Box above the stairs

[bricksmasher]

Hi, not sure which section to post this in really.

Looking at a house for sale at the moment and found this one, the issue I have with it, in one of the bedrooms, it's boxes above where the stairs run, which cuts quite alot in the bedroom making it abit odd (especially as it's by the window)

I know it's probably hard to say, but what options would their likely to be to reduce the size (mostly the height) or making some use of it as.its basically dead space at the moment

Thanks!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Firstly, you would need to determine where the 2m pitch line runs above the stairs, then at least you can see if any can be reduced or what you might be able to do with it. It's a bit tricky to determine the above but until you do you won't know what you can do.

There have been a couple of threads on here in the past with people asking similar questions.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

TBH no builder will put more time or materials into making up a boxing than is strictly necessary, so that's probably the smallest fastest and cheapest way they could make up a boxing

I'd hazard a guess that the boxing will be fairly tight at the upper end of the stairs. Is it about 900mm to 1 metre tall? If so there probably won't be a lot of spare space between the top of that boxing and the ceiling above the last step below the kite winders - enough to get a stud and two layers of cladding. However, as you go further down the stairs it should be possible to reduce the boxing, making for a triangular side panel with a sloped top.

I did something similar for my step sister a while back, where I managed to put a couple of steps into the boxing - one end of the bed (minus feet) sat on the lower step whilst the upper step became a book shelf

 

[big-all]

get a bit off electrical tape or similar place diagonally from corner to corner stand back and look and decide how you could use the space ....... perhaps a seating area with a small storage triangle under the seat and another triangle behind the back

 

[bricksmasher]

Thanks for the replies, appreciate it.

Definitely given me something to think about.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I did something similar for my step sister a while back, where I managed to put a couple of steps into the boxing - one end of the bed (minus feet) sat on the lower step whilst the upper step became a book shelf

I saw that done, on a recent TV program, it made quite a bit of difference to the space which was available in that room.

 

[big-all]

its worth keeping in mind there could be masses off random timber under there with the slopped ceiling being supported in random ways not nicely as you would think you may find the only way to use the space is to remove whats there ceiling included and start again
i am assuming the top will be last on so easiest off to have a look