New garage stairs

[brycheiniog1]

All,

There have been a few similar threads recently which inspired me to post this. I am fortunate to have a decent sized garage which I was lead to believe by the former owners was constructed with the idea to create a home office above. At the moment access to the upstairs is via a very dodgy steps/ladder which for all sorts of reasons need to go.

I don't really have the cash at the moment to get a bespoke galvanised external staircase made, and have been pondering installing an internal staircase instead installed into the rear RHS.



Interior shots of loft:







Interior of garage:



Type of staircase I am thinking off:



I guess the first question is would I be daft to do this. It will loose some space in the garage and some floor space above and create an opening from the garage to the loft space.

One of the issues is that I would need to cut one of the joists to form the new stairwell. The existing joists are 47x200mm with a 52cm spacing. From some googling it looks like cutting one wouldn't be a problem as long as the ends were suitable braced with a new trimmer and the remaining joists either side were doubled up as per Fig 4.2 TRADA Span tables

Jonathan

[8-P]

Great looking garage, nice space upstairs too

[Rangeroverover]

go to stairbox website.......brilliant, I am semi clueless about "going" etc, website dead easy, delivered on time and fitted perfectly

[MDMetal]

Looks like you have space, if the stairs finish at the back of the garage and you don't need to run any supports under the stairs, you'd loose the width of the stairs off the back of the garage on one side but it looks long enough to still fit an average car in the garage. The best option would be to take the stairs from the inside out and up and then cover them but that's even more costly. Otherwise interior and covered feels more practical.

Are you putting a standard exterior door in somewhere or access through one of the existing garage doors?

[silverthorn2151]

Your roof structure is constructed of timber trusses. They work as a single unit rather than a collection of timbers fixed together, IYSWIM. You can alter them but you would be well advised having someone designing the alterations for you. Not a complex job but then you'll know what you can cut back and how to replicate the structural integrity.

It'll be worth it though and I'm very jealous.

[chasingracecars]

Why not run a stair case up the outside where the ladder is? A steel pre made stair case could just be lifted into place as opposed to built on site?

How about a loft ladder?

Seeing that its a got space for several cars, set the stairs to go up between the cars instead of at the end? It could be straight and not get in the way of doors etc.

[roofer]

Thats a nice beefy structure. What way were you intending to run the stairs ?

Its a bit of a no no to cut in at a right angle, due to the amount of chords that will need cutting.

Its preferable for the stairs to fit between chords, needing only 1 to be cut, then a double trimmer ( bolted) at each end of the opening.

Personally i would be looking for an external spiral staircase. You'd be surprised how often they come up on e bay etc.

[B17NNS]

£600

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/External-silver-metal-sp...

[48k]

roofer said:

Personally i would be looking for an external spiral staircase. You'd be surprised how often they come up on e bay etc.

I had a studio apartment with a spiral staircase. Looked nice but a PITA for getting furniture / large items upstairs though.

[wolfracesonic]

Another vote for an external stair case here OP. There is no need to start butchering up the roof trusses, a bad idea if you don't know exactly what your doing; the foot print of wooden stairs would rob you of quite a bit of floor space; Without a big hole in the floor it will be easier to keep warm, no draughts from down below; I can't see a metal staircase being any more expensive, just have a straight flight with a landing at the top, plus you've got better egress in the unlikely event there is a fire in the garage below and someone is trapped upstairs.

[Spudler]

Agree with wolf and the others.
In my mind it wouldn't even be an option for internal.

[Spare tyre]

I'd put a small extension on the end to house the stairs

[NDA]

I rarely comment on DIY projects as I'm pretty clueless! However, I would agree with the others here that an exterior staircase is the way to go - probably cheaper too. I wouldn't want to lose any interior space with stairs.

[brycheiniog1]

Thanks for the comments everybody. A quite resounding vote in favour of external stairs.

I have been watching eBay for ages for something suitable but nothing quite right has appeared yet. I don't want spiral stairs due to the issues with getting stuff up and down.

To do it properly it really needs two flights of stairs connected via a half landing with another landing at the top.

I think I could do the internal stairs for <£800, clearly an external solution in metal is going to be a fair bit more. I guess I shall get a few quotes in and keep watching ebay

[cahami]

This is outside and outside the box but it would be instant and removable for security and other jobs.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Youngman-Boss-X3-Powered...

[Little Lofty]

If the upper floor becomes habitable then an internal staircase will need to be protected from fire and will need its own entrance, much easier to keep it on the outside.