What constitutes a "fixed" staircase?

[GCarnegi]

We currently use our loft as a computer room, but it's becoming a hassle taking the ramsay ladder up and down all the time, and carrying things up and down the ladder isn't the safest of activities.

I understand that putting in a fixed staircase will mean that we will need to alter the loft to conform to building regs, including strengthening the joists, insulating the walls and such like, as well as probably submitting a planning application and getting architects drawings.

I was wondering about what excaclty constitutes a "fixed" staircase. What if I simply cut a hole in my ceiling (bracing the ceiling joists accordingly)and used a free-standing stepladder to access it? What, then if that freestanding stepladder was made of heavy timber with wider and deeper treads and designed to fit neatly with the hole at the top - but essentially, not fixed. What, then, if that freestanding stepladder was then carpeted with the same carpet as the floor above and below?

To that end, my existing ramsay ladder is "fixed" at the top, so could I "fix" my home-made stepladder at the top - even using a heavy duty hinge - having it simply resting on the floor at the bottom?

thanks
Guy

 

[DevilDamo]

Fixed... permanently.

 

[GCarnegi]

Excellent! so assuming it's movable (which given maybe an hour or so's jiggery pokery should be achievable), then it's not a fixed staircase - it just looks like one.

Is that all that might have made the loftspace into a "habitable" space or are there other things that make it habitable?

So far, all I've got in the loft is some t&g flooring and a small velux window. I store some office furniture and an old computer up there too, which I sometimes switch on just to make sure it's still working.

 

[jeds]

Just having a fixed staircase doesn't make a loft habitable. Loft rooms will be judged on whether the room looks like a habitable room. In other words, if you carpet it out, put in sockets and lights and plasterboard then it looks like a room and will be judged to be a room.

Just to add the caveat that you are in Scotland so rules might be slightly different?

 

[big-all]

yep as jeds says the stairs are only one trigger you have already activated the trigger with other actions so the stairs are neither here nor there

 

[sigman]

Whether it is deemed as habitable or storage would depend on what is contained in there and how it is fitted out, as above if it looks habitable its habitable and its up to the BCO to make that call.

The staircase is a fixed staircase, no if's or buts, installing the staircase may imply to building control that you are, or might in the future, make the loft habitable.