1. Home
  2. UK Do-It-Yourself Forum
  3. Building Regulations

Building Regulations

Does anyone know the current building regulations regarding minimum clearance needed when installing a space saver staircase into a loft conversion?

Reply to
jason
Loading thread data ...

You need 2m directly vertically above the stairs. You may be able to persuade the BCO to accept 1.9m above the middle, and no lower than 1.8m at the side.

You will need a landing at the top, usually 0.8m x 0.8m.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Sorry this is all new to me and i'm in some discussion with my builder at the moment because i don't think that they want to re-do the loft flooring...!

Do you mean the only restriction is clearance from stair tread to head height? Is there any clearance from wall to opening at top of staircase? The landing is at the bottom of the stairs and i'm told is enough to meet regulations.

Reply to
jason

You'll need a landing at the top as well, which is at least as long as the stairs are wide. Typically this means you need about 80cm from the wall to the start of the opening.

If this is not possible, you may be able to install a winder at the top and have the landing to the side.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Thank you for your help... it's becoming a little clearer now but can i trouble you for some further info?

The staircase winds at the top and comes directly into the room (the fire door is at the bottom hence the landing down there) At present, there is a huge gap in the floor 2m from the wall and actually further back than the start of the bottom of the staircase! (If you look directly down from the edge of the gap you see past the beginning of the stairs) I'm trying to get this gap reduced to create additional floor area.

I've just created a very basic drawing of what i'm trying to explain - can you help from thie above description or do yuo need to see my artwork?

Thanks again, Jason

Reply to
jason

With the fire door at the bottom and a winder at the top, the room itself counts as the landing.

Provided it is done in a structurally sound manner, the stair cutout can be advanced until it is 2m above the step immediately below it. You probably won't be allowed 1.9m if it is possible to achieve the 2m.

One problem is that it is my understanding that alternating tread space saver stairs must be straight flights. Do you have alternating treads? Will your BCO allow these to be combined with a winder at the top?

If not, you might have to forego the landing and firedoor at the bottom and have a 3 step winder at the bottom and a 3 step winder at the top. The problem with this is that it requires the landing to be before the fire door, so takes out a chunk of the room.

Alternatively, a fixed ladder may be acceptable to the BCO, although this starts becoming a whole lot less practical as a room.

What is the maximum linear distance allowed for the stairs from the wall at the top to the wall at the bottom?

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

The stairs, as they stand at present, are 8 flights of alternating tread (presumably by this you mean you can only put one foot on at a time), then they bend 90 degrees by means of 3 winders (straight steps), then a further 4 alternating treads take you into the room.

If i look at the edge of each step and take an imaginary straight line diagonally along these edges, then i can determine where the 2m head clearance needs to be and where i can pull the floor back to... is this correct?

So far, a council inspector has viewed the stairs and is happy with the configuration but i'm not happy with the lack of floor space hence my question.

Sorry to keep asking what maybe very obvious questions, but i don't want to insist on work being carried out only to find that i fail to meet building regulations.

Thanks again, Jason

Reply to
jason

Although I believe that they shouldn't allow your stairs, if they are happy to sign it off, then it is OK. The Approved Documents are guidelines for the BCO to follow. They have discretion in allowing deviation, so what they say (provided it is more permissive than the document) goes. The 2m would be measured from the tip of the protruding tread. Provided at all times there is 2m headroom vertically upwards from every tread, then you can make the cutout smaller. Given your permissive BCO, they may allow 1.9m, although this would feel very claustrophobic with the angle and you should probably avoid this.

If the BCO is happy, then it meets building regulations. I'd go full plans, though, or get the configuration cleared in writing before committing funds.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Thanks a lot for your help... one last question - how do you know about these regulations?

Reply to
jason

formatting link

I'm currently in the process of converting my loft. Getting the staircase right is the essential key to a successful conversion. You can't spend too long thinking about it.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

I think Christian has given you all the info you need (and it tallies with my understanding as well).

If you have a look at approved document K here:

formatting link
actually spells out what you need to know quite well.

You might want to have a look at my web page here:

formatting link
don't think it will be directly applicable, since my stairs were soemwhat different to yours, however you may find some useful stuff.

Reply to
John Rumm

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.