required to bring up to code?

[aemeijers]

Is there room to turn the stairwell around? Have it enter from center of house, rather than in kitchen (usually by back door? Or is there a second floor stair using same shaft, or a closet in the way or something? Most of us regulars, if we were there in person, could suggest a solution in a couple of minutes. I think you need more than a handyman, you need an actual experienced designer or contractor to eyeball it for you. May cost a few bucks for a site visit, but unlike the advice here, it will be worth as much as you paid for it.

-- aem sends...

[hrhofmann]

Get rid of the carpet, even out the riser spacing and tread depth, and then cover the stairs with the sandpaper-like tread covers that you can buy at any large hardware store. If you can't find it locally, there are planty of places that can order it.

[aemeijers]

You can pad an I-beam and paint it orange, and shine a light on it. Not that big a risk, compared to falling. I'm 6'3", and routinely have to duck at the bottom of residential basement stairs, and even on a couple of landings in the stairwells of the 1928 wing of the offices where I work. But yeah, if you make the stairs into an L, the stairwell usually wants to be L-shaped as well.

There is always 'put the basement stairs in the garage' option, if you have the room to spare out there, and are willing to punch the slab and dig a hole. I've seen it done before.

-- aem sends...

-- aem sends...

[Pat]

Good idea. My handyman friend thought about that. Problem is that it can't be done---there are horizontal, load-bearing steel I-beams that mean there wouldn't be enough head clearance.

:-(

Might be able to put a couple of posts in and remove 3 or 4 feet of steel.

[DD_BobK]

You've gotten a LOT good replies / suggestions.

The non-uniform construction is probably the most problematic issue with the stairs and VERY unsafe......uniformity is key to having a safe stairway. Its bad enough to have a starting or ending rise that's too tall or too short but a "curveball" mid-stairway.....might as well grease the treads or leave marbles on the stairs.

Have your handy friend work on the stairway to make it uniform (all within 1/4" of each other or better).

Good lighting will help a lot.

As Rico mentions good handrails (on both sides, if possible) would be a big help

If oyu still have problem after its been given the "quick & dirty" fix, consider a steeper stair with better tread depth. With good tread depth at least you can place your foot safely on each step.

This stairway situation is one that requires attention sooner rather than later.

here is a stair calculator I've used....it will let you "customize" the stair to fit your situation...

If oyu post again....could oyu post the total rise & run of the stair?

cheers Bob

[Bill]

I did not have carpeting on my stairs and slipped a few times. Then I stuck on that Anti-Slip Traction Tape (feels like sandpaper on the top) to the edge of each tread and have not slipped since. I also have big size 13 feet, so that may be part of the problem.

Examples of this tape...

[Ed Pawlowski]

Good idea. Next best would be to ask the neighbors if they have made changes and see what they did.