Space Saving Stairs for Loft Conversions

Loft Conversions · 11th May 2016

When converting your loft, a vital consideration is the placement of your new staircase to provide safe access to and from the new room. Commonly taking up a large amount of space, it’s important to consider where is the best place for your stairs, and what design is most suited to the room you have available.

A common solution for homeowners wanting to convert their loft with limited room is to install a space saving staircase, providing safe access to the new loft room without having to sacrifice on significant space in an existing room. To help guide your decision, we’ve looked at the regulations and potential benefits to space saving stairs in this article.

 

Regulations

When converting your loft into an additional room, you must adhere to building regulations regardless of whether you needed planning permission for the conversion or not. There are several regulations in place when it comes to installing stairs for your loft:

  • You may install space saving stairs for your loft conversion, but only if the loft is used as a single room
  • You must provide a fixed staircase to provide safe access to and from the loft
  • The staircase may have a maximum steepness pitch of 42 degrees
  • The minimum headroom the staircase can provide is 1.9m
  • The height of each stair riser must be equal
  • You must provide a handrail where there is a drop of 600mm or more.

 

What is a space saver staircase?

Space saver staircases are most popular with homes where space for the additional staircase to be installed is limited. These staircases are composed of alternating treads, effectively halving the size and space the staircase will take up in your home.

This type of staircase can be made in a wide variety of materials, including several types of wood, as well as metal for a more modern look. Width options can be altered to suit your home’s requirements, depending on the amount of available space and the placement of the staircase.

 

If you’re not sure if a space saving staircase is right for your loft conversion, talk to our experts at AKB Lofts – our teams have a wealth of experience helping every customer to tailor their loft conversion designs to suit their exact needs.

For more information, or to discuss your loft conversion and any other elements of it, feel free to contact us today – we’ll be happy to provide any further advice you may need.