It is quite easy to get caught up in the euphoria of designing your new set of stairs without considering that you have actually got the right measurements to hand when ordering your staircase to be built.

Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the measurements you provide the stair makers with, is done as closely as possible. You will get all the help you need from the supplier, but it is your responsibility to give them the accurate measurements.

To achieve this, you can take advantage of a walk-through guide found online or you can simply find out exactly what measurements are required and note these down before passing on to the manufacturer of the stairs.

Making sure you get the right stair opening measurements is important before you even consider getting down to the staircase design itself.

Firstly, you should take down the floor to floor height, remembering to include the upstairs floor-board thickness.

Now you can move on to the stair opening, being careful to measure from the back wall to the (unfinished) trimmer joist.

Once you have followed the correct instructions, you can then select a suitable staircase design, which fits in with the headroom you have to work with.

When you are looking to install new stairs as part of your new build or loft conversion project, you need to bear in mind that current building regulations will need to be taken into account.

No matter what you are planning, all the time spend designing your perfect staircase could be wasted if you haven’t thought about this very important aspect of any home renovation.

Whether you have decided on stairs in consultation with an architect or have gone it alone, you still should ensure that the staircase is designed according to the legislation in place.

Your stair manufacturer will also be able to offer guidance on this as they only construct staircases that meet the criteria, although bespoke models can be ordered from them which do not comply with the most recent regulations.

This is why you should find out as much as you can about such things as the correct rise, pitch, going and of course the headroom for these new stairs.

It is therefore necessary to consider that if you should ever decide to sell your property, a surveyor would always be involved in checking such things as the fitting of the staircase.

A staircase is something that is able to bring a certain character to your home. Through its grand appearance and decorative railings, you can easily notice its charm whenever you gaze upon it. However, over time there are some parts which will eventually need replacing or restoring.

Should the stairs be squeaking, then the treads might be in need of maintenance. You can fix this by re-gluing them and putting them back in place.

On other occasions, you might feel that a replacement is needed. In this case, you should go to the staircase experts who are able to advise you on the stair parts they stock.

The steps themselves might need to be changed, or you could go for new railings sold by the supplier. Here, you can choose from all kinds of stair, parts, tools and fixings to ensure that your staircase is given the update it needs.

If you are ready for a full overhaul, then you may wish to consider getting a new timber staircase installed in its place. This might not be as expensive as you would think and so is another option for you to consider.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure it meets current building regulations and is carried out to the necessary safety standards.

In the last article we explained how things have changed so much that many people are trying their hand at DIY. This is partly down to the credit crunch and people not being able to afford to hire tradesmen any longer to come round and repair or renovate their homes.

It is also the fact that the information on what is involved with installing stairs is more readily available – and the Internet is much to thank for this. As well as being able to purchase products like bespoke-built timber stairs online, you can also get to know how to go about fitting them too.

You will soon see that it will not take much trouble to find a staircase fitting and assembly guide, so your new timber stairs can be put together and put in place using simple step-by-step instructions.

Just find a dedicated staircase designer and supplier who you can trust to provide instructions which work in practice, or try searching using the key phrases “how to fit a staircase”, or something similar.

This should lead you to many resources which ensure that this project goes smoothly, even if you have just purchased your new stairs in a kit form.

These days you don’t always have to fork out for a professional tradesperson to come round and carry out work on your home as there are so many DIY guides and information available, more and more people are deciding to go it alone.

And while it can be daunting at first, especially for those who have never taken on a DIY project before, but the great thing about the Internet is, you can find out exactly what skills and capabilities are required for a certain task.

For example; just take fitting a new staircase. In the past very few homeowners would have had the inclination to try and take this project on themselves, unless they were particularly adept at building work and experienced in this type of thing.

Now you can just perform a quick search online and find a reputable staircase resource. Many top staircase manufacturers offer their own guides on how to install stairs, even if they do not actually provide this as a service themselves.

In the next article we will be looking at this further and considering the best places to go in order to find the right advice on fitting these stairs in your home.

Once you have designed your new staircase using the easy step-by-step process, and have selected the materials for the job and the style of stairs you want, all that is left is to arrange for the delivery of the staircase and then think about how it is to be fitted into your home.

The big question you need to ask yourself is: do I have the skills required to carry out this type of joinery work?

If you have had a look online at what is involved with fitting a staircase, you will know that a certain level of skill is required to do this effectively. You can read the many guides on how to install a staircase, but unless you are fully confident that you are up to the task then it is recommended that you consider hiring a joiner instead.

These days it is not all that difficult to find a local joiner who is experienced and reliable and who is free to give you a quote on the work that needs doing. By doing this, you will have peace of mind that the job will be done to a high standard and all the hard work you put into designing the staircase will not be going to waste.

However, should you feel that you are able to take on the fitting of the staircase by yourself then there are guides out there for DIY enthusiasts, showing how it should be done.

A loft conversion project can really keep you occupied for a while as you attempt to gather as much information as you can about the new area you want to create in your home. Most of your efforts will undoubtedly go into the plans for the loft itself, as you decide whether to turn it into an extra bedroom, office or living area.

However, one thing you should never overlook is the staircase. There are lots of things you have to consider when going about designing your stairs to provide the bridge between the two levels in your home. You need to think about the materials used, precise measurements plus the number of steps to be installed.

This is why you need to put together your design ideas and gather information about building a loft staircase. There are regulations that need to be taken into account and you need to ensure that the design chosen is practical for the situation.

Other design elements that could influence the outcome include; the handrail, stairway, stair door, steepness of the steps and the type of under-stair.

If you take all these things into consideration you could be left with a sturdy and attractive-looking staircase which has been designed and constructed to perfection.

If you have decided that a loft conversion is the right thing for you and your current situation, then you need to plan the installation very carefully. Below are the first few stages you need to think about with the construction of the stairs for your new loft area.

The staircase which allows access to the loft is something which is usually part of stage one. The current building regulations have a lot to do with the construction of the stairs, so its architecture is important.

The space requirements are another thing to consider at the outset, as custom stairs can be made specifically for tight and awkward areas. Taking the right measurements means that the stairs will be more likely to fit exactly.

The stairs you design needs to be constructed soundly, which is why it is best to turn to the staircase experts. They will offer you the choice to use the most suitable materials for the product and will help you every step of the way. You can also get these stairs at affordable prices so you can use the rest of your budget to furnish your new loft conversion area.

After this you can look to design your ideal staircase from the many options available, making sure it is functional, attractive and saves you plenty of space.

If you are in the process of designing and installing a new timber staircase for your home, then the following will be useful to you in measuring the stair opening accurately. This is very important and will affect the final design that you go for.

The first thing that you need to do is to measure the floor-to-floor height, not forgetting to include the thickness of the upstairs floorboard.

After you have done this, then it is now time to measure the stair opening from the back wall to the trimmer joist, in order that the staircase design allows space for the plaster board.

The next step is to get help with designing your actual staircase. There are now companies that can assist you through every step of the way as you go from start to finish. The chosen staircase should suit your requirements but fit within the measurements taken above.

This is why it is always necessary to allow for adjustments as well as plaster and fitting tolerance. So always be sure to get accurate sizes when measuring the space. And so hopefully you will be left with a perfect design that is certainly achievable and you can then get to work on the installation of the wooden staircase itself.