Dodgy Stairs Problem

[mlobrien]

I have an issue with my stairs that I would like to try and solve. It looks as though an extension has been added to my 19th Century Welsh Terraced Cottage. At some point the loft of the extension has been converted into a bedroom. 
The issue I have is that the doorway to the bedroom is off the main stairs. When you enter or leave the room there is a big drop onto the stairs, which is dodgy at times, especially when you’re tired or in the middle of the night. 
I have attached some pictures of the stairs from the bottom then the doorway onto the stairs. 
Any ideas would be helpful. Many thanks 

[Carrerahill]

We would need to see a plan of the stairs to see where they start downstairs - do you have the space/arrangement to allow for the stairs to start further back so that there is a landing outside the bedroom access, so basically you need to start the stairs sooner on the ground floor so by the time you get to the bedroom you are already at that level.

 

The only way to make it right, is to have a single height landing across the whole opening to the bedroom, even if you were to cut the 2 steps into the bedroom further into the floor so you can have 3 stairs, you still have a stair meeting 3 stairs on 3 heights!

 

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by Carrerahill

[Declan52]

Cut the first step back so the edge is right under the edge of the frame to give you step 1.

Step 3 will finish level with the stair on the other staircase going down. 

Split the height difference and width to give you the height of step 2.

[Carrerahill]

15 minutes ago, Declan52 said:

 

Step 3 will finish level with the stair on the other staircase going down. 

 

Yes but which one? It spans 3 of them!

 

 

[AliG]

Basically what @Carrerahill said.

 

The only thing I would add is that you could probably fit two more steps into the turn shown in the first picture, but the horizontal offset is as big an issue as the height difference.

 

You need to be able to pull the main stairs back so that there is a landing outside the new bedroom then you would 2/3 steps up from that into each bedroom. Even if you cut a third step down from the bedroom you will need the stairs to move back by at least three treads and possibly four. To do this you will likely need to bring the first tread back into the room at the bottom plus add more treads on the turn, is there room at the bottom to do this?

 

I also need to bring in building standards and safety. This was either done pre building regs or ignoring building regs. I would think new work requires a building warrant, although someone could correct me. I hope you don't let visitors use these stairs, they look quite dangerous and I would be quite concerned re legal liability they create. There is no way an insurance company would pay out if anything happened as they are clearly unsafe.

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by AliG

[Declan52]

7 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

Yes but which one? It spans 3 of them!

 

 

The step on the bottom of the pic. Then it's only a single step down to the next one. Just don't go to the far end and fall down 2 steps!!!

[mlobrien]

44 minutes ago, AliG said:

Basically what @Carrerahill said.

 

The only thing I would add is that you could probably fit two more steps into the turn shown in the first picture, but the horizontal offset is as big an issue as the height difference.

 

You need to be able to pull the main stairs back so that there is a landing outside the new bedroom then you would 2/3 steps up from that into each bedroom. Even if you cut a third step down from the bedroom you will need the stairs to move back by at least three treads and possibly four. To do this you will likely need to bring the first tread back into the room at the bottom plus add more treads on the turn, is there room at the bottom to do this?

 

I also need to bring in building standards and safety. This was either done pre building regs or ignoring building regs. I would think new work requires a building warrant, although someone could correct me. I hope you don't let visitors use these stairs, they look quite dangerous and I would be quite concerned re legal liability they create. There is no way an insurance company would pay out if anything happened as they are clearly unsafe.

 

Yes we are very concerned about the safety and insurance. I would think it was done before building regs. 
I have attached two more pictures showing the start of the stairs. 
Could you do as Declan52 suggest and start the landing there and the stairs taken to the corner of the room downstairs, so basically moving the entrance to the stairs along (where the fridge is)

[AliG]

I think that if you move the entrance to the stairs to the fridge there should be enough room to get a landing that the stairs to the bedroom connect onto.

 

You cannot just fix it by having one stair level and a drop down to the other two, that is not safe and would not pass regs. I know it is better than it is at the moment, but it simply would not be accepted. If you are going to fix it, you may as well do it properly.

 

The regs are here -

 

http://b. for work on an existing building that did not comply with the applicable requirements of the Building Regulations: (i) the work itself must comply with the applicable requirements of the Building Regulations (ii) the building must be no more unsatisfactory in relation to the requirements than before the work was carried out.

 

They do say 

1. for work on an existing building that did not comply with the applicable requirements of the Building Regulations:

   1. (i)  the work itself must comply with the applicable requirements of the Building Regulations

   2. (ii)  the building must be no more unsatisfactory in relation to the requirements than before the work was carried out

And I think you do have leeway to not fully meet the regs on an existing building, but I don't think they would let you away with a step that had different drops at each end.

 

A stair case shaped something like this starting where the fridge is should work with a small landing at the top and then steps to the bedrooms from the landing. You would probably have to raise the bottom of the cupboard that is close to the bottom of the stairs. Strictly speaking that is also against the regs as the door opens across the stairs, but would probably be OK as it is already in existence.

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by AliG

[mlobrien]

Thanks for this, definitely the way to go 

[MikeSharp01]

3 hours ago, mlobrien said:

my 19th Century Welsh Terraced Cottage

I suppose if you choose to live in Wales, cos you like it there or for whatever reason, you might expect things done in Welsh! I am not sure I could live in Wales, nothing against it - love the singing, but I worry it would drive me up the wall and it appears that the ability to climb walls is required if your stairs are anything to go by