Extending over a stair well

[Random1082]

Hi All,
I thought I'd post a recent success I've had with my latest round of home improvements.
We live in a fairly standard 3 bed semi which was build in the early 2000's. As such, it has two decent sized bedrooms and one box room.
As happens when you have children my youngest has drawn the short straw and ended up in this room. Which was fine as a baby however over time it has become apparent that every little bit of space counts.
I thought about my options for a while and figured I had two ways to maximise space. First, I extend over the landing and lose valuable space where the kids play, not ideal. The second option was to move the cupboard on the landing over the stairwell and knock through the wall in the bedroom to create a walk in wardrobe. After a lot of consideration and my wife telling me so I opted for the second option.
So over the Christmas break last year I had some free time while the wife and kids were out. I was knocking about the house deciding how to best work off my Christmas belly. The options where go for a run or start work on this "little project". Running isn't my thing so I started work, to my wife's horror when she got home half the balustrade was gone. In hindsight I probably should have told her first Any way a few weeks later the job was done. I've attached a few pictures of the process from start to finish. All in all this cost me about £400 including getting a plasterer in.
I must say I'm very please with the results.

 

[pilsbury]

Gaining every little bit of space you can.... good job for a bargain price.

 

[big-all]

as an aside
you need to be careful to maintain head height on the stairs to keep within regs
a good way to gain a few inches dependant on joist size floor thickness ect is to mark the minimum height point allow for plasterboard to be added
then mark the stair angle from that point probably be 42%
if you draw a line from the finished floor level inside the cupboard to intersect with the angle
then select your timber thickness for the floor plate
draw another line on top off that
this gives you the back edge for the wall timber a few inches further back
make sure the back edge off your floor plate it about 18mm forward off the intersection line as 12.5mm plasterboard at 42 degrees is about 40% thicker
you can gain a further inch or so by chamfering the bottom edge off floor plate

clear as mud

 

[Random1082]

Thanks guys, and the advice will come in handy next time. I made sure there was more than enough head room. I've got friend who is 6'6 and he still has plenty of head room

 

[mrcrow]

a neat job and a good one to do on the holidays...and inside too.
cheers
geof