Charley Wardbreaks down what you need to know in order to commission a bespoke flight that’s both functional and adds real wow factor to your project

DAVID BARBOUR

Your new home’s staircase is an important structural element that can affect your overall scheme in more ways than you might expect. Aside from providing access to upper storeys and escape routes in case of a fire, your flight will also have a real impact on the look and feel of a space. Here, I’ve outlined six pointers to ensure your stairs make a standout feature in your new property.

What should I budget?

Standard staircases can begin at just a few thousand pounds, but if you want to make a statement by taking a bespoke route, then expect to pay from around £20,000. That figure can easily rise depending on the design and materials used. Complex elements such as cantilevers, slim profiles, glazed features and curves will push up the costs, as more sophisticated structural solutions will be required to engineer them to the necessary standards. “For those working with higher-end budgets, you’re going to be looking at bigger flights with more complex veneer work and higher spec materials like bronze or good quality stone,” says Richard McLane, design director at specialist staircase company Bisca. “You can also engineer in a lot more complexity, like helical designs, for example.” Planning this kind of feature into your budget from the start is critical. “A staircase is a complicated and expensive element, but one that’s absolutely crucial,” says Elizabeth Webster, director at Fraher & Finley Architects. “This means it’s really important to know whether you want to make yours a wow-factor feature in the early stages and weigh that up with an appropriate budget if you do.”