Staircase regs

[bradders3109]

Am I reading approved document K correctly?

 

My stairwell is wide enough to accomodate a 900mm wide staircase and this is what I would like.  It goes up to a half landing which is 1200mm deep.  It then turns back on itself and rises to the first floor landing which is about 1500mm deep.  We then have a dormer and the staircase would rise to another half landing again 1200mm deep.  Then again turn back on itself for the final flight to the domer room which would again preferably be 900mm wide in keeping with the rest of the staircase.

 

The problem arises at the landing to the dormer as this is only 700mm deep.  If I'm reading the regs correctly: The landings at the top and bottom of each flight should be at least the width of the smallest width of the flight.

 

So in essence the 700mm landing would be fine if I reduced the last flight width to 700mm but wouldn't be acceptable if the last flight remained in keeping with the rest of the stairs at 900mm.  What could be the possible reason for this regulation?

 

 

[goodbyegti]

That is my understanding of it at least. Perhaps one to agree with building control in advance - you could afterall fit a 200mm packer on the final flight to be removed after sign off.

 

Another random thought: could you add a separate 700mm step on to the 700mm landing? Then it becomes a separate flight.

 

It's tough to visualise with no diagram.

[ProDave]

2 hours ago, bradders3109 said:

We then have a dormer and the staircase would rise to another half landing again 1200mm deep.  Then again turn back on itself for the final flight to the domer room which would again preferably be 900mm wide in keeping with the rest of the staircase.

Again hard to visualise without plan and section drawings, but could you not get one more step on the first flight onto a 900mm deep half landing meaning one less step on the second flight and a larger landing at the top?

 

Play with the on line stair design tools on stairbox and many others to find a solution.

[saveasteading]

3 hours ago, bradders3109 said:

  If I'm reading the regs correctly

That applies for new build. You have constraints so the bco should give latitude.

[bradders3109]

Thanks for the responses gents.

 

Mine isn't a new build but a renovation with a large extension.  The staircase will be in the new part of the house and my understanding is that part K applies.

 

I've tried to mock up the stairwell in powerpoint to give a better idea, hope this helps to visualise.  Any suggestions are greatly welcome.

[saveasteading]

20 minutes ago, bradders3109 said:

part K applies

In that case, yes it does.

[bradders3109]

32 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

In that case, yes it does.

I thought so.  I just don't understand how a 700mm landing is fine with a 700mm staircase but not with a wider staircase.  Surely it's about having a safe area at the top of the stairs and if 700mm is safe for a 700mm wide case why not for a 900mm wide case?

 

Like most of us who self build I've come across many regs that don't appear to make sense but this one has to be the daftest.

Edited March 23 by bradders3109

[torre]

21 minutes ago, bradders3109 said:

why

On a narrow stair you'll already be taking more care and cope better with a shallow landing, plus it's much less likely more than one person will be sharing/passing in the space.

 

Anyway you won't change the regs, you'll have to compromise somewhere. It looks like you might need to swap the top half landing for two quarter landings or similar. Don't you have plans for this? What stage are you at?

 

Try planning just the top half of this using stairbox as suggested.

[bradders3109]

1 hour ago, torre said:

stairbox as suggested.

Spent the week using stairbox design tool before posting on here to see if I can find a way round the issue.

 

Fully understand that I won't change the regs but was just trying to understand the rationale for on the face of it what appears a bit of a strange regulation.  I get your explanation and to be fair as you say it really doesn't matter what the rationale is, as you've said I can't change the regs.

 

I'll give stairbox a call tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the replies