New Staircase Cost

How Much Does a New Staircase Cost?

How much does it cost to build a new staircase, exactly?

Average new staircase costs can range from £950 to £2,000 - but this depends on a few factors.

The specific type of staircase, size of the installation, and choice of materials will be the main factors that make up the final price.

New Staircase Prices

How Much Do Different Types of Staircases Cost?

Straight Staircase Cost

The most common type of staircase in UK homes, a straight staircase is the most cost-effective method for connecting two floors with a straightforward staircase design.

Costs start at around £950 for softwood, rising to £1,450 for hardwood such as oak.

Pros

• ✔ The most cost-effective method for connecting two floors
• ✔ Popular in the majority of homes today with a straightforward design

Cons

• ✖ Not suited to every property layout
• ✖ Offers less design complexity than other staircase types

Winding Staircase Cost

A winding staircase features a 90-degree bend at the bottom, forming an "L" shape. It's a good option where there is no space for a straight flight.

Costs range from around £1,100 in softwood up to £3,000 in hardwood.

Pros

• ✔ Good option where there is no space for a straight-fit staircase
• ✔ Modern, aesthetically pleasing design

Cons

• ✖ Staircase installation cost is higher than a straight design
• ✖ The bend adds to the final price of the entire project

Half Landing or U-Shaped Staircase Cost

Consisting of two parallel flights connected by a landing area, this style is also known as a switchback or half-turn staircase and features a 180-degree turn.

Costs range from around £1,000 to £3,000 depending on design and materials.

Pros

• ✔ Unique look and space-saving design
• ✔ The half-turn style suits properties with taller floor-to-ceiling heights

Cons

• ✖ The additional flight and landing add to the overall budget
• ✖ Takes up more floor space than a straight or winding staircase

Spiral Staircase Cost

Metal spiral staircases are the most common form installed, though wooden options are available at higher cost. Fitted through a round hole between the floors, spiral staircases have the smallest footprint of all staircase designs, making them ideal when space is at a premium.

Costs range from around £1,800 to £5,000 depending on size, complexity, and materials.

Pros

• ✔ Smallest footprint of all staircase designs
• ✔ Most commonly used when space is at a premium

Cons

• ✖ Higher staircase installation cost than straight or winding designs
• ✖ Wooden options raise the total cost of the project considerably

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New Staircase Material Costs

The prices of materials are often a large consideration when planning a new staircase. If you wish to undertake the project on your own, you could save around £500 to £1,000 in labour costs.

This does not account for the time you personally will lose, and due to the nature of the stairs being an important safety concern, it is always advisable that you seek the advice of a qualified tradesman in order to fit them for you.

However, if you do wish to fit the new staircase yourself, there are options to just buy the materials or even a pre-made kit.

Softwood Staircase Costs

The most common material used in the construction of a new staircase is softwood. This is due to its workability, cost-effective pricing, and wide availability on the market. Being the lowest priced option for most staircase designs, it is not as durable and long-lasting as other materials.

However, due to its wide-ranging availability, it is often the best choice for simple designs and those on a budget. The cost of materials to build a softwood staircase would start at around £400 for a standard straight staircase, and increase up to £2,000 for a spiral or curved design.

Hardwood Staircase Costs

Wood such as oak comes under the category of hardwood. This means they are more durable and longer-lasting than their softwood alternatives. However, they are often priced higher, can be harder to acquire, and are not as easily worked with than softwoods such as pine.

Hardwood may be a better option for a new staircase with a complex or open design. An oak staircase cost would start around £900 for a standard straight staircase, and increase up to £4,000 for a highly complex curved or spiral design.

Metal Staircase Costs

For a spiral staircase, metal is the most popular choice. This is due to its robust and hardwearing nature, allowing it to be constructed in more elaborate and intricate designs.

Metal is by far the least cost-effective option when building a standard staircase, however, when considering a spiral design will often cost equal, if not less, than the hardwood alternative.

Metal also has the downside of a less aesthetic appeal than wood and may require a specialist to fit. The cost of materials to build a metal staircase would start around £1,200 for a spiral design; however, this would increase to around £3,000 for a more complex straight design.

Other Materials

Stone, glass, and concrete are a few materials which may be combined with a wooden or metal staircase to increase the aesthetic value. Often, glass will be used along the sides to improve the visual appeal.

