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Housing - New Build: Stair Case Width?

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorTriassic
    • CommentTimeDec 12th 2013
     
    I'm looking at the plans for our new house and the stairs up to a third floor attic room look rather wide. Had a quick search on-line but found nothing conclusive, so what are the rules regarding stair widths, particularly as the room the stair lead to is nothing more than a small office space.
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeDec 12th 2013
     
    Should be OK at 600 clear width but if it was mine I would want it to be 800 clear width.

    Should be in the regs somewhere.
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeDec 12th 2013
     
    Which country? Happened to be reading the previous section of the Domestic handbook for Scotland this afternoon so:

    900 mm [1], such as from one storey to another or connecting levels within a storey; or

    600 mm where serving only sanitary accommodation and/or one room, other than accessible sanitary
    accommodation, a kitchen or an enhanced apartment.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeDec 12th 2013
     
    Here's what I remember for what it's worth. Width I think is quite flexible. Pitch used to be no more than 42 degrees for a private dwelling and if the stairs are wider than 1M then they need a handrail at both sides, except the bottom two steps. Private stairs are defined as, rise between 155 and 220 for goings between 245 and 260; and 165 and 200 for going between 223 and 300. Balustrading openings no wider than 100mm and handrails 900mm on stairs and 1100mm on landings. there used to be a simple calc. to describe the relationship between rise and going I think it was 2xR+G = 550mm-700mm. Its all quite hazy now though.:bigsmile::wink:
    • CommentAuthorTriassic
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2013
     
    Posted By: Ed DaviesWhich country?
    The property is in England

    Posted By: owlmanthere used to be a simple calc. to describe the relationship between rise and going I think it was 2xR+G = 550mm-700mm. Its all quite hazy now though.
    As it's only access to an home office I'd like to keep it as narrow as possible.
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2013
     
    Ask you LA building control dept duty officer, I suspect that you may get away with 600mm clear of handrails etc
  7.  
    Check what furniture you'll need to get up it before fixing the size. Can you take the legs off the desk? If not a desk less than 600mm deep is not good to sit at all day.

    David
    • CommentAuthorTriassic
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2013
     
    Posted By: davidfreeboroughCheck what furniture you'll need to get up it before fixing the size.
    Good point, all of it is from Ikea and is flat pack, so a narrowish staircase should not be too much of a problem.
  9.  
    We still only have a temporary stairs in the house which is 600mm wide, find it narrow but perfectly serviceable. For your purpose I would imagine that that width would do just fine.
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2013
     
    Yes but why would you go with the bare minimum in your new build? The material cost difference between 600 and 700 is negligible in the scale of building but the utility of a decent width staircase will be yours forever.
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2013
     
    Part K doesn't appear to set a minimum limit accept for a special case within the entrance storey where it's 900mm.
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2013
     
    Posted By: marktimeYes but why would you go with the bare minimum in your new build?
    Err, nobody's suggesting going with the bare minimum. But if what's drawn seems a bit wide and there are thoughts of reducing the width it would seem sensible to at least know what the minimum, if any, is.
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2013
     
    Well OK Ed. strictly speaking you are right. But their does seem to be a consensus building that 600 mm is the minimum you could usefully employ and my POV is that whilst the narrow width would probably pass regs. (UK regs?) and the OP hasn't suggested any constraints, it would be useful to take a longer look.
    • CommentAuthorTriassic
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2013 edited
     
    Posted By: marktimethe OP hasn't suggested any constraints
    The only constrain I had in mind was that the stairs go up to a square room, which will, when built, be a home office used by 2 people. I simply wanted to maximise space in the office by optimising the stair width.
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2013
     
    Posted By: marktimeUK regs?
    There aren't any; each of the countries in the UK are different (not sure if England and Wales are, though). Scottish building regs are a completely different document with a different structure from those in England though obviously some bits are the same wording for historical reasons.
    • CommentAuthorPaulJ
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2013
     
    Maybe worth seeing if you can get away with an alternating tread stair to save space on this and the floor below. Don't go too mad with the steepness though and make sure the handrail is easy to grab and solid. Really only meant for conversions, but it could be worth a go.
    • CommentAuthoratomicbisf
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2013
     
    Posted By: PaulJMaybe worth seeing if you can get away with an alternating tread stair to save space on this and the floor below. Don't go too mad with the steepness though and make sure the handrail is easy to grab and solid. Really only meant for conversions, but it could be worth a go.


    My parents have one of these and it does save space, but it also takes some getting used to!

    As a comparison our (normal) stairs have a minimum width of 30" (760 mm) at tread level and 32" (810 mm) just above, which seems neither narrow nor extravagant.

    Ed

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