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If you’re in need of an attic ladder for your home improvement toolkit, there are several different companies you’re going to look to for them, such as Werner which has many highly-rated ladders. Another of these companies is Fakro. This Polish company first launched in 1991, and its primary focus actually isn’t attic ladders. Instead, it produces roof windows and skylights. It’s only in the last few years that Fakro has added attic ladders to its product lineup, but in that short time, it’s already become one of the best in the business, earning good reviews from Popular Mechanics and Bob Vila.
Fakro offers a variety of attic ladders. This includes wood ladders, metal ladders, and scissor-style metal ladders. Depending on the model, they can be fire-rated, fire-retardant, insulated, or even electric. As for how much they cost, that depends not only on which of these particular things the ladder is but also on its size. On Fakro’s own store, the lowest price for an attic ladder is currently on sale for $383.25 (normally $511) for the LWF-R Fire Retardant Wood Attic Ladder with a rough opening of 22.5 in. by 54 in. and a maximum height of 10 ft. 3 in. Prices go all the way up to $5,300 for the LET Electric Attic Ladder Z-Wave, which has a rough opening of 30 in. by 55 in. and a maximum height of 11 ft. 2 in. These electric ladders are a huge price outlier, though. All of them are $5,000 or above, while every other ladder currently sells below $2,000. Fakro clearly takes into account the budget possibilities of any potential customer with this price range.
The availability of Fakro attic ladders
Fakro attic ladders are very accessible in the United States. You can buy them at the two biggest hardware store chains in the country: Lowe’s and The Home Depot. What’s interesting about how the two retailers sell them is that sometimes the price for the same ladder matches up exactly across both, but other times, you can get a far better deal at one or the other.
For example, the LWP Insulated Wood Attic Ladder with a rough opening of 22.5 in. by 54 in. and a maximum height of 10 ft. 4 in. costs $509 at both Lowe’s and The Home Depot. Notably, that is $175 less than the same ladder on Fakro’s own website. Meanwhile, The Home Depot sells the LME Insulated Steel Attic Ladder for $578 with a rough opening of 22.5 in. by 47 in. and a maximum height of 9 ft. 4 in. Over at Lowe’s, this same ladder increases in price all the way to $690. That Lowe’s price even surpasses the $676 that Fakro sells it for in its own store. So, while both big-box hardware stores carry Fakro ladders, it’s best to compare prices for the best deal.
Importantly, neither Lowe’s nor The Home Depot sells the Fakro electric attic ladders. For these, you can buy them directly from Fakro or seek out specialty retailers that focus more on attic or garage products, such as Inventive Garage and Workshop. Stores like these will also carry other Fakro attic ladders.
Will Lowe’s and The Home Depot install Fakro attic ladders?
Not everyone is comfortable with DIY home projects and may find the idea of installing an attic ladder incredibly daunting. It’s certainly possible to do it yourself, but many people just want to have a professional do it for them. An even better option would be to buy a Fakro attic ladder from Lowe’s or The Home Depot and have them install it, making the experience fairly streamlined for the consumer. Unfortunately, this is not going to be the case with either of these big-box hardware stores.
One of the things people dislike most about shopping at Lowe’s is that it advertises installation services, including a whole section on its website dedicated to it, but Lowe’s itself doesn’t actually do any of the installation services it says it offers. Instead, you’ll be sent to an independent installer with Lowe’s acting as the middleman. After a consultation with the installer, they will give you a quote for their service. The Home Depot operates in much the same way. Using a service called Pro Referral, you’ll enter your zip code to find independent installers near you.
While many of these professional installers are excellent at their job, that’s not guaranteed. This puts the onus on the buyer to find the right installer who fits your budget and will install the ladder safely, effectively, and on time. It would be great if Lowe’s or The Home Depot offered a standardized installation service with set prices that consumers could easily factor into their budget, but that’s not the case.