Often customers come to us wanting to replace a staircase and fear that this may be a big upheaval, especially finding a staircase that will replace the existing stair perfectly. But, you know what? It’s actually far simpler than you may envisage. Let’s take a quick look at some common questions and clear up a few uncertainties along the way:
Should I replace or renovate my stairs?
This is actually a topic that we recently tackled in Staircase Renovation or New Stairs? First of all you need to ascertain whether the staircase is stable enough to warrant a renovation. If it is, and you are happy with the basic construction, then there is no real reason not to renovate the staircase other than the lack of additional flexibility that you would get with a new staircase. If you are considering the renovate option, check out our stair renovation parts, as well as our bespoke newel cladding.
Will the replacement fit in the space of the old stair?
Simply put, as long as you provide the dimensions of the old staircase, yes your replacement staircase will fit in the same space. At StairBox, every stair is bespoke. This gives us the flexibility to ensure that every flight is sent to you exactly as you require it. And with a team of technical staircase experts at the other end of the phone on 01782 832555, you can be sure that we will create just what you need. Alternatively, simply use our Online StairBuilder® and use the simple step-by-step creation to ensure that you design the exact stair that you require.
My old staircase doesn’t comply with UK Regulations, what should I do about my replacement staircase?
Luckily, within UK Building Regulations there is a ruling that a replacement staircase does not need to comply with UK Regulations but needs to be either the same or better.
To put it formally:
In England and Wales, regulation 3 of the building regulations 2000 states that an alteration to a building is considered to be building work for which the building regulations apply if the alteration affects the structure of the building (Part A), the fire protection measures and means of escape (Part B) and the access and use of a building by people with disabilities (Part M). If the original stair complied with these elements of the building regulations then the new stair should also comply. If the original stair did not comply with these elements then the new stair should not be more unsatisfactory.
In other words, you have not altered the structure of the building and therefore it is not considered building work to which the Building Regulations need apply.
How do I measure for my replacement stairs?
If you have your old staircase still in place, this can be a bit of a double-edged sword, in that you need have the existing staircase upon which you can base the measurement for your replacement stair, though at the same time you, of course, have a staircase in the way, not necessarily the most helpful thing when you are trying to measure as accurately as possible. But not to worry, the basic process is really the same as outlined in the How to Measure your Staircase Page. No fuss and no great issues, simply take the basic measurements (such as floor to floor height, your Width and Goings, and you should have what you need to ensure that your staircase is to the correct dimensions.
But, as always, if you’re having trouble, feel free to give us a call. Alternatively, you could always reach out to the joiner fitting the staircase and they should be able to assist you with the measuring of the stair.
How much does a replacement staircase cost?
Honestly, the world is your oyster. As everything that we create is bespoke, you could go with something cheap, say a Softwood and MDF Staircase which would need to be painted and carpeted. Alternatively, you could go with an Oak or Walnut Staircase which would cost more but look absolutely gorgeous.
The main question that you need to consider is, "What would suit my home? What would add to my home?".
Regardless, you can always have a mess around with our Bespoke Stair Design Tool, this will allow you to browse through some of the options available and be able to see a range of available prices for different material configurations. So if you have a few options in mind, there StairBuilder® will be able to furnish you with a variety of instant quotes.
I’m still not sure how to proceed
No Problem, either give StairBox a call on 01782 832555 and one of our in-house advisors will be at the end of the phone more than happy to discuss your options or send an email to us using hello@stairbox.com. In this instance, sending us an email is normally the best course of action as that way you are able to send us any images that you may have of either what you need or what you currently have.
Our advisors are all highly trained both in the use of CAD software but are also experts in staircases thanks to our long-term training programme. That way we are able to ensure that the advisors know the whole process and know example what will happen from conception through manufacture and to delivery.
So, should you have any questions or queries, there is no one better to talk through your staircase with.
There’s a whole world of content
We hope that this has helped to open your eyes a little as to the possibilities that are out there when replacing a staircase. There is a whole world of options available to you and StairBox will always be more than happy to help you no matter what your request may be. Get in touch with us and we will do everything we can to ensure that you get exactly what you want.
