Lofty Ideals

The part of carrying out a house survey that I look forward to the most is the inspection of the roof space.

In even the most pristine and modernised of properties the loft is often as original as the day it was constructed- unless of course it has been converted into habitable space.

There can be some difficulty in getting into or at least a representative view of this place at the top of the house as there is, in older properties specifically no such thing as a standard location, dimension or operation of an access point.

Of course the most popular position for a hatch is at the top of the stairs but that in itself presents its own set of problems calling for a good, sturdy set of ladders (if nothing is actually built in), a steady sense of balance and a bit of bravery.

I have, in the past, had to lash my survey ladders to the outside of the stairwell balustrade in order to negotiate a high and fragile stained glass hatch and all of this on my own in an empty and remote house.

I often have to use the full 4 metre extension of my folding ladders to just get the top rung under the hatch so that it can be levered over.

A shower of dessicated spiders, dead flies and fine particles of dust usually accompanies a loft lid lift and that can be quite an uncomfortable experience into an open mouth and unprotected eyes.

This is however a small price to pay to behold the cathedral like appearance of a traditional roof frame.

This is one from my workload today in a late 1940's semi detached house up on the North Yorkshire Coast.

It surely is a fine example of a Master Builder and the flow of lines that catch the eye are beautiful from the battens under the Rosemary style or Armitage Manufactures tiles to the angled rafters, the deep dust strewn horizontal purlins and the vertical binders on the ceiling joists.

This view directly overhead is a bit disorientating but shows the hip rafters onto the thin ridge board. The strength and rigidity of the framework has not been compromised at all in its 70 plus years to date. The TV aerial does spoil the impact of the vaulted timbers.

The lower rear slope of the roof does not have a large hole in it but with the shaft of daylight from a glass tile. Note the wholly inadequate depth of insulation over the ceiling.

The lower outer slope has some perishing of the mortar torching which is intended to help hole the tiles in position and this contributes to the dusty haze of the atmosphere in the loft.

A real treat of structural detail it was although I did have a lot to report = especially the rather rampant activity of the common furniture beetle- or woodworm to you and me.