new staircase to loft

[ChilliChowder]

G'day

We are converting our loft, cheapest way of putting new stairs in is an 'off the shelf' job from Jewsons (or similar). However the standard rise for off the shelf stairs is 100mm more than we require. Does anyone have any ideas on the best way (if any) of modifying these stairs to fit the required space?

Can the bottom step be trimmed to be a lower riser so that the top step falls in the right place? Or is this a 'no-no' and against regs/normal practice?

Any known fix for this or do I just have to stop being a tight git and get them made to measure?

Cheers!

 

[simoniris]

Confirm it with your local BCO but regs only state a maximum rise, not minimum, although consistency of rise heights is important. If the stringer & 1st riser are suitable for trimming I don't foresee any problems with what you propose, although any deviations from standard should be run by the manufacturer / supplier first.

 

[noseall]

altering a set pattern of treads can be troublesome.

go place a 100 mm platform at the bottom tread of your stairs, and then walk down the stairs carrying something that obscures your vision of that bottom tread.

your memory and the set tread pattern will have you expecting a decent drop onto the last foot fall. this you won't get. instead you will probably stumble due to the out-of-sinc tread pattern.

 

[Symptoms]

The height of the risers must be the same, so you can't cut.

Couple of possible solutions:

1. In your loft space create a 100mm high 'landing' platform, say 1.5 x 1.5m, ringed in matching spindles & hand rail to stairs. You then step down into your converted area. Assumes plenty of head height. This method will allow you to use your 'off-the-shelf' unit & be fine for our Inspector friends.

2. Reverse of 1. Sit the base of the staircase in a 'well' of the appropriate size. More problematic 'cos you may have to alter structural timbers.

 

[simoniris]

blimey - noseall's getting into psychology! But I would agree with both noseall & symptoms - acheive this by trimming first rise as you suggested and extending landing as suggested