Concrete and stone are often used in place of the steps in order to increase the durability of the new staircase. However, these options will substantially increase the final price.

For example, to fit a straight hardwood staircase with a stone laid step installation, will increase the materials price from £800 to £1,600. A glass staircase cost would begin at £2,600, just for a single straight design.

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How Much to Fit a Staircase?

When hiring any tradesman for building work, you need to consider what specific jobs actually need doing, as not all tradesmen can handle the same types of work. A carpenter and joiner or a general builder will usually be hired when building a new staircase, depending on the materials chosen.

The most obvious place to start is staircase specialists - however, this will depend on what style of staircase you have chosen, the complexity of the design, and the materials used.

Below is a list of various tradesmen you may require and the jobs they will be undertaking:

Architect or Designer

When planning a new staircase, building designs or drawings will sometimes need to be created. Often a specialist designer or architect creates the plans in order to make sure the correct choice of materials, the correct style is used, and you get the results you want. This will take up a large percentage of the labour costs, considering it will be one of the smaller jobs involved.

The cost to hire an architect or specialist designer usually is around £200 per day. However, they would typically charge by a completed job rather than per day. This would be around £200 to £1,000 for a completed design, drawing, and technical specifications.

Carpenter

If you are building a wooden staircase then you can hire a carpenter. They will often be able to undertake the job themselves without the need for further tradesmen, although this will depend on the skills of the carpenter chosen. A carpenter will usually cost you around £125 per day, but this will depend on the skills and experience of the tradesman.

Generally, this work will take around 2 days to complete for a single standard straight staircase. This can increase to up to 4 days for a more complex design, such as one that changes direction partway up.

General Builder

A general builder is often used to lead the entire project. They can hire and control subcontractors such as carpenters and labourers in order to complete the work. Also, if building a metal design, a general builder is often the best choice due to the robust nature of their experience and labour price, which can be offered.

A general builder will usually cost around £100 to £150 per day to hire, depending on the level of job required, the skills they possess, and the amount of experience.

Carpet Fitter

After having a new staircase installation, carpet laying is often the next step unless you're leaving the wood exposed. Even if you already know how to lay carpet, when it comes to a new staircase it's best left to the professionals.

Hiring a carpet fitter will first measure the area in which the new carpet is to be fitted, provide the sizing for the required new carpet, and then once purchased will be able to lay the covering to the newly built staircase. A carpet fitter will usually cost around £100 to £120 per day to hire, depending on experience and level of skill.

If you're having your carpet fitted, you can make use of our new carpet cost calculator (per room), which gives you a quick and no-hassle way to get an idea of what this job will cost you.

Labourers

The most inexpensive form of tradesman, a labourer, should not be overlooked when costing the job. Usually, a specialist will provide their own personal labourer - however, you should be mindful of the costs to hire them.

The day rate of a simple labourer will usually be £60 to £80 per day. They are used for all the heavy lifting work, moving materials, and jobs that do not require a specific skill.

Staircase Finishing Costs

Once your new staircase has been installed, you then have to consider how you're going to finish your staircase. Do you want carpet laying, do you want the wood staining?

Let's take a closer look at the choices:

Staircase Flooring Costs

The most obvious finishing choice is the floor covering. You may want the stairs to match the lower floor's covering, to blend in when viewed from the bottom level. The average cost of carpeting a flight of stairs ranges from £136 to £420, depending on the complexity of the stair layout and the type of carpet you choose.

Tiles and laminate are also a common option. Tiles can vary drastically in colour, design, and materials, with the cost of a standard style ceramic tile beginning at around £40 for a pack of 50, rising to around £100 as the material quality is increased.

Laminate flooring begins at around £30 per m², rising to around £70 per m² for premium varieties. The more premium the material, the higher the cost of laminate flooring.

Handrails, Bannisters, and Glass Balustrades Costs

Handrails, or bannisters, are the length of wood or metal running along the side of the new staircase. They function as a safety feature and form a large part of the final aesthetic of the new staircase. A wooden handrail for a standard straight staircase will usually start at around £40 for softwood, £90 for hardwood, and around £120 for metal or composite varieties.

Balustrades are a row of columns or pillars topped by a handrail, with a glass panel positioned in between. Prices for balustrades can start as low as £30 per metre, rising to upwards of £150 when custom glass balustrades are used.

