Stairs over 15 threads ....non compliance of one element

magnethead · 26-11-2018 01:31PM #1

Hi There,
If all of a house's elements comply with building Regs, except for the stairs. Would this stop the Entire House being signed off on by an Engineer? in an overall Cert of Compliance?

Over 15 steps,you're supposed to have a landing. Is there any leeway in this, like 16 steps would be accepted?

Would have a Ground platform get around this problem also, you see some stairs that look like they are starting off a platform (see below)

Gumbo · 26-11-2018 02:26PM

magnethead wrote: »

Hi There,
If all of a house's elements comply with building Regs, except for the stairs. Would this stop the Entire House being signed off on by an Engineer? in an overall Cert of Compliance?

Over 15 steps,you're supposed to have a landing. Is there any leeway in this, like 16 steps would be accepted?

Would have a Ground platform get around this problem also, you see some stairs that look like they are starting off a platform (see below)

It cannot be signed off if not in compliance. There is no leeway especially for specified numbers of risers etc

Edit : the above example could argue that the floor level local to the last step is raised but you wouldn’t get away with that if it’s an actual stair case.

Corkblowin · 26-11-2018 02:35PM

Assuming its a domestic stairs - 16 risers is the maximum, not 15. From Part K 2014:

1.1.11 There should not be more than sixteen risers in any one flight. A flight containing one or two risers in private stairs should be situated at the bottom of the stairs. For stairs suitable for use by ambulant disabled people, see guidance in Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use

magnethead · 26-11-2018 02:57PM

Thanks for the good replies,

So 16 Risers which means 15 Steps(Threads) in reality...Going to have to play a bit with the Risers height....going over 200mm is not really comfortable,...but I'm already at about a 40 degree angle which is on the uncomfortable end of the scale, with 32 degrees being the perfect stairs.

Didn't really want to throw in a landing halfway and a little tight for space to make that work properly....

1st floor height at 3260mm which gives me 204mm a Riser, Might have to start work on my hamstrings to get the flexibility back.

magnethead · 20-08-2019 09:15AM

Sorry for kicking this off again, This came up for discussion again.

Kceire, said above "It cannot be signed off if not in compliance" , were you talking about the whole house or just the stairs.

my question, is, can one element of a house be off regulation? Is the 'Opinion of compliance cert' from the Engineer a ALL or nothing thing.
I'm toying with the Idea of adding an extra step

Gumbo · 20-08-2019 11:13AM

magnethead wrote: »

Sorry for kicking this off again, This came up for discussion again.

Kceire, said above "It cannot be signed off if not in compliance" , were you talking about the whole house or just the stairs.

my question, is, can one element of a house be off regulation? Is the 'Opinion of compliance cert' from the Engineer a ALL or nothing thing.
I'm toying with the Idea of adding an extra step

You cannot pick and choose what Regulations you want to comply with.
No professional should sign off knowing there is a breach.

magnethead · 21-08-2019 09:28AM

ok, Thanks, so it is an all or nothing deal then.

mickdw · 24-08-2019 12:32PM

I think the question is whether they will be able to get a compliance cert for the house.
Certainly in the case of opt out certification, you will get a cert from an Engineer but that cert will clearly state any areas of non compliance. Those notes may or may not become an issue depending on how serious or whether you are borrowing etc.
As someone who issues such certs, I'd advise you to go with a stairs that complies if at all possible as it is the type of issue that will come back to bite you.

magnethead · 17-06-2020 10:11PM

Hi,
just digging this up again.... I found a nice document here
"Supplementary Guidance on stair design" ... It brings together the different technical guidance documents and how they relate to stairs

https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiPm5ro4InqAhULUhUIHdMbBbcQFjAAegQIBRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.housing.gov.ie%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fmigrated-files%2Fen%2FPublications%2FDevelopmentandHousing%2FBuildingStandards%2FFileDownLoad%252C38719%252Cen.pdf&usg=AOvVaw15RIzVHFmdpYkt9Zc_GogH

On page 3 it mentions :
16 rises or 18 rises
where going ≥ 350b

Can anyone explain under what situation you are allowed 18 risers?

and just to clarify in a domestic house, 16 rises are the actual threads of the stairs excluding the landing area - or is that supposed to be included as the last step?

Thanks

BryanF · 17-06-2020 11:08PM

16max risers in dwellings.

Not clear on what you asking in your second question? Max 16 ‘risers’, the thread at top & bottom is a ‘landing’, see guidance in same document on landing requirements.

magnethead · 18-06-2020 05:34PM

Thanks, I thought it was 16 max risers all right, but the document mentions that 18 Riser are OK under certain circumstances... I was wondering what that was about.

BryanF wrote: »

16max risers in dwellings.

Not clear on what you asking in your second question? Max 16 ‘risers’, the thread at top & bottom is a ‘landing’, see guidance in same document on landing requirements.

mickdw · 18-06-2020 06:57PM

magnethead wrote: »

Thanks, I thought it was 16 max risers all right, but the document mentions that 18 Riser are OK under certain circumstances... I was wondering what that was about.

The section you refer to relates to external stairs.
Thats a nice document actually.

magnethead · 18-06-2020 07:05PM

Fairplay Mick

I'm gonna try to be as regulation compliant as I can be

Stairs over 15 threads ....non compliance of one element

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