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Services · Wallingford, Oxfordshire

Bespoke Staircases Designed and Built for Your Home's Structure

Staircases and balustrades designed in CAD around your building regulations rise and going, built to fit an existing stairwell precisely, and finished to match the rest of your joinery.

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Ten years on the tools · NVQ Level 2 qualified · fixed-price quote back within 72 hours

  • 10 years

    on the tools in finish carpentry

  • £2m

    public liability insurance

  • NVQ Level 2

    carpentry and joinery qualified

  • 72 hours

    to a written fixed-price quote

  • CAD drawings

    approved before anything is built

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Overview

What a bespoke staircase involves that an off-the-peg kit does not

A staircase is one of the few pieces of joinery in a house that is also a piece of structure, and it has to satisfy building regulations on rise, going, headroom and balustrade spacing while also fitting an opening that is very rarely a standard size. Off-the-shelf staircase kits are built to fixed rise and going measurements, which works if your stairwell happens to match; in most renovations and period properties it does not.

We design every staircase from a full site survey: floor-to-floor height, stairwell width and length, headroom at every point along the flight, and any winders or landings required by the layout. That survey becomes a CAD drawing showing the exact rise and going per step, the newel and baluster positions, and how the staircase meets the floor at top and bottom. Building regulations set minimum and maximum figures for rise, going and balustrade gaps, and the drawing is checked against those before manufacture starts.

Staircases in this bracket range from a straightforward replacement of a worn or ugly existing stair, through to an open-tread feature staircase as the centrepiece of an extension or loft conversion, to a full renovation that keeps the existing structure but replaces treads, risers, spindles and handrail for a completely different look and feel.

Getting rise and going wrong by even a small amount makes a staircase uncomfortable to use every single day, and getting it wrong against building regulations can hold up a project at sign-off stage. Staircases also carry real structural load and need correctly specified stringers, newels and fixings, which is not something to improvise from a generic kit that assumes a standard opening.

Who it's for

  • Homeowners converting a loft and needing a new staircase to building regulations
  • Anyone replacing a worn, squeaking or dated staircase as part of a renovation
  • Extension projects where a new staircase is the visual centrepiece of an open-plan space
  • Owners of period properties wanting to restore or rebuild an original-style staircase

When it's needed

  • You are converting a loft or adding a floor and need a compliant new staircase
  • The existing staircase creaks, has worn treads or dated spindles and handrail
  • You are opening up the hallway or stairwell as part of a wider renovation
  • A building control inspection has flagged an existing staircase as non-compliant

The risk

Why staircase mistakes are expensive to fix later

A staircase installed with inconsistent rise between steps is a genuine trip hazard, and it is one of the more common building control failures we see on jobs we are called in to correct. Unlike a wonky shelf, a staircase you get wrong is used dozens of times a day by everyone in the house, and the consequences of a badly judged step are far more serious than a cosmetic complaint.

Kit staircases bought to a standard rise and going and then trimmed to fit an opening that does not quite match often end up with one step noticeably different in height to the rest. Most people will not consciously notice why a staircase feels awkward, but they will feel it, and it makes the whole house feel slightly off even when everything else is finished well.

Balustrade spacing is the other area we see get missed, particularly on renovations where original spindles are removed and replaced with a modern style. Building regulations set a maximum gap that a 100mm sphere must not pass through, mainly for child safety, and a design chosen purely for looks without checking this figure can fail at sign-off and need reworking.

Common mistakes we're called in to fix

  • Buying a kit staircase sized to standard rise and going without checking it against the actual stairwell
  • Ignoring building regulations on baluster spacing when choosing a modern spindle style
  • Fitting a staircase before final floor finishes are confirmed, leaving the bottom step the wrong height
  • Underspecifying stringers and newels for an open, unsupported feature design
  • Painting or varnishing treads on site rather than finishing off site before heavy foot traffic starts

Our process

How a bespoke staircases project runs, step by step

  1. 1

    Survey and consultation

    We measure floor-to-floor height, stairwell dimensions and headroom throughout, and discuss the style, material and balustrade design you want.

  2. 2

    CAD design and fixed-price quote

    You receive a CAD drawing showing exact rise, going, newel positions and balustrade spacing, checked against building regulations, plus a written fixed-price quote within 72 hours.

  3. 3

    Workshop build and spray or oil finish

    Stringers, treads, risers, newels and spindles are built and finished in our workshop, either sprayed for a painted look or oiled for a natural timber finish. Lead time is typically around six weeks, as with our other bespoke work.

  4. 4

    Installation

    The staircase is installed and fixed into the structural opening, with newels bolted through to floor joists and treads set to the agreed rise and going throughout.

  5. 5

    Snagging and handover

    We check every joint, tighten balustrade fixings, touch in any handling marks, and confirm the finished staircase meets the design and building regulations we agreed at drawing stage.

What you get

The difference this makes, in specifics

  • Built to your exact stairwell, not a standard kit size

    Every dimension is taken from a site survey, so rise and going are consistent throughout the flight rather than fudged to fit a generic opening.

  • Designed against building regulations from the start

    Rise, going, headroom and balustrade spacing are checked against current regulations at drawing stage, reducing the risk of failure at building control sign-off.

  • A genuine feature, not just a route between floors

    Open-tread and glass balustrade designs can make a staircase the visual centrepiece of an extension or open-plan renovation.

  • Finish applied before installation

    Treads, risers and spindles are sprayed or oiled off site before fitting, giving a smoother, more durable finish than site-applied paint or varnish.

