One of the
most well-known ladder metaphors is the property ladder, especially in terms of
how hard it is to actually get onto the first rung.  For a lot of people, that first rung is
pretty far away but with careful financial planning, and a little help from the
Bank of Mum and Dad, people do manage to buy their first home.  The thought of taking the big step to the
second rung isn’t even part of the questions when making that big investment,
but the time eventually comes to take that next step. 

With more
families moving to detached, rural homes after lockdown experiences it is
becoming harder for couples, single people and young families to take the next
step on the property ladder  The effect
of migration out of cities means the gap between the value of starter homes and
second-phase homes widens.  What happens
is that homeowners can become stuck in their first home for far longer than
they anticipated; as more members of the family are born space becomes tight
but the prospect of moving house is just out of reach.

Instead of taking
that next step on the property ladder, it is much more sensible to make changes
to the existing property that create more space.  This extra space may come in the form of an
extension, or it may involve converting a loft. 
Even dividing a second bedroom in to two smaller rooms can temporarily
solve the space problem.  These changes
also add value to the home, making the gap between the first and second rungs
much smaller when the time comes to sell up and move on.

Ladders are
your friend when it comes to making these changes.  While extensions require professional
tradespeople, internal changes can often be done by well-skilled DIYers and the
right set of ladders can make these jobs much easier than expected.  A loft conversion can be done, at least in
part, by someone who is skilled and experienced in construction but there are
lots of examples of first-timers pulling off loft conversion jobs that are up
to a professional standard.  Obviously,
doing the work under your own steam will be cheaper but it will also take
longer and you may have to re-do some parts of the job as you hone your skills.

When
converting a loft into a bedroom there are certain building regulations you
need to adhere to, if you want to sell the home with that extra bedroom (a converted
loft for storage or office space can add value but not as much as an extra
bedroom).  The main thing to be aware of
is the access method.  If you’re using
the loft as a study, exercise or work space then you can access it using a
standard loft ladder.  For it to be
legally classified as a bedroom it needs to have a proper staircase for access,
but space saving and spiral stairs do count. 
We have a comprehensive range of these stairs for sale and they are very
easy to install on your own.

If you need
to make extra storage space in order to free up a room currently being used for
storage, or half storage and half office, you can create extra storage in
creative ways.  The space above a
staircase is often underused, but with the aid of a staircase ladder you can
easily access this space to install shelves, cupboards and even a bike rack to
store items you don’t need every day. 
The staircase ladder, which sits comfortably on different levels,
provides access to this storage when you need it.  A multipurpose or combination ladder with a
staircase position is a great investment here, for access and for all sorts of other
maintenance and decoration work.

The space
under stairs can also be used efficiently for storage or as an office space,
relocating the function of a whole room to an underused space.  Building in shelves, or a desk, is a good
weekend project and you’ll need a tall stepladder to do this work.  Again, a combination ladder will have a
stepladder setting; so if you want to undertake projects above and below
stairs, this is the ladder for you.

If you’re
thinking of selling without making any major structural or layout changes to
your home then a ladder is still a vital piece of equipment for getting the
best asking price.  Before putting your home
on the market, ruthlessly go through your possessions and put what you don’t
need into storage.  With an emptier home
it’s easier to redecorate – often a lick of paint is all that is needed and you
can use a stepladder for most decorating jobs. 
If you have a multipurpose ladder then the trestle position could be
handy for getting painting done in record time. 
Making cosmetic changes to your home can increase your chances of a
quicker sale and meeting your asking price but either way, a ladder is one of
your good friends when it comes to climbing the property ladder.