Replacing or Refurbishing Staircase?

crafterholic

Hi! I have a query about a staircase in a house we're buying;
It's a quite rickety/creaky staircase and we measured the angle of it to be 46 degrees (?) ish - it was higher than 42 degrees anyway.

We don't like the style of it, but I'm assuming if we fully replace it, we can't replace it as-is - we'd have to conform to new building regs? Problem with that is there are brick walls throughout the property (think there is only one stud wall if that) and brick walls completely surrounding where the staircase is in the entrance hall. There is no way of making the staircase any wider or longer without basically reconstructing the house.

So my question is, would we be able to get around building regs because of the limited space available to put a staircase? Or would we only be able to refurbish (paint, replace spindles etc) the current staircase ?

Thanks very much for any help

RedFraggle

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=39

Your post is probably better on the in my home board

AnotherJoe

Define "fully replace". If you left one bit of wood, that would merely be renovating it, right?*

I think you are overthinking it, just fix it with new wood retaining the original shape, assuming its too much work to reconfigure the basic structure of the house, and also you haven't gone and done something silly like buy a Grade 1 listed property.

Just get on with it who's going to know, even if its not allowable which given your limitations in terms of structure it likely is.


* look up Ship of Theseus or Triggers Broom

crafterholic

Ha I like the Trigger's broom reference

Fully replace = rip out old one and put totally new staircase in imo.

I just want to make sure we're not opening up a can of worms here.
I guess we''l keep the basic structure then, just do repairs/replace bannisters/paint etc. HOpefully that'll be fine!

Thanks for your help

AnotherJoe

My point was, if you kept even one slat of wood you arent fully replacing it, are you?

If it was me I would do whatever I felt was best for me, and if that was a full replacement, so be it, not worrying about what someone (who? ) might say, plus i find it beyond unlikely anyone would say anything. If you'd like plausible deniability, incorporate a few slats or banisters or whatever so you can say, if asked when selling, that you renovated / repaired it.

crafterholic

Oh I see...maybe keep the bottom step only, as a momento
I was more thinking in terms of when it comes to selling the house and all changes seeming to require building reg certification/to be signed off. New buyer might ask for proof if it was fully replaced. But you're right, if I just 'refurb' (even if that means almost fully replace) then no checks needed!

Howard_B3

We had a very similar issue.

You can add a platform / winder if possible to help adhere to the 42' rule.

Most old house that I have refurbished had pretty shallow stairs. Adding the turn may mean eating away a little space on the upper landing though...

Check out mrstairs (.com), they offer a pretty cool 3d configurator tool and you can visualise your staircase.

t0rt0ise

According to what I've read, even replacing the whole staircase as long as it is exactly the same as what it is replacing, counts as a repair. If you change the style that counts as a replacement and not a repair even if you use some of the same steps etc.