  • Fixed price agreed before manufacture

    A written fixed-price quote is returned within 72 hours of survey, so the cost of a structurally significant piece of joinery is known up front.

  • Fully insured, qualified carpentry

    CZ Bespoke Carpentry carries £2m public liability insurance, and Corey holds an NVQ Level 2 with ten years of hands-on carpentry experience.

In detail

Design, materials and regulations for a bespoke staircase

A staircase sits at the intersection of joinery and structure, so the detail here matters more than in almost any other part of the house.

Rise, going and building regulations

Current building regulations set a maximum rise and minimum going for domestic staircases, along with minimum headroom throughout the flight. Our CAD drawings calculate the rise and going for your specific floor-to-floor height and stairwell length before manufacture, checking the figures fall within the permitted range and remain consistent from the first step to the last.

Winders, where a staircase turns within a confined stairwell rather than using a full landing, are set out individually since building regulations treat the going of a winder differently at its narrow and wide points, and getting this wrong is one of the more common causes of an uncomfortable staircase.

Materials: stringers, treads and risers

Stringers, the structural sides of the staircase, are typically built in engineered timber or laminated softwood for strength and stability, with treads and risers in oak, painted MDF or a mix of both depending on the design. Open-tread staircases, with no riser between steps, need more heavily specified stringers and newels since there is less structure supporting each tread.

Where an existing staircase is being renovated rather than replaced entirely, we can often keep the structural stringers and replace only treads, risers, spindles and handrail, which is considerably less disruptive and less costly than a full rebuild.

  • Engineered or laminated softwood stringers for strength and stability
  • Oak or painted MDF treads and risers depending on the chosen look
  • Reinforced stringers and newels specified for open-tread designs
  • Existing structural stringers retained where a renovation allows it

Balustrades and handrails

Balustrade options range from traditional turned timber spindles through to square section, metal, cable or glass panels, each with different spacing and fixing requirements under building regulations. We check every design against the 100mm sphere rule for gaps, which is particularly relevant in households with young children.

Handrails are set at a compliant height and continuously graspable along the full flight where regulations require it, with wall-mounted brackets specified separately from newel-mounted rails depending on the layout.

Finish: spray versus oil

Painted staircases are sprayed off site in the same way as our fitted furniture, giving a smooth, durable finish on treads and risers before they take daily foot traffic. Natural timber staircases are typically oiled rather than lacquered, since oil is easier to spot-repair on a tread that will inevitably pick up scuffs over the years.

Where a staircase combines painted risers with an oiled oak tread and handrail, a common and attractive combination in South Oxfordshire homes, we finish each component separately off site before assembly on the stairs.

Coordinating with structural and building control

New staircases in loft conversions or structural alterations are coordinated with your builder or structural engineer, since the opening size and floor joist positions affect how the staircase is fixed. Where building control sign-off is required, we provide the CAD drawing and specification needed to demonstrate compliance.

For period properties, we can also advise on retaining original character, such as a curved handrail or turned spindles, while bringing the balustrade spacing up to current safety standards.

Questions

Bespoke Staircases: the questions we're asked most

How much does a bespoke staircase cost?
A bespoke staircase cost depends on the staircase style, the materials specified, whether it is open-tread or enclosed, and the complexity of any winders or landings involved. We survey the space and return a written fixed-price quote within 72 hours.
How long does a new staircase take from quote to installation?
A new staircase typically takes around six weeks from quote to installation, in line with our other bespoke work, because every component is built and finished off site in the workshop before it arrives for fitting.
Will my new staircase meet building regulations?
A new staircase is designed to meet building regulations, with every drawing checked against current rise, going, headroom and balustrade spacing requirements before manufacture begins rather than corrected after the fact.
Can you renovate an existing staircase instead of replacing it entirely?
Renovating an existing staircase instead of full replacement is often possible where the structural stringers are sound, allowing treads, risers, spindles and the handrail to be replaced for a completely different look at a lower cost than a full rebuild.
Do you fit glass or cable balustrades?
Glass and cable balustrades are both designed and fitted by us, alongside a range of other balustrade styles, with every design checked against building regulations for gap spacing and load before it goes in.
Can a staircase be part of a loft conversion project?
A staircase can be part of a loft conversion project, and while most of our work is direct with homeowners, we are equally happy working alongside your builder, designing the staircase to the new opening and coordinating with structural work and building control sign-off.
Will the staircase be finished on site or before delivery?
A staircase is finished before delivery wherever possible, with components sprayed or oiled off site before assembly, giving a smoother, more durable finish than painting or varnishing in situ on the stairs themselves.
What areas do you cover for staircase work?
CZ Bespoke Carpentry, based at Blackbarn Farm in Ipsden, covers Wallingford for staircase work, along with Crowmarsh Gifford, Cholsey, Benson, Moulsford, Goring, Streatley, Woodcote, Nettlebed, Watlington, Henley, Didcot, Abingdon, Harwell and the surrounding South Oxfordshire villages.

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Where we fit bespoke staircases

Free site visits across South Oxfordshire and the Chiltern villages:

Get your staircase surveyed and designed

Send us your stairwell dimensions or arrange a survey visit. We design in CAD to building regulations and return a fixed-price quote within 72 hours.

Get a Free Fixed-Price Quote07462 376053

Corey Holleran · NVQ Level 2 qualified · £2m public liability insurance · quotes back within 72 hours

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