door for stairs to attic

[gricha]

Hi all
I'm having an attic conversion and the builder has put the door right at the bottom of the first step.
He says it's alright but I'm saying you need to bend down on the second step to open when you go down.
This can't be right surely.

Pic uploaded hopefully
Thanks

Untitled

• gricha
• 17 Mar 2014
• 1

 

[DevilDamo]

There needs to be a clear landing (stair width) provided at the top and bottom of the staircase. Or a door can swing across the bottom of a staircase providing a clearance of 400mm is provided...

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_AD_K_2013.pdf

Turn to Pages 10-11.

 

[tony1851]

This can't be right surely.

'Yes' and 'no'.

Normally, there should be a clear, unobstructed landing at the top and bottom of each flight of stairs.

But there are no hard and fast rules on stairs, other than that they should be safe.

Where space is restricted - as presumably it is in your case - and where the stairs are to a single-room loft conversion, lesser standards can apply.

Really, it's down to what you are happy with; most people would find that arrangement inconvenient and uncomfortable to say the least.

There may incidentally be a problem with the headroom at the bottom of the stairs, which should be a minimum of 2m clear vertically above the pitch line. I doubt you will get that.

Are there plans for this work, or is it being done under Building Notice, or is it being checked by any building control body at all?

Is this being done by one of those 'Loft Conversion Specialists'?

 

[gricha]

Planning permission was given but the door was originally at the top of the stairs.
The door way is the wood batons on the sides.

The builder has decided to put it at the bottom but I think you shouldn't be opening the door on the second step from the bottom.

 

[tony1851]

Planning permission is irrelevant - it's Building Regulations you should be concerned about.

Regardless of ease (or lack of it) of using the door when coming down the stairs, you will almost certainly not get the required minimum 2m headroom over the pitch line.

This is a safety issue so speak with your building inspector before it goes too far.

 

[gricha]

Thanks
I will phone the building Inspector tomorrow. He came last Thursday and they did it on the Friday.
Should they be out to inspect when it's all finished?

 

[mattylad]

BTW, putting the handle further up reduces how low you have to stoop to open the door

 

[clifford1]

BTW, putting the handle further up reduces how low you have to stoop to open the door

And conversely, if you have the door at the top, you need the handle lower down.

 

[DevilDamo]

Should they be out to inspect when it's all finished?

Yes, as a Completion Inspection in which they would bring up the issue about the headroom and door position. Best to get them out sooner rather than later.

 

[noseall]

Regardless of ease (or lack of it) of using the door when coming down the stairs, you will almost certainly not get the required minimum 2m headroom over the pitch line.

1.9m for loft con's.

 

[DevilDamo]

Regardless of ease (or lack of it) of using the door when coming down the stairs, you will almost certainly not get the required minimum 2m headroom over the pitch line.

1.9m for loft con's.

At the edge and not the centre

 

[tony1851]

That diagram in Approved Document K (or whatever it is called now) is intended for explaining how height may be reduced over loft stairs, and the clear inference is that it applies under the roof.

There is also the proviso that it applies when space is limited.

In the OP's case, The door is not under the roof but is on the existing landing, where headroom is not restricted. As such, a 2m door-head will present an impact risk for anyone coming down the stairs.

In those circumstances, I believe the inspector woulld be justified in asking for 2m minimum headroom.

 

[gricha]

Good news
Phoned the inspector and he immediately came out and told them to move the door to allow for the headroom.
When I told him about the door at the base of the stairs he said "that's not right I'll be straight down".
Good job I phoned before they completed it. 😊

 

[xr4x4]

Regardless of ease (or lack of it) of using the door when coming down the stairs, you will almost certainly not get the required minimum 2m headroom over the pitch line.

1.9m for loft con's.

At the edge and not the centre

Can be as low as 1.8 at the edges of a sloping roof, to 1.9 in the middle.

 

[DevilDamo]

Touché