Loft Conversions Staircases

Where is best for my stairs to be for a loft conversion?

In an ideal world, your new loft conversions staircase will often be positioned directly above the existing staircase from the first floor. In many cases, this is not only the most effective place for the stairs to go but also the most efficient and cost-effective, there are no rules regarding the position of the staircase as long as it conforms to Building Regulations.

As every situation is different, the question in hand is all about where is it best to depart the lower floor, and where it’s most practical to arrive at the (loft conversion) upper floor, and how those two critical points can most effectively be connected by a staircase.

Building Regulations on the minimum head height above a staircase is 1.9m at the centre, this often means the top of the stairs needs to be located at the highest part of the loft, generally under the existing ridge line, and regulations on fire separation also mean a landing and a door separating the stairs to the new loft room must be introduced and created, an alternative would be bringing the staircase from an existing room, you can choose from taking space out of a rarely used room such as a spare bedroom however this cannot be still classed as a bedroom, as it would be now classed as an enclosed landing.

If you do want a door at the bottom of your new staircase you must have a minimum of 400mm clearance from the open door to the first tread, or another option is to use part of your largest room so that the impact is not so apparent.

Staircase Regulations

Staircases should have a maximum rise of 220mm and a minimum going of 220mm, they should have a maximum pitch of 42°, stairs should have a handrail on at least one side unless if the stairs are one metre wide or greater, handrails should be fitted to both sides, handrails on stairs and landings should have a minimum height of 900mm, no openings of any balustrade should allow the passage of a 100mm sphere, and a minimum of 2m of clear headroom is required above the pitch line

For further Regulations see Approved Document K (planningportal.co.uk)

There are no restrictions when it comes to the width of a staircase, however, 600mm is probably the minimum width you would want your staircase as they have to practical.

When turns are required in a staircase, the simple option is to split the flight in two and connect them with a quarter landing or a half landing. Steps that turn in the area of a quarter landing whilst climbing are called winders and are often used to navigate 90° a turn can consist of two treads, if introducing three treads it is known as a kite winder (due to the shape of the centre tread) or to climb as quickly as possible a four wind can be introduced, these are often used at the top and bottom of flights to get around corners.