Structural carpentry
Staircases and balustrades
Staircase work runs from replacing spindles to installing a new flight. A straight flight fitted typically costs £1,000 to £4,000, and anything with a winder or a turn moves sharply above that.
What this covers
What it costs. A new straight staircase costs £1,000 to £4,000 supplied and fitted. Full cost breakdown.
What the job covers
- New staircase installation
- Staircase renovation and re-treading
- Replacing spindles, newels and handrails
- Curing squeaks and movement
- Under-stairs conversions
What is involved
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.
Renovation is the more common job. Re-treading covers worn treads with new timber or cladding, and works if the carriage underneath is sound. Replacing spindles, newel posts and the handrail changes the look of a hall completely for a fraction of a new flight, and can usually be done in a day or two. Squeaks are almost always a loose tread or a dried-out wedge under the stair, fixable from below where there is access and from above where there is not.
New staircase installation, one of the jobs under staircases.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask whether the work is notifiable and who deals with building control. For renovation, ask them to check the carriage before quoting a re-tread. For a new flight, confirm the rise and going against the actual floor-to-floor height rather than a drawing.
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Common questions
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 changes the look of a staircase more than anything else for the money. Like-for-like replacement is usually not notifiable, but the 100mm rule applies to what you install.