External Staircase, Landing & Supporting Steelwork
We carried out a visual inspection of the existing staircase to the rear of the property that runs between ground and first floors after damage caused by a falling tree.
- Welds
- Stair treads
- Stair stringer steelwork
- All staircase fixings
- Handrail & posts
- Platform & Landing plates
- Supporting columns and landing steelwork
- Paint work to all areas of the staircase, landing & structure.
Review of Findings
Considering the extent of the damage, repairing the existing staircase would probably have been far more expensive than replacing it entirely. The stair treads and handrail system, while severely damaged, also failed to meet current UK building regulations. The stair treads were no longer uniformly spaced, and the gaps between the infill bars exceeded the maximum legally-permitted 100mm allowance.
Assesmont Group believed that repairing the existing steelwork is not feasible due to the significant damage and pre-existing corrosion. We recommended immediate replacement to ensure the safety of building users. As this staircase serves as the sole emergency escape route for the upstairs flat, we strongly advised that the entire structure be condemned and replaced with a new one as a matter of urgency. Following agreement. this replacement staircase, landing and support steelwork was designed, fabricated, zinc-primed and powder-coated by Assesmont prior to delivery and installation.
Installation of New Staircase
The team then installed the supporting columns into the pad stones, securing them loosely at first. Next, they positioned a supporting PFC wall beam beneath the property’s door, again leaving the fixings loose for the time being. With the groundwork in place, we moved on to assemble the supporting beams that would form the landing area’s framework. Once everything was roughly positioned, we carefully aligned and levelled all the steelwork, tightening the fixings fully while making continuous checks and adjustments as needed. The stair stringers came next, bolted to the supporting steelwork at the top and packed into place at ground level. Tread cleats followed, installed from the bottom of the staircase upwards with fixings left loose initially.
From an access tower, the team fitted the landing plates onto the landing steelwork, securing them loosely at first. The stair treads were then aligned with the landing plates, levelled, spaced evenly, and fixed securely. The handrail installation began at the bottom of the staircase, with the team working up the outside edge first, bolting it into position. At this point, operatives harnessed in for safety when working on the leading edge.
The handrails were then carried up the staircase and bolted onto the landing area, starting with the outside edge. Once all handrails were in place, they were aligned, levelled, and fully tightened. With the structure complete, the team cleared away all tools, rubbish, debris, and waste material from the staircase and site.
