Believe it or not, there’s no minimum width requirement for a domestic staircase. Part M of the building regulations defines minimum widths for direct fire escapes and disabled access but not for standard domestic staircases.
When designing a residential property we always recommend that the primary staircase should be between 850mm – 900mm wide as a minimum. Nowadays, most new builds are 800mm minimum but we prefer 900mm.
Why so wide?
While most stairlifts can be fitted and will operate perfectly well on staircases less than 800mm wide we’re only addressing one aspect of the potential width problem.
What’s the other problem?
The prospective stairlift user. This is an unknown factor when designing the stairs.
The most important measurement to consider when assessing a user for a stairlift is the distance between their spin and knee when in a sitting position.
Many stairlift users require a stairlift as their knee and hip joints are no longer capable of climbing stairs. For this reason, they may also not be able to bend their knees at right angles when sitting down.
This vital measurement could therefore be the greater distance between spin and toe, as is quite often the case with larger users.
Planning for the future
While you may not be designing a property for a client with mobility issues right now, it’s certainly worth considering these things. As we get older, most of us will want to stay in our homes as long as possible so building a home for the future is a sensible approach.
We can’t see the future, so plan ahead to give your clients the maximum chance of an accessible home should the need arise.
As Stairlift Experts, we are able to advise customers on ‘whole of market’ product range. Established in 2010, we have more than 35 years experience within the stairlift industry and can be that single point of contact for architects and builders looking for impartial expert advice.