Staircase modernisation with glass - advice needed

[usualsuspect47]

Hello all - new to posting here. We want to upgrade our wooden staircase with glass being installed. I'm concerned that price wise this may be in wild west territory. So the plan is to find a good local company - though I don't know where to start as I've no recommendations from friends. We live near Beckenham. Has anyone any advice or suggestions? Any idea of a realistic cost? Thanks!!

You'll need to explain in more detail what exactly you want done -- where is the glass going, exactly? Do you mean putting in glass panels instead of banisters?

Hi yes that's exactly it. Remove the wooden posts and replace with glass. So effectively keeping the wooden structure but just getting rid of the wooden posts. So really would need a glass company who have a joiner.

To remove the wooden balustrade posts and replace with cantilever glass is a BIG job. You will need a whole new structure, probably steel, for the glass to fix to.

Not in the UK bit had that done and it was more or less the same price as getting a standard stairs.

B and q used to do kits. Wooden square upright poles with metal brackets and glass panes cut at the appropriate angle. All you'd need would be the joiner to remove the top handrail and spindle poles, replace with the square poles and put the handrail back on and screw the glass brackets and panes in.

The only thing is that it depends on the angle if your stairs whether or not they'd fit.

Or indeed if they still do the kits!

Sorry op....I've zero clue about logistics

However....if you have kids at home......not sure if you do......the constant handprints on the glass will drive you utterly bonkers...never looks clean....

Ask me how I know lol lol

^ This. You'll regret it unless you need light from stairwell to illuminate a dark hall

Have you already had it priced by a big company like Neville Johnson?

Is it a period property? Original staircases/bannisters can add quite a lot of value to the house.

Hi all - thanks for the advice. No young children anymore. Just a 17 year old who largely ignores us! House is not a period property so I think it would work. Looked at Neviile Johnson which is going to be too expensive so I'll see if I can find some smaller companies. Thanks for the replies xx