Stair landing width in old house

[GCarnegi]

We are doing an extension, which is accessed by opening out through a window at the top of our stairs.

The house is about 70 years old, and I'm sure it's original, but the distance from the top step to the wall "in front of you" is 711mm. The width of the stair is 1040mm.

By building regs, I think the landing should be the same "depth" as the width of the staircase, but it's about a foot short - though it's original.

My question is this. I am punching through the window at the top of the stairs to make this landing into a "T-junction" instead of a "Right Turn", if you see where I'm coming from.

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• GCarnegi
• 13 Jul 2010
• 1

The gap through the window will be 711mm - the same as the depth of the landing - see picture for details.

Is this going to be a problem as far as regs are cocnerned? I'm not really changing anything directly on the landing itself, I think.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

As the landing has always been 711mm you will not need to change it so won't be a problem.

 

[DevilDamo]

As FMT said, it's fine as there's no regulation.

Widths of corridors, etc... is usually goverened by the door you're putting in... and the smallest width you're wanting to do down but still maintaing sufficient width to move furniture in/out.

However, as you're restricted with the width of the existing window, there's not a lot more you can do, unless you wanted to reduce the size of the bathroom, which to be honest... isn't really practical or feasible.

 

[HuwRoberts]

If I am reading this correctly:

The origional landing leads off to the right (711mm)?

The landing to the left is new (711mm)?

It states in part K that the landing should be as wide as the minimum flight of the stair, obviously this is not the case with your project.

It really depends on the Building Control Officer that you have been appointed, it is worth talking it through with them as some would see this as an equal landing, however; from experience there are some Gits about and they could enforce part K but its better to find out sooner rather than later.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

It really depends on the Building Control Officer that you have been appointed, it is worth talking it through with them as some would see this as an equal landing, however; from experience there are some Gits about and they could enforce part K but its better to find out sooner rather than later.

No, the situation will be no worse than before therefore BC will not be able to insist on modifications even if they wanted to, which they won't.

 

[DevilDamo]

It states in part K that the landing should be as wide as the minimum flight of the stair

Only in relation in providing a new staircase.