Risks of blocking loft hatch

attic

I am looking to have a built in wardrobe installed but having it where I want would mean blocking the loft hatch.

Are there any risks to not having access to the loft?

Best Answer

I think it's unwise to block access. There's a few reasons I can come up with, just off the top of my head.

  • if your roof is leaking, you need to get in there to see what the root of the leak is
  • electrical or plumbing upgrades frequently need attic access
  • if you get a creature problem, attic access is sometimes needed for trapping/mitigation
  • you might want to add insulation in the future
  • bath or kitchen fans might need replacement in the future

You can have a closet unit designed that allows access with a bit of disassembly.

If you don't want to go that route, a different hatch could be made, but there's carpentry and cost associated with that.