Loft conversion staircase

seashore22

I haven't read the other answers yet, but don't do it.

My daughter broke her wrist and had to have an operation when she fell down stairs exactly like that in a friends house. I would never buy a house with those installed as I consider them dangerous.

Waterlily24

I don't like them either. We had to have the treads of our staircase made slightly narrower to fit our stairs in. It was only a very small difference that was allowed on each tread.

UncleZen

Going up would be a challenge. Coming down would be a nightmare. Imagine doing that in the middle of the night, on your way to the loo. Coming down backwards might be safer, but then it might as well be a ladder.

Gloomendoom

They aren't that bad... as long as you set off on the right foot. Our cellar is used as a giant walk-in larder and my wife is up and down the steps dozens of times a day, often with both hands full.

That said, she is (usually) fully awake when she does it. I wouldn't want to access my bedroom using one.

bearcat16

I would prefer climbing holds for the "up" journey, and a fireman's pole for the "down" journey.

somethingcorporate

Our first flat was a triplex with one of these up to the mezzanine. It's fine for a couple of young twenty-somethings in a trendy pad but it would never be considered a family home due to the steepness of the steps up to the third level.

I'd suggest the same logic would apply to a house, these may save space but now as a father I would not want my little one going up and down something steep - I feel wary enough about her going down the normal stairs. I fell down the bottom steps of our steep one a couple of times and it hurt, a lot!