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Buyer\'s guide to staircases
  • Prepare for dust and disruption and remember that, unless you have a second staircase, you won't be able to access the upper levels while work is going on.

  • A standard, straight staircase kit can cost as little as £250, but bespoke designs start at around £3,000. This could rise to £25,000 plus for a bespoke one with real wow factor. Issues such as access can up the final figure further (installing a staircase on the sixth floor will be more pricey than on lower levels, for example).

  • How much space you have will dictate what you can do, and unless you live in a modern building, it's difficult to go outside of these limits. If you are lucky enough to have more space, it may be possible to reorganise it to make better use of the available inches.

  • 'Ideally, a staircase should be at least 80cm wide,' says Mark Dyson. The head room (the height between the level of a tread and the structure immediately above it) needs to be at least 2m, and the maximum pitch for a domestic flight is 42 degrees. Straight flights are limited to 36 consecutive steps. If there are more than 36, the flight should make a change of direction of at least 30 degrees.

  • Flights should have a handrail on at least one side if they are less than 1m wide, and on both sides if they are wider. The minimum height for a rail is 90cm, and there is no need for one beside the bottom two steps. Spindles should be no more than 10cm apart.

  • There is a huge scope for different building materials, from glass structures that appear to float and modern steel staircases in bright, matt or brushed finishes, through to oak or teak. Consider combining materials and think about what will work best in your interior. 'The trend now is heading towards a more timeless look and I would recommend quality materials and simple details,' says Richard McLane. 'You can't change a staircase even as often as a kitchen, and it's such a major part of the house that it should transcend fashion.'

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