Gaining headroom on staircase

ashrobbo · 26 Nov 2016 at 15:27

Hi All,

1930's 4 bed and been meaning to investigate how I can gain headroom on the staircase. At lowest point headroom is about 1.65m which means i have to duck everytime I go up and down stairs.

I know regs are at least 2 metres at all points so i'm keen to achieve this.

Is moving a floor joist possible? The lowest point is the floor joist for the box room above the stairs. I'm happy to lose a bit of room in here and build up a bed/storage to at least make it usable (currently not used but will be an ideal cot room!).

Removing floor joist from above the stairs i could cut out more of the ceiling and get the headroom required.

Alternatively a steeper staircase but not a great fan of this idea if avoided.

Any experts?

Side View

View going down

View from bottom

Box room - staircase head panel

ANDARIAL · 26 Nov 2016 at 21:54

Removing floor joist from above the stairs i could cut out more of the ceiling and get the headroom required.

This is possible/doable but you need to know which way the joists are going and if the trimmer joist running parallel to the stairs rests on the wall or is trimmed into the end of the other joist
Basically if you don`t know get someone in who does
DO NOT start chopping out willy nilly

ashrobbo · 27 Nov 2016 at 11:09

ANDARIAL said:
This is possible/doable but you need to know which way the joists are going and if the trimmer joist running parallel to the stairs rests on the wall or is trimmed into the end of the other joist
Basically if you don`t know get someone in who does
DO NOT start chopping out willy nilly

Joists don't go parallel unfortunately, ill rip up a couple of floor boards and have a proper check though.

Am I right in thinking a trimmer joist are 2 smaller joists screwed to the rest to maintain strength?

ANDARIAL · 27 Nov 2016 at 11:24

Am I right in thinking a trimmer joist are 2 smaller joists screwed to the rest to maintain strength?

not quite

`trimming joists for stairs` google this and have a look at the images,shows better than i could describe

the_r_sole · 27 Nov 2016 at 11:42

I'm all for a bit of diy but given the questions you have been asking it would be well worth getting someone that knows what they are doing to alter the floor joists - you don't want to get into changing the staircase as you would then have to comply with current regs and it's almost a given that the old stair wouldn't comply with the current regs and very unlikely you could do anything steeper

ashrobbo · 27 Nov 2016 at 14:29

Definitely wouldn't give this a go myself. I'm not sure whether to look to a builder or a career enter though.

I like to have a good idea of works involved.

a1ex2001 · 28 Nov 2016 at 15:24

I really wouldn't bother, massive hassle and disruption and I would guess building regs notification for no real gain.

R.O.S.S.I · 28 Nov 2016 at 15:38

For the amount of work that is going to be involved and the inevitable head aches that ensue with building regs i'd just put up with having to duck if it were me!