2 foot wide stairs, Victoria Cottage

[CREATIVE1]

I am still fussing with the plans and talking to the building department about what kind of stairs I can get away with in the Victoria Cottage.  No clear answer, but had an idea.  The cottage stairs are kinds steep for my taste, but what about steps 2 feet wide and standard tread depth coming up from the kitchen to a landing and then connecting to the skybridge?  The landing could either be flat (4 feet wide) or contain some steps if needed.  

[tjm73]

Does this cottage have to meet code?

[jraabe]

The Victoria Cottage, as designed (with the circular stair), meets stair code in most jurisdictions - but not in Canada, I hear. A standard (non-circular) code stair will need to have 36" of tread width.

For more information see the guide I posted in the Resource Forum:
http://www.countryplans.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1129316454/0#0

PS - If you have the plans, look at sheet 11 in the booklet, titled "Full Stair Option", for something that meets this and other code requirements and does much of what you are considering.

[CREATIVE1]

I still don't know if I have to meet code.  I have the plans for the full code stair, but I was just getting an opinion if this would work, because it personally suits me better than some of the other options.  Also allows for an under-stairs pantry or closet in the kitchen area.

[Amanda_931]

Are you planning to use the upstairs for anything besides stuff that normally would get put up the horrible pull-down stairs into the attic?--empty boxes, Christmas decorations?

Visualize getting a comfortable chair up a two foot wide staircase.

(unless of course you got the worlds 2nd most comfortable recliner--it folds--the most comfortable does not fold, and costs 4 or five times as much, weighs probably 10 times as much)



I have bought them from these guys--at the time the least expensive place.  At last report, some of the knock-offs were closing in on being excruciating:

http://www.sitincomfort.com/lalar3clteme.html

A big "bedroom suit" six foot long mirrored dresser would still be a pain.

[CREATIVE1]

What I intended to do is hinge the railing on the skybridge so mattresses and other big stuff could go up that way.  The 4 foot wide landing would be better than some other setups, because there wouldn't be a sharp turn.  We have a three story house with two code straight stairs, but often put things over the railing as the easiest solution.

What I'm trying to do is put the entry door in the "L" and put storage under the 4 foot landing, both for a bathroom linen closet and outerwear.  The outside door would be in a semi-hallway, so we wouldn't be blasted in the winter. Also, quick access to the bathroom from outside!

I want to put the woodstove against the steps in the middle of the house.  Once I figure out the stairs, that is.

I'm talking to the building department about whether I need a code stair.  I think I'll call the small back loft "attic storage."  We'll see.

[moselle]

Any reason you can't bring the larger items in via a window and rope outside?

[CREATIVE1]

You could, especially since I intend to have a door to one of the upstairs lofts.  We intend to build a tower/treehouse after the inspectors leave in the steep woods behind the house, affording a view of Lake Cushman, we hope, and providing an easier way than straight up to service the 1,000 water tank on the hill.

No grand piainos upstair, though, so railing/landing combo should work.

[Amanda_931]

Probably will.

I was visualizing wall on each side.  Or even just a railing.

[John Raabe]

In New York city getting furniture into lofts and other small spaces is such a common problem that there are people who make a business of disassembling furniture, taking it up ladders and narrow stairs and then reassembling it. These guys have moved some pretty huge things this way (and have no doubt learned some interesting tricks).

[CREATIVE1]

Very interesting, John.  Wish those guys were here when I left to go shopping while my husband and friend were moving a 13 foot long oak church pew upstairs.  When I came back they had sawed it in half (!!!!!) to get it up there.  Needless to say, that decision has been the butt of many jokes over the years, and a story often repeated by friends.