Increasing stairs height

boypacer

We're looking to buy a house and have seen one that might fit the bill. The only thing is the overhang from a bedroom means the headroom of the stairs is seriously low at one point - I'm 6' 3" but even my 5' 6" girlfriend would have to duck. Has anyone had any experience of remedying this, how difficult a job is it? (I assume it's difficult if the owner hasn't done it already!) 

eddddy

It really depends on what type of 'remodelling' you want to do, in order to solve the problem.

For example, is there room on the landing at the top of the stairs to allow for a longer less-steep staircase - so that there is more headroom above the staircase?

Or could you add 'winder steps' at the top of the staircase to make the staircase longer and less-steep?

I guess it's an older house. Often they have steep staircases and limited headroom because there isn't room for a less-steep staircase with more headroom - unless you lose a lot of living space.

theartfullodger

Sounds like a dodgy conversation.  Is bedroom put in after it was new?

boypacer

Thanks both. It's an old house as @eddddy says, but I still find it hard to believe they designed it that way, I don't think it's been altered. Might need a second viewing to see what could be done, but as you say @theartfullodger, sounds dodgy. 

AdrianC

How old is old?

I used to live in an old house where I was just about able to stand between the beams in the living room without my head touching the ceiling - I'm 6'2". As you came down the stairs into the living room, my 5'2" OH banged her head regularly...

In the old house we live in now, we have several doorways I need to duck for.

People used to not be 6'2".

[Deleted User]

I lived in an old terraced house, headroom was limited even for 5ft4 me.  Product of cheap previous century builds and shorter heights then I suppose.  It also meant all furniture had to be flat packed, even bed frames as couldn't even get a single bed divan up there.  So consider the trouble this will cause.