Cost of Painting Your New Staircase

Paints and wood stains are the final expense to consider. Paint will vary in cost depending on the colour, type, and brand chosen. The cost of paint ranges from £20 for 2 litres up to around £60 for 2 litres of brand name colour mixed paint.

Wood stain is often the most cost-effective option for those on a budget, with the added advantage of retaining the aesthetic character of the wood. Wood stain starts at around £10 for 2 litres, rising to £40 for brand name varieties.

What Impacts New Staircase Costs?

Several key factors can impact the final staircase installation cost, with each factor either increasing or reducing the overall cost. Planning for these is essential when deciding how to proceed with your new staircase.

• Materials Used — Basic softwood staircases made from pine will usually be the cheapest, but opting for a hardwood construction could increase your new staircase cost by around 50%. Stairs made from metal, glass, and other non-wood materials can be more expensive, depending on the size and complexity of the construction.
• Ease of Access — When planning the construction of a staircase between floors, the ease with which materials can be carried to the site, through doors and around corners should not be overlooked. How the new staircase will be used should also be considered during the design phase, as this will usually help decide on the style of staircase chosen.
• Scale of Project — Scale means the length and width of each step, the number of steps, and how high the staircase will be from the lower level. The chosen scale will have a large impact on the overall cost of your staircase installation.
• Complexity of Design — The more complex the new staircase design, the longer, more skilled, and more expensive it will be to complete. A straight staircase takes less time to construct than a U-shaped or half-landing staircase, while a spiral design requires even greater time and skill.
• Decoration and Making Good — Glass balustrades and stone or tile floor coverings will increase the build time considerably, adding to both labour costs and overall construction time. When a new staircase is placed against a wall, re-plastering may also be needed — the cost to patch repair a wall with plaster starts at around £70 but can rise to £500 depending on the extent of the damage.

How Much to Replace a Staircase?

If you're simply looking to update an existing staircase, rather than fit a new one, you might be wondering how much staircase replacement costs.

Refresh and Repaint

The cheapest option for staircase replacement is to remove the old paint, sand back the wooden surface and re-stain or repaint your staircase, depending on the age, wear, and construction of the staircase, instead of paying the entire staircase renovation cost.

• Paint — £20 to £60 per tin
• Wood Stain — £10 to £40 per tin

Replace Broken Parts

If your existing staircase has excessive wear or damage present, such as broken or cracked timber, you would want to replace the broken pieces. Timber costs for softwood replacement parts are low and can be easily cut to size and shaped by a carpenter. It is always worth consulting a professional before replacing structural parts. For example, removing an under stairs cupboard, fixing a couple of broken steps and replacing a damaged bannister will usually reflect the staircase refurbishment cost.

• Softwood Timber Replacement — from £20 per length
• Staircase Refurbishment Cost — from £400

Flat-Pack Kit

It is also possible to purchase a modular flat-pack kit to allow DIY enthusiasts to take on the right staircase type for their home themselves, though in some cases it is still recommended to hire a professional. Most suppliers will stock a few different models, most of which can be put together and fitted within a single day.

• Straight Style — from £250
• Winding Style — from £700

Staircase Removal Cost

When you no longer require the use of a staircase, you will need to remove them. In addition, if you have an old, dilapidated staircase, you may wish to replace it with a newer, nicer looking safer build.

Removal of a staircase is a fairly simple process requiring a few basic elements, such as a skip or waste removal, some simple tools and a general labourer. Skip hire will usually cost around £80 to £150 for a single skip, and a labourer for a day around £100. The most important thing with removing a staircase is to be safe about it, and not to cause any damage.

Usually, when demolishing a staircase, for safety reasons, you will probably be best served in hiring a tradesman such as a general builder. They can usually provide all the tools needed and even dispose of the waste produced.

An average builder will be able to complete a staircase removal within a day. This means it would cost you an average of £250, including the skip hire costs and labour.

How Long Does it Take to Install a Staircase?

There are multiple factors, which can affect how long a new staircase can take to install. The most obvious being the complexity of the project, the size of the build, and the final quality of the staircase.

Choosing to build a complex U-shaped staircase will take almost twice as long as a single straight design, at around 3 to 4 days, compared to 2 days. A spiral staircase will take longer than a single straight design, at around 2 days for the straight, compared to 3 days for the spiral.

However, these factors will also depend on the level of complexity in the plan, the skills the tradesman possess, and the number of tradesmen working on the project.

