Wanting to add external access to upstairs (retail property) and been
quoted £5k for an external metal staircase, fitted. Is that
normal/reasonable?

Has anyone any experience of a timber alternative? I imagine that timber
these days would stand the test of time, be fire retardant and look
better (IMO at least) and i'd have thought should be cheaper.

Is there scope for this to be a DIY job or would building regs make it
problematic?

"R D S" wrote in message
...
Wanting to add external access to upstairs (retail property) and been
quoted £5k for an external metal staircase, fitted. Is that
normal/reasonable?

Has anyone any experience of a timber alternative? I imagine that timber
these days would stand the test of time, be fire retardant and look better
(IMO at least) and i'd have thought should be cheaper.

Is there scope for this to be a DIY job or would building regs make it
problematic?


last time I looked, and it was a few years ago you couldn't have a timber
escape stair......

In article ,
R D S wrote:
Wanting to add external access to upstairs (retail property) and been
quoted £5k for an external metal staircase, fitted. Is that
normal/reasonable?

Has anyone any experience of a timber alternative? I imagine that timber
these days would stand the test of time, be fire retardant and look
better (IMO at least) and i'd have thought should be cheaper.

Is there scope for this to be a DIY job or would building regs make it
problematic?

"Timber these days" tends to last a shorter time than tiber of old since
many preservatives have been banned. It is certainly less fire retardant
than steel. I doubt if you'd get permission to have anything other than
metal.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On Sunday, 6 January 2019 16:31:40 UTC, R D S wrote:
Is there scope for this to be a DIY job or would building regs make it
problematic?

Fitting it is certainly DIY able.

Most staircase manufacturers will design to building regs, computer-cut the bits, and you assemble them.

Owain

No surely it would fall to bits when hot?
Also what about disabled access?
Brian

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"James Stewart" wrote in message
...

"R D S" wrote in message
...
Wanting to add external access to upstairs (retail property) and been
quoted £5k for an external metal staircase, fitted. Is that
normal/reasonable?

Has anyone any experience of a timber alternative? I imagine that timber
these days would stand the test of time, be fire retardant and look
better (IMO at least) and i'd have thought should be cheaper.

Is there scope for this to be a DIY job or would building regs make it
problematic?


last time I looked, and it was a few years ago you couldn't have a timber
escape stair......

On Sunday, 6 January 2019 16:31:40 UTC, R D S wrote:
Wanting to add external access to upstairs (retail property) and been
quoted £5k for an external metal staircase, fitted. Is that
normal/reasonable?

Has anyone any experience of a timber alternative? I imagine that timber
these days would stand the test of time, be fire retardant and look
better (IMO at least) and i'd have thought should be cheaper.

Is there scope for this to be a DIY job or would building regs make it
problematic?

They have to be metal
Plus if it passes any windows, they have to be wired glass.
No reason why you can't fit one yourself if you have the skills

harry wrote:

R D S wrote:

Wanting to add external access to upstairs

They have to be metal

So why would a West Yorks fire service document regarding external fire
escapes say "Timber stairs should be carefully examined for signs of rot."

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
harry wrote:

R D S wrote:

Wanting to add external access to upstairs

They have to be metal

So why would a West Yorks fire service document regarding external fire
escapes say "Timber stairs should be carefully examined for signs of rot."


perhaps they are referring to older ones. That doesn't mean timber ones are
allowed nowadays,.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
...
harry wrote:

R D S wrote:

Wanting to add external access to upstairs

They have to be metal

So why would a West Yorks fire service document regarding external fire
escapes say "Timber stairs should be carefully examined for signs of rot."

because no bugger knows what they are doing and probably meaning old
existing stairs....