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Durham · North East
Staircases & Balustrades in Durham
Cut string or closed string stairs, handrails and spindles to Part K.
- Free measured survey
- Fixed written quote
- Workshop-made, site-fitted
- 10-year workmanship guarantee
- Fully insured
Durham is a county of stone-built pit-village terraces alongside Georgian and Victorian city stock. That is exactly the kind of building stock a staircase has to be drawn around, so we allow for it at survey stage rather than on fitting day — walls get checked for wind and plumb, floors for level, and the setting-out is taken from the worst reading, not the best.
How we approach it
Every staircase we make starts with a site survey and a set of setting-out drawings, not a catalogue page. We measure the opening in Durham, check the walls for wind and the floor for fall, then cut a carcass that fits the room you actually have.
How we build it
Moisture matters more than most people expect. Timber is conditioned before machining, and anything going into a kitchen, utility or bathroom is specified in materials that will not swell at the bottom edge. That is why the base of a well-made unit still closes cleanly after five winters.
Finish and materials
You can have it primed for your own decorator, sprayed in any RAL or heritage colour, or left in oiled timber. Oiled finishes can be refreshed at home; sprayed finishes are harder wearing and are what we recommend for kitchens and anything at knee height.
| Guide price | from £2,400 per linear metre, fitted |
|---|---|
| Lead time | 8–12 weeks from signed drawings |
| Construction | Oak or paint-grade |
| Survey area | All of Durham, including Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Bishop Auckland |
Want a number now? The indicative price tool gives a range in about a minute. A free survey in Durham turns it into a fixed written quote.
Towns we cover
Other joinery for Durham
What happens next
Four steps, no surprises
Survey
A joiner visits, measures the opening, checks for level and plumb, and talks through how you want to use the space.
Drawings & quote
You get a setting-out drawing and a fixed written price. Nothing is ordered until you have approved both.
Workshop
Parts are machined, assembled and finished under cover while the site carries on with other trades.
Fit & handover
We fit, scribe, adjust and touch in, then walk you through care and adjustment before we leave.
Straight answers
Staircases & Balustrades in Durham — common questions
Can the space under the new stair be used?
Yes, and it should be designed in from the start rather than added later. See our under-stairs storage service.
Do stairs have to meet building regulations?
Yes — Part K in England and Wales. The main constraints are a maximum 42-degree pitch, a minimum 190mm going, a maximum 220mm rise, 2,000mm headroom, and a 100mm sphere rule that no gap in the balustrade may pass. We design to these as standard.
What is a cut string stair?
One where the outer string is cut to the profile of the treads so each tread end is visible, usually with a scotia moulding beneath. It is the more refined, traditional detail. A closed string hides the tread ends behind a solid board and is simpler and cheaper.
Will the stairs creak?
Not when new. Creaks come from movement between the tread and the riser as the timber shrinks. We glue and block every tread-riser joint and wedge the housings, which is what prevents it.
What guarantee do you give?
Ten years on workmanship. Hardware carries the manufacturer's warranty, which on good runners and hinges is usually lifetime. Finishes are guaranteed for five years against flaking or delamination in normal domestic use.
Start with a measurement
Tell us the space in Durham — we’ll tell you what it costs
Every quote starts with a free measured survey, so the price you get is the price you pay. No deposit is taken until you have drawings you are happy with.