Once you have established the general layout
of the staircase you require you will need to think about materials and costs.
Style & materials Recently staircases have become viewed more as bespoke pieces of furniture than part of the building structure and the UK market offers plenty of styles. The trend is for more open designs than the conventional closed riser carpeted stairs. Staircases themselves have become open plan with open risers and light balustrade structures allowing the passage of light. Due to the ever-changing demand staircases
are now available in a vast range of materials. Gone are the traditional Parana pine white painted models and in have come models with steel stringers, glass treads and stainless steel balustrading. Indeed timber is still the more pop- ular choice for treads but there are glass, stone and marble options on the market. Whilst there are many modern designs you could still com- bine a traditional structure staircase with perhaps glass balustrading to give an open feel.
Pricing Your available budget will probably be influ- enced by the size and cost of your new build or refurbishment and the emphasis you wish to give the staircase. In calculating your budget it would be advisable to contact a few staircase compa- nies initially to get some ballpark figures. The main contributors to pricing are how the stair is constructed and supported, the size and shape of the flight, and the materials you wish to use. Fully bespoke stairs can cost £20k plus and
modular options start are around £1.5k. Measurements are obviously crucial for a new
staircase. The precise dimensions required differ from project to project but are generally: • The finished floor-to-floor height • The finished floor-to-ceiling height • The length and breadth of the stairwell opening Many suppliers will be able to provide a pret-
ty accurate price based on the shape of the staircase and approximate measurements. For production exact measurements will be required and these are generally either taken by the supplier, builder, joiner or architect on site. Don’t forget to allow for installation and, if applicable, removal of an existing flight. Some companies offer installation and some just supply only. Be sure to check with the supplier what is included.
Building regulations If your staircase is for a new build or a large re- furbishment it will have to comply with the current building regulations. These are Part K for straight flight, quarter and half turn and BS5395 for spiral and helical. If you do not require planning permission for the work you are carrying out strictly speaking the stairs don’t have to comply with the regulations, but do bear in mind that the staircase might be inspected should you later sell the property. The regulations generally cover the relationship between the rise and going of the staircase ensuring it is not too steep to use. Donot purchase a staircase without confirming
with an architect or staircase supplier that the chosen model complies with the relevant regulation.
Enq. 212
selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.eu
61
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68