whether that’s a rented property, a purchased property or even an unconventional property like a van, static caravan or tiny home, will need a ladder at some stage.  First time movers are unlikely to have their own ladder, so will be starting from scratch with a lot of questions!  The main factors in choosing the right ladder for your home are:

1. Budget
2. Space for storage
3. Heights that need to be accessed
4. Frequency of use
5. The abilities of the household
6. How many types of ladders are needed

1: Budget is obviously a big factor in the purchase of anything, and when you’re also spending money on things like furniture, utilities connections and general Homeware, it can be hard to find space in the budget for ladders.  It is best to think of a ladder as an investment in your home and your safety.  It may also save you money in the long run, if you’re able to clean your own gutters rather than paying someone else to do it.  A good ladder will serve for 10 years, so although there’s a one off cost involved, it will earn it’s keep over that period of use.

2: Space for storage is another major consideration.  In a small flat or tiny home there may not be a lot of space to spare.  Telescopic ladders are ideal for these situations as they are the smallest to store and can often fit behind seating, underneath cupboards or even in a wardrobe.  If you have outbuildings these can be ideal for storing ladders, but they must be secure to stop the ladder being stolen and used to break in to your home, or that of your neighbours.

Ladder brackets are a good solution for storage, allowing you to keep the ladder in a horizontal (not climbable) position and secure from theft.  These fix onto garage or outbuilding walls and are easy to install.  Ideally the outbuilding itself will also be locked.

3: Heights that need to be accessed can vary.  In flats it’s unlikely you’ll be required to undertake any jobs outside the building, and in small homes and bungalows any outside work will be at ground floor level.  Depending on the layout of your accommodation you may have lots of tall storage or built in cupboards making the most use of ceiling space – a common clever feature of mobile and tiny homes. 

4: Frequency of use depends a lot on the factor above.  Where storage is up high but routinely accessed, a folding ladder may not be the best option, nor one which is stored in a hard to reach place.  Folding hop-ups are a great option here, while kitchen steps and safety steps provide the solution for larger homes where there is space for these items to be kept under a table, or in a utility room.

5: The abilities of the household will determine whether you should invest in something like an extension ladder for outdoor maintenance – if you’re not comfortable doing that work, then you don’t need the ladder.  By the same token, if you need a stepladder or similar for indoor use but the household includes someone with limited mobility, you may want to look at folding podium steps with wider treads and more handrails for stability.

6: How many types of ladders are needed? Well, this is a question where the answer is informed by all the questions before it.  If you have a tiny home where you need a hop-up for accessing storage near the ceiling, but you also need to be able to access the external roof to check solar panels the answer is yes – two types of ladder are needed, a telescopic ladder and a hop-up.  If you have a bungalow where you need to clean the gutters and sometimes access high up storage, then a single stepladder or a combination ladder may do the job.

Whatever the answers to these questions, and the needs of your new household, Midland Ladders will have the equipment you’re looking for.  With our unbeatable low prices and next day delivery we can take care of the first question for you, and with the vast range we can address the other five quite easily.  If you’re still unsure of the right choice, our team are happy to help steer you in the right direction so call us today.