What's Involved in Installing or Replacing a Staircase?

Even installing a simple, straight staircase can be a challenging and technical job. Your measurements need to be spot on and the fitting needs to be safe and secure.

This is why most homeowners opt to have their new or replacement staircase fitted by professionals.

It’s a good idea to get a number of quotes for your new staircase, and with MyJobQuote, you can get quotes from local staircase fitters near you that are fast, free, and with no obligation..

When you hire professional staircase installers, here’s what you can expect:

Before the Job Starts

• Initial Design and Measurements — The space for your new staircase needs to be assessed for the type and style of staircase you’re planning. Accurate measurements will need to be taken to ensure the new staircase will fit and that it complies with building regulations.
• Budget and Quotes — With a realistic budget for the materials, labour, and finishing costs, get a number of quotes from local professionals to find the right fitter for your project and the best value for money.
• Planning & Materials — Once you’ve confirmed the design, your installer will order the necessary materials, or they may fabricate the main staircase elements off-site, ready for fitting.

During the Job

• Removing the Old Staircase — If an existing staircase is being replaced, this will be dismantled and removed. Depending on the size and layout, this will usually take about half a day.
• Preparing the Space — To ensure a stable and level base for the new staircase, the floors and surrounding areas are adjusted, which may mean some minor structural and building work.
• Installing the New Staircase — The staircase frame is installed, along with the treads and risers. Handrails and balustrades are added, with all the fixings correctly installed so they are safe and secure.
• Safety Checks — With checks on the rise, going, head clearance, and handrail height, the fitters check that the staircase is safe and secure and conforms with the building regulations before finishing .

After the Job

• Finishing Touches — After installation is complete, the area is made good and the staircase is finished in the desired style, which will typically mean staining, painting, or carpeting to match the rest of the house.
• Building Regulations Sign-off — Either through self-certification by the fitter or local authority signoff, the finished staircase is inspected to make sure it meets the required regulations and safety standards.
• Final Clean-up — With the new staircase installed and signed off, the area is checked and cleaned, ready for the homeowners to use.

Building Regulations for a New Staircase

If you are having a new staircase fitted internally, then it doesn't usually require planning permission unless you are significantly changing the structure of the building or live in a listed property. However, it is still advisable to contact your local planning department, as they can provide free advise on your new staircase installation.

The key points to consider for any staircase design to match UK building regulations include a minimum step depth of 220mm, and step height of 190–220mm. The recommended width is 850mm, and headroom on landings should be at least 2.0m (reduced to 1.9m for loft conversions), and with a pitch not greater than 42 degrees.

You will need to contact your local building authority once the staircase installation has been completed to have it signed-off and confirmed building regulations are covered. It usually costs around £200 to have work approved, although some tradesmen are qualified to self-certify, or may contact your local council on your behalf.

Checklist: Hiring a Staircase Installer in the UK

Before you choose your staircase installer, there are a few things to consider. We have created a checklist of some important things to look out for when looking for a staircase specialist:

• How much does a bespoke staircase cost? – If you want a staircase that’s a step away from the traditional, the overall cost will be higher. The type, materials, shape, and design of the staircase all affect the final price.
• Have you received more than one quote? – Always request several quotes from different tradesmen. This is particularly important for bespoke staircase designs to ensure you’re paying a fair price.
• Do you have your quote in writing? – An itemised written quote confirms previous discussions and avoids hidden extras. For example, extra costs may apply for removing your existing staircase or adding features like glass balustrades.
• Are there any additional costs involved? – Check if your staircase installation includes waste removal or if you’ll need to pay extra for collecting and disposing of your old staircase.
• Are your tradesmen insured? – The most important consideration when hiring any tradesman is insurance. At minimum, they should have third-party liability coverage. Ideally, look for personal injury, property damage, and work guarantee cover.
• What qualifications do they have? – Depending on the tradesman, this could include CSCS certification, City & Guilds levels, or college qualifications such as HNCs.
• Do they have previous experience? – Evidence of past work is key. References, photos, or a portfolio demonstrate the tradesman’s skill and pride in their work.
• Do they have positive reviews? – Check their online presence and browse customer feedback. Look at their MyJobQuote profile to gauge both cost and testimonials from recent clients.
• What guarantees do they offer? – Most tradesmen offer some form of guarantee for their work in case any issues arise due to faults in the building process.