Cost guide
How much do staircases cost?
A new straight staircase costs £1,000 to £4,000 supplied and fitted. Renovating an existing one, with new spindles, newels and handrail, is £600 to £1,800 and is what most people actually need.
Typical prices
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Replace spindles, newel caps and handrail | £600 to £1,200 |
| Re-tread an existing staircase | £800 to £1,800 |
| New straight flight, softwood, fitted | £1,000 to £2,200 |
| New flight with a turn or winders | £2,500 to £5,000 |
| Glass balustrade, per metre | £300 to £600 |
Renovation and replacement are very different budgets for a similar visual change. Ask a carpenter to look at the carriage before assuming the whole flight has to go.
What moves the price
- Shape. A straight flight is the baseline; winders, quarter and half landings add substantially.
- Timber. Softwood painted, versus oak or ash on show.
- Balustrade. Timber spindles are cheapest; glass and metal cost several times more.
- Whether the opening and floor-to-floor height suit a stock flight or need a made-to-measure one.
- Building control, where the flight is new or replaced.
What the job involves
A staircase is one of the few pieces of domestic carpentry governed in detail by building regulations. Rise and going have to stay within set limits and, critically, every step in a flight must be identical: a single step that differs is what people trip on. Headroom, handrail height and the gap between spindles are all specified, and the spindle gap in particular catches people out on renovations, because older stairs were built before it existed.
Questions about staircases
Do I need building regulations for a new staircase?
Yes for a new or replacement flight. Rise, going, headroom, handrails and guarding are all covered, and the gap between spindles must not allow a 100mm sphere to pass.
Can I just replace the spindles and handrail?
Yes, and it is the highest-impact cheap change on a staircase. Like-for-like replacement is usually not notifiable, but the 100mm rule applies to what you install.
Why do my stairs creak?
Nearly always a tread that has come loose from the riser, or a dried wedge under the stair. Both are fixable, easily from underneath and with more difficulty from above.