Stairs and headroom
A real stair where the hatch was
The stair is the first thing we draw. If it can't land, the rest of the job is a different job.
A stair to an attic bedroom has to be a stair, not a ladder. It needs headroom, width, a handrail and a landing. We draw two or three routes for it against the floors below and show you what each one takes.
What we check
Headroom along the whole run
Width between the walls
Rise and run of every step
The landing at the top and the bottom
Where the stair opening cuts the floor framing
What changes the price
What decides the price of a stair
The stair itself is a small part. The framing around it is the work.
The route
A stair over an existing stair is cheaper than one cut through a bedroom.
The opening
A hole in the attic floor means new headers and extra joists.
The shape
Straight, L-shaped and winder stairs take different framing and different finish.
Railings
A guard and a handrail in wood, iron or a mix change the finish line.
Walls
Fire-rated drywall and a door at the bottom are sometimes required.
What it displaces
A closet or a bedroom corner may be lost, and the rebuild is part of the job.
How it goes
How we draw a stair
- 01
Step 1: Measure the floors
We measure the floor-to-floor height, which sets the number of steps.
- 02
Step 2: Find the room
We mark where headroom and width are available on each floor.
- 03
Step 3: Draw the options
Two or three routes, each with what it costs the rooms below.
- 04
Step 4: Choose and permit
You pick one, and we draw it for the city.
Questions
Questions about stairs
Can I use a pull-down ladder?
Not for a bedroom. A bedroom needs a proper stair with a handrail and the headroom described on our rules page.
What if there isn't room for a stair?
Then we say so before you spend money on drawings. Sometimes the answer is a dormer, a different route, or leaving the attic as storage.
Will the stair take a bedroom?
Sometimes it takes a closet or a corner. We show you the loss on the sketch before you decide.
Can I keep my old banister?
If it meets the rules, often yes. We check the height and the gaps on the visit.
Where could your stair go?
Send a photo of the stair you use now, and we'll start from there.