THE SPINDLE MISSING HERE IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND JUST HIGHLIGHTS WHAT A POOR QUALITY HANDRAIL THIS IS. THE “SWAN NECK” ADDED TO THE HANDRAIL OF THE FLIGHT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE HANDRAIL ON THE LANDING BALUSTRADE, AND YOU CAN’T MISS THE BATTENS TIED TO THE BALUSTERS TO CLOSE OFF THE DANGEROUS GAP IN THE BALUSTRADE CREATED BY ADDING THE “SWAN NECK”
have sufficient experience of stair manufacture to comply with the Building Regulations. Every member company is independently audited every year. Companies will have to show that they have a suitable factory production
control system in place to ensure that the products are manufactured consis- tently. Companies offering fire protected stairs – more common in blocks of flats or buildings with common parts – also have to demonstrate that their stairs comply with stringent requirements for fire protection. There is third party certification to test and verify a stair's design, performance, manufac- turing process and quality assurance from manufacture to installation. Pauline continues: “We have developed a BWF accreditation and cer- tification scheme that is simple for members to adhere to, simple for self- builders and housebuilders to specify, and simple for building control and NHBC inspectors to recognise as an industry standard. This sets standards for manufacture and a verification process to prove that the products are being produced to those standards. It enables the regulatory authorities to differentiate accredited products from those that are not. The Stair Scheme badge immediately negates the need for tedious onsite loading tests, making it easier for entire project teams to be certain of meeting building regulations. A BWF Stair Scheme approved timber stairway is a very straightforward solution to selfbuilders’ problems.”
Case study
Replacing a staircase once your home is built is not an easy job. In 2010 a BBC Watchdog program highlighted the case of Jane
Horrocks, who discovered a problem with the stairs in her new-build house. When Jane first moved in, she noticed that the stairs were creaking but dismissed it as simply part of her new home’s charm. As the stairs began to rapidly deteriorate, she realised she was facing a serious problem. “The stairs aren't just creaking anymore – they’re actually coming apart.
They're more like standing on a trampoline as you're going up the stairs.” Following protracted arguments with the builder, the NHBC and other
experts, it was finally proven that the stairs in Jane’s new-build home weren’t fit for purpose, and should never have been installed. These poorly constructed stairs posed a very real and serious threat to
Jane’s safety, and as soon as NHBC accepted her claim she had to go through the difficult process of having the staircase replaced. The disruption of having something as large as a staircase replaced is considerable; another problem that should never occur with a BWF Stair Scheme product.
Enq. 220 Spiral Staircases | Timber Staircases | Open and light
Complete StairSystems Ltd | 01794 522444 |
www.completestairsystems.co.uk Enq. 222
Enq. 221
Stunning Staircases and Spiral Staircases
selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.eu
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