Staircases are invariably tricky to design for any project. Normally space is the main factor to keep in mind when you are considering the design or style of your new staircase. A headroom of 2m (78.7 in) is considered adequate; however, special considerations can be made for loft conversions.

Winding staircase.

Staircases with narrow winding flights are perfectly acceptable, but in many cases, they are highly impractical due to the difficulty of getting large items of furniture up them! (Any fans of “Friends” will be aware of the impracticality…pivot…PIVOT!!)

Winders are steps that are narrower on one side than they are on the other. These type of steps are used to change the direction of the stairs without the use of a landing or landings. A series of winders can be used to form a circular or spiral stairway. When three steps are used to turn a 90° corner, the middle step is called a “kite winder” due to it being a kite shape!

Bespoke staircase.

Bespoke staircases are a considerably higher cost than the standard (off the shelf) designs, so bear this in mind when you are planning your loft conversion. If you need to get a bespoke staircase designed and built, it is highly recommended that you have the design approved by Building Control before you give the go ahead to get them built. You or your builder will be able to send Building Control a copy of the design for them to approve and sign off.

If you need any further advice or help, you can give us a call on 01943 884899, you can email us: [email protected], or you can fill in our contact form here. We’ll be happy to help you with any questions or queries you have relating to stairs, building regs, or anything else you are struggling with.