Is there any way to sort out these death trap stairs?

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

We are interested in s house that needs a lot of work.

However, one thing DH ceru g me is these death trap stairs into one of the bedrooms. The obvious solution would be to lower the ceiling in the room below but I'm not sure that's possible due to bay window height

Will be chatting to the builder but any thoughts/solutions?

They need a handrail and decent bannisters then they'll be fine. If they are steeper than the norm, you'll soon get used to that. The stairs were really steep in my first house, a Victorian two up two down, never had a problem.

What's death trap about them? Aren't they just 3 or 4 shallow stairs?

Oh a handrail could help yes, but it's just 4 stairs, right?

It's because the bed is so close I think

I'm worried one of the DC would get out if bed and do a header down them!

Also, I'm not sure about having stairs just randomly in the bedroom....it makes me think crap loft conversion

Thank you all for the input though!

I thought it was a loft room from the vaulted roof. Can the bed be moved or turned around?

I quite like random stairs. My first flat had a little curved staircase into the kitchen which I loved. I agree with PPs: if the rest of the house checks out, just add a little banister

Could you put glass panels (safety glass) into the sides?

All they need is a handrail and if youre really worried, a stair gate.

My mums do that but it's solid wall either side and then the room. Lots of space before you hit furniture. I would.make solid sides and a rope.Bannister.

These are great suggestions, thank you.

There are lots if funny angles in the room hence the bed is where it is but the builder has suggested adding a dormer to this and another room so I think that will make it loads more useable.

Another issue is garden size but it's so hard to get somewhere with a big garden near us - all the land was sold off to build houses 😬

I like quirky houses but my parents are horrified as we have 3 children, aged 3 and under. I think they think a nice sensible bungalow would be best 😄 - not a chance

Ps wow - not to be a stalker, but I think I was in an extensions thread with you?. We've just finished doing the whole house and now DH has decided he wants to move! Hope you're renovations are fine etc.

As others have said you can get a carpenter to make a really good bannister around that including a little square bannister round the top part, then you can get a pressure fit stair gate if you're really worried. I think it adds charm :)

Do you know, you've all really cheered me up. . Thank you. The joiner we have had working on our current house is fab so I know he could easily do what is needed. If we do a former, that will sort out the ceiling heights so bed can be moved and I think I would shift the radiator too. So nothing would really be near the bannister

I'd check - assuming it's a loft conversion - that it adheres to building regs. Those fairs alone would fail it surely ( open banisters) so I would want to know all of the fire regulations and other safety regulations have been met or how much it will cost for you to meet them if you decide to buy

Just from looking at it online, it would fail due to the stairs and the doors aren't fire doors either.

If we buy the house, it needs a lot of work so woukd price all that in. We'll take the builder for any second viewing

Whether it complies with Building Regs will depend when the work was done. As long as it complied with requirements at the time (it may pre-date them for example) it will be fine.

True wow - although my MIL woukd be sleeping up there and the last thing I would want is anything to befall her .