What problems do surveyors find with stairs?

How often have you considered the staircase in your home? Or if you’re looking to buy a property, do you really take note of the condition of the stairs?

Unless you own, or wish to buy a bungalow, the stairs are in fact one of the most crucial things to look at. There are so many things to consider – their placement, how steep they are, whether they have banisters, what material they are, if they have carpet, do they have a bend? The list goes on.

Here at Collier Stevens, we can help with our building survey services and schedules of condition services.

What practical problems with staircases should I consider?

A key question you should be asking yourself is if you can safely get your furniture up the stairs. You should also consider the following things:

• Are you buying a house with stairs leading to a loft conversion?If so, check if the stairs wind and whether your furniture can actually fit around tight stairs.
• Is your property Victorian?In Victorian cottages, the stairs are often very steep, and in two-up two-downs there is often a window at the bottom which may need protecting. Head height is often compromised at the stair bulkhead (where the upper floor opening is), and this can cause problems with large furniture – especially double and king size beds.

What dangers do you find on staircases?

Stairwells can be one of the most dangerous parts of a house.

Our surveyors in Kent have seen stairs missing handrails, even when the stairs are incredibly steep. We’ve also seen staircases where the balustrading (or banister) was missing.

Some handrails and balustrades also have weak lateral restraint (that’s the amount of effort you need to push them sideways). This is something that’s really important, especially if you need the support of the handrails to get up or down stairs. You might also want to consider the need for two handrails if you have mobility problems.

Altered stairs, especially for extensions, can be a problem. All treads should be the same width and all steps the same height.

Asbestos can also be found on staircases. Many 1950s houses we survey, especially local authority and social housing, are lined underneath with asbestos. It’s absolutely vital this is checked out and if you’re buying a property from this era, a survey is a must. For more information, take a look building survey services.

And what if you live in a flat that has been converted from a single house? What happened to the staircase when it was converted? Quite often, there is a fire-proof partition around the staircase, but the underneath of the stairs isn’t protected, and you can see the timber in the downstairs flat’s under-stair cupboard.

Are there safety regulations for domestic staircases?

There are a lot of building regulations and design criteria for staircases. Here are some of the key points:

• Spindles – Building regulations state that a 100mm sphere should not be able to pass through any opening in the balustrade, as such, the maximum gap between the spindles should not be any greater than 99mm.
• Step height – Building regulations specify a minimum distance of 150mm to a maximum of 220mm.
• Tread depth – Building regulations specify a minimum distance of 220mm to a maximum of 300mm.
• Staircases should have a maximum slope or pitch of 42°. Not all combinations of rise and going can achieve this.
• There must be a handrail on at least one side of a flight of stairs if they are less than one metre wide, and on both sides if they are wider.
• Handrails on stairs and landings should have a minimum height of 900mm.
• A minimum of 2000mm of clear headroom is required above the pitch line – that’s the line that would be formed if you pulled a string from the bottom tread to the top tread.

What structural problems do surveyors find with stairs?

Our building surveyors in Kent usually find structural problems in staircases where poor maintenance has been undertaken or where they have been altered or improved. We see things like broken treads, especially winders (the treads on stairs that go around a corner) being poorly supported. Often the wedge has fallen out, or a support has broken.

Another common problem is poorly repaired stairs with screws or nails sticking out, or patch-worked wood, often hidden beneath a carpet. Making sure a stair tread is properly secure is essential.

At the bottom of the stairs, it’s important to ensure the bottom riser isn’t decaying. Sometimes, rather than stairs being built upon concrete, the stairs have been fitted first then concrete cast around it, and this can cause decay.

How easy is it to replace a staircase?

When you’re installing or replacing a staircase, the first thing you need to consider is where the new staircase is going. Are you replacing it like for like, adding a new stairwell, or moving an existing one? A general rule is that the base of the staircase should be near to the front door, and that you should not need to cross another room to reach the stairs from the front door. This is particularly important if there is a third storey to the house, as the stairs will have to act as a fire escape route.

Once you know where your staircase will be fitted, work out the total rise – that’s the height between the finished floor below and that above. You can then work out how many risers are needed. The number of treads is generally one less that the number of risers.

What are the best materials for staircases?

Much of this is down to your own personal preference, but there are things you might like to bear in mind.

Almost any material can be used to make a staircase – concrete, stone, wood, even glass. It all comes down to what you like, whether it is a domestic property or commercial and, more importantly, what your wallet likes.

Whatever material you choose to build your stairs in, make sure you consider the people who will be using them.

If you’ve got a fairly open staircase then lighting at the top and bottom is normally sufficient, but if you have a narrow or enclosed staircase, then you might want to consider wall lights or strip lighting. There are some great ideas on Pinterest.

All the while, you need to make sure you follow Building Regs.

Glossary of terms

What are the core components of a staircase?

There are many words used to describe the different parts of a staircase. Here are some of the key terms:

• Balustrading – The rail around a stairwell that stops you falling down it. It is often formed from a combination of the spindles, handrail and newel posts.
• Banister – The structure formed by the uprights and handrail at the side of a staircase.
• Spindle – The individual ‘poles’ that make up the banister or balustrade.
• Newel Post – The post at the top or bottom of the stairs that becomes a coat hanger or bag rack – in our house it does anyway!
• String – The piece of timber that runs up at an angle on the end of the steps against the wall, or at the bottom of the banister.
• Pitch – Angle of the staircase.
• Winder – The triangular shaped treads used when the staircase bends around a corner.
• Tread – The top section of an individual step on which you walk.
• Riser – The board that forms the face of the step.
• Rise – The vertical distance from the top of the tread to the top of the next one.
• Nosing – The edge of the tread which projects beyond the riser.
• Going – The horizontal distance between one step and the next, measured from the nosing to the nosing.

Note: The information in this article is for guidance only. There is no substitute for advice specific to your situation. If this is an old post, the law may have changed since it was written.

Get surveyor support with Collier Stevens

If you have any concerns about your staircase, or you’re planning an home extension and need advice, our surveyors in Kent are here to help. Whether you need our building survey services, schedules of condition services, or party wall guidance, we’ve got you covered.

Get in touch with our team for more information.

About the Author

Steven Way

Steven Way BSc MIHEEM MFPWS MRICS is the Practice Principal and is a Chartered Building Surveyor. With over 35 years as a practicing surveyor, Steve has a wealth of experience and expertise in both residential and commercial building surveying, party wall advice and disabled access auditing. He has also built his reputation as an expert witness.