Changing the staircase? Pricey?

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

A house we're seriously considering buying has an open-tread staircase from the ground floor to first floor (and a 'normal' one from first to second). With DS, 2, and another one on the way (knock wood), we're not very happy about open treads (and the gaps between the bannisters are massive too) so we were thinking if we bought the house, we'd have to child-proof the stairs somehow.

How?? Mesh until they're older? Board in the treads (and bannisters) somehow? Or replace the whole thing with a more traditional staircase? I have no idea about how much this costs, and don't know where to start looking, since the Yellow Pages don't seem to list 'staircase builders'! (or at least, only cast iron spiral jobs.)

Please advise!

bannisters? Banisters?

Hmm, both look wrong.

not as much as you might think. we had new stairs and moved them as part of a loft conversion and it was a couple of thousand I think

Thanks, Cyb. Mmm. Suppose it depends how flash you want them to be. I was sort of hoping someone would say 'Nah, about £800!' but it's a major job, I suppose.

Presumably anyone taking out a staircase could get the new one in within a day, or we'll be abseiling up to the bedrooms!

New staircase would be a few hundred (depending on how many turns etc) and then fitting it would be a few hundred more. Could be done in a day but probably take a bit longer. Should be well shy of #2k though - moving it is a much bigger job.