Loft conversion stairs aren’t just a case of access to your new loft room; they are important in terms of safety, and they can also take up a large amount of floor space within your loft conversion. What’s more, they can act as a design feature within the room! It’s important there that they are sited correctly in the space you have available. But, where should they go?
Over the Existing Stairs
Positioning your loft conversion stairs over the top of your existing stairs is not only a space saving option, but it also keeps your house looking and feeling more symmetrical. After all, your new loft conversion stairs will simply become a continuation of the flight of stairs below.
Furthermore, placing the new staircase above your existing one will minimise the amount of floor space taken up by your new stairs, and it will also mean that you don’t lose any head height.
Within Another Room
Of course, you can take part of another room and place your loft conversion stairs within it. In some London homes it’s not possible for structural reasons or because of space limitations to place the new staircase above the existing one, and this is where the next best option is to take space out of an existing room on the first floor.
The downside to this, of course, is that you will lose some room from one of your existing rooms. You may, therefore, wish to use a section off your largest first floor room for this purpose, so that the impact is not as noticeable. And if your largest room on the first floor is your master bedroom, which you’ll be relocating into the new loft conversion after the build, you may not feel the loss of space so much.
Alternatively, you could opt to place your stairs in the least used room, such as a small box bedroom or home office. There will often still be some room alongside the new staircase for the likes of a desk, or a daybed, so your existing room won’t be rendered completely useless by the arrival of the new staircase.
Space Saving Staircases
Where room is really tight, space saving staircases can be an option. However, they are unpopular with building inspectors, and it is often easier, safer and more comfortable to install a full staircase, if at all possible.
Space saving staircases work by being made up of alternating treads, which allows them to be smaller and more compact. However, you will need a handrail on both sides of the stairs, because of the alternating treads, and so their positioning still needs to be thought about carefully.
If you’re not sure where the best place is to position your new loft conversion stairs, talk to Bespoke Lofts. As a specialist loft conversion company, we have a wealth of experience of installing loft conversion stairs in homes of all shapes and sizes so get in touch for personalised advice.