Has anyone extended their boxroom by building over the stairs?

Spendless
Spendless Posts: 24,138 Forumite
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in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
Either by building a cupboard where the doors open from the bedroom, to act as a wardrobe. Our neighbours have done this but with the doors opening from the landing so the cupboard becomes a linen cupboard, for bedding and towels. Or by building so that a bed goes partly into that space, with cupboards/drawers underneath the bit of the bed that is in the main room bit.

What did you do? Did you need a builder?
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Comments

  • aboard_epsilon
    aboard_epsilon Posts: 546 Forumite
    good idea .. I like that A lot..

    sometimes you need to utilise space as best as you can

    all the best.markj
  • loracan1
    loracan1 Posts: 2,287 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Mine is in the bathroom, used to house a hot water cylinder but that was ripped out a few years ago. Now has boxes of junk (books etc) stacked up at the back and a shelving unit in front of those. (is about 2-3 feet off the floor) Loads of storage for towels, bedding etc and some shallow shelves going down to the floor for shampoo bottles etc. I've always thought if there was a different layout upstairs I'd have a bed built over it.
  • aboard_epsilon
    aboard_epsilon Posts: 546 Forumite
    think you would have to get at least a six foot chap to walk up the stairs ./.and mark out where the top of his head is on each flight of the stairs...that will give you the best idea on how big you can get away with .

    all the best.markj
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,138 Forumite
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    aboard_epsilon wrote: »
    think you would have to get at least a six foot chap to walk up the stairs ./.and mark out where the top of his head is on each flight of the stairs...that will give you the best idea on how big you can get away with .

    all the best.markj
    Yes have done this. I know it's not an issue to build the cupboard as both next door neighbours have done it, and once we had an architect round who said to do it, as it is otherwise wasted space, but we want it opening from a different side to suit a different purpose.

    OR

    We'd like to build a bed over it, which I have heard of other people doing, but have never seen one and not in exactly the same style house as myself.
  • aboard_epsilon
    aboard_epsilon Posts: 546 Forumite
    if you put a bed in it ..its a whole different ball game ..you would then have to make some fancy arangement that hangs all the weight off the ceiling rafters ..usually the rafters in the roof space aint big enough ..unless you double them up ..

    all the best.markj
  • dizziblonde
    dizziblonde Posts: 4,276 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    aboard_epsilon wrote: »
    think you would have to get at least a six foot chap to walk up the stairs ./.and mark out where the top of his head is on each flight of the stairs...that will give you the best idea on how big you can get away with .

    all the best.markj

    I wish - my husband's 6 foot 7!

    We looked around a few houses to buy recently and had to disregard so many of them because of height clearance issues on the stairs in particular - while he's practiced at ducking, he still doesn't half bang his head on things on occasions!
    Little miracle born April 2012, 33 weeks gestation and a little toughie!
  • ormus
    ormus Posts: 42,714 Forumite
    our house is a typical 3 bed semi, c1935.
    the stairs have very little headroom, (bathroom above). certainly anyone of normal height has to duck slightly.
    my wife is ok though. shes 4ft 10.
    Get some gorm.
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,138 Forumite
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    dizziblonde wrote: »
    I wish - my husband's 6 foot 7!

    We looked around a few houses to buy recently and had to disregard so many of them because of height clearance issues on the stairs in particular - while he's practiced at ducking, he still doesn't half bang his head on things on occasions!
    Yes, I can see that would be awkward. However I intend staying here until at least my kids leave f-time education,if not longer and in the event of the only person prepared to offer on it being 6ft 7 if and when I do sell, I would offer to put it back to it's original state.
  • olias
    olias Posts: 3,588 Forumite
    Current building regs will dictate the height of headroom you need above the stairs.

    Olias
  • iamana1ias
    iamana1ias Posts: 3,777 Forumite
    olias wrote: »
    Current building regs will dictate the height of headroom you need above the stairs.

    Olias

    You MUST have at least 2 metres clearance above every step.
    I was born too late, into a world that doesn't care
    Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair
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