Outside stairs joints and general issues

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Hi all. I'm hoping for some advice about an outside staircase. Single storey.

A builder has made this, but all the treads are fixed to the stringers with three screws at each end, into the endgrain, just butt joint. In places you can see light between the end of the tread and the stringer, and even though its been lightly used for less than a week you can see some of the treads move as you put weight on them.

I'm hoping someone can tell me if this is ok. There are other issues too but this is the most worrying one.

I have put some photos on photobucket goto second page, about 10 pics in. http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/alan4la/library/

hope this link is ok to post. Too tired / panicy to reread forum rules...

Many thanks in advance
Alan
 
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Not looked at pictures but just using 3 screws in each side to fix the tread is not the best method.
You could remove the stairs and use a housing joint for the treads to sit in then glue and screw.
or you can put metal rods under some of the treads to pull the strings together or place blocks under some of the treads so that you can screw through the top of the tread.
 
Thanks very much for that. I'm trying to decide if I should just accept it or if it's bad enough say no to. I'm letting the flat for a bit before i sell, so wont see if it deteriorates And frankly it worries the .... out of me.
 
Had a look at the pics and it's a rum job to say the least, once rain hits those screws and they rust that's the end of the stairs.
 
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Yes... disappointed doesn't cover it. I've lived there for about 15 years and always put off building new stairs partly by cost and partly by lack of understanding of the rules and how to work out timber sizes or support them properly. I've retired and moved in with someone else, Am completely broke but have a few years left to run on an interest only mortgage so i'm renting. Council gave me a grant for this, and in a private capacity recommended the builder, then selected his quote for the work. So I don't control the pursestrings but will carry the can if something goes wrong. That worries me, but not as much as the thought it might fail and somebody get hurt.

Council officer is reinspecting tomorrow, but I lack confidence in judgement as prevous comments were they'd seen worse and outside wasn't really their area... that was on the previous version which even I could see was very non-compliant. Slope,gaps,handrail height, all way off..

This is more compliant but i would never have designed it this way myself. Every fibre tells me its a poor quality slipshod bit of workmanship....builder is a nice chap but I suspect far out of hisbdepth...
 
This is more compliant but i would never have designed it this way myself

Compliant and Safe are a long way from each other.

Ask inspector if he is prepared to issue a certificate/letter to say they have been inspected and passed as compliant and up to the safety standards required by the council.
Don't hold your breath though!
 
There are a number of issues with the stairs. But why not wait and see what the " council official" says? Are you talking about the BCO? No matter who the council send out, BCO is the only council official authorised to enforce the Bldg Regs. and your stairs need Bldg Regs.
 
No, if it was bco i would not be worried. Because these stairs are a replacement, do not involve installing a lintle, and are not the fire escape route they do not need to be inspected by the bco, only need to be compliant.

The council official inspecting the work is the same person who administers the grant. I'm unclear about the la internal processes for approval of grant, selection of builder and quality assurance. But person approving payment of grant to builder is person who recommended them. I think cuts at la have affected things, for example paperwork says council will prepare list of works and also works must bring insulation up tp scratch, but only verbal list and verbally insulation excluded. Shame because loft full of pigeon droppings which i would have preferred to get sorted pprofessionally.

Council process is designdd to stop property owner syphoning money from grant into own pocket. Good in principle
 
Its simple really
The treads are dangerous

They should as a minimum be housed into the stringers or the stringers cut and notched to support the treads . and not left to rely solely on 3 screws
Insist on A member of Building control attending as well. And insist on something in writing from the council official that says that it will all be fine to cover your own backside for when somebody does get hurt when the tread fails.

Wood out side will continuously move and one of these days the screws on a tread will let go.

Got to ask why you got quotes from builders rather than joiners though
 
Council insist one person responsible for everything - it was a refurb with carpets ( badly laid ) some decorating , elec, new boiler...pLaster outside i think, door hung with floorboafd saw....
 
And ... ?

OP, what happened next?

You really shouldn't leave those stairs in that condition, someone will get injured.
 

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