The Short Answer
On our estimates, a new straight staircase costs about £950 to £1,500 supplied and fitted in softwood, or £1,450 to £1,950 in a hardwood such as oak. A staircase with a half landing is £1,500 to £1,950, and one with winders £2,300 to £4,500. Fitting takes two to three days.
Spiral stairs start at about £2,200, and glass or bespoke staircases run into tens of thousands. If the new staircase changes the structure or the way out in a fire, it needs building regulations approval, so allow for building control.
Staircase prices
| Staircase | Supplied and fitted |
|---|---|
| Straight, softwood | £950 to £1,500 |
| Straight, hardwood such as oak | £1,450 to £1,950 |
| With a half landing | £1,500 to £1,950 |
| With winders (a turn) | £2,300 to £4,500 |
| Glass, straight | £5,000 to £25,000 |
| Balustrade, per metre | £30 to £150 |
| Carpeting a flight | £140 to £420 |
The building regulations
Under the Building Regulations, replacing a staircase is building work when it could affect the structure (a new or bigger opening, cut joists) or the way out in a fire, and then it needs building control approval: we'd budget about £200. A straight swap in the same opening may not, so ask building control before you order. Either way, I'd build to Approved Document K, which covers the rise and going, the width, the gaps in the balustrade, the headroom, the pitch and how long a flight can run without a landing. Its main figures for a private stair in a house:
- each rise (step height) 150 to 220mm;
- each going (tread depth) 220 to 300mm;
- a pitch of no more than 42 degrees;
- at least 2m of headroom.
Approved Document K says spiral and helical stairs should be designed to their own standard, BS 5395-2, and I'd expect a floating design to need a structural engineer's calculations before work starts. I'd talk to building control before ordering anything unusual. For loft stairs, see loft conversions.
Handrails and balustrades
LABC, the local authority building control body, says replacing the handrails and balustrades on an existing staircase is generally not controlled by building regulations (except on steps to a split-level ground floor, or in homes built to the accessible housing standards). But it stresses that an unprotected staircase is dangerous, and sets out good practice:
- a handrail on at least one side, and on both sides if the stair is 1m wide or more;
- the top of the handrail 900 to 1000mm above the line of the stair;
- no gap in the balustrade that a 100mm ball could pass through;
- firm fixings into solid wall or posts, and a rail that's easy to grip.
LABC specifically warns against taking handrails or balustrades out for an open-plan look.
Refurbish instead?
If the staircase is sound and only looks tired, a new balustrade (about £30 to £150 per metre), sanding and refinishing, or new carpet (£140 to £420 a flight) costs a fraction of a new staircase. A carpenter can price it by the day: see carpenter rates.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a new staircase cost to install?
On our estimates, about £950 to £1,500 for a straight softwood staircase, £1,500 to £1,950 with a half landing and £2,300 to £4,500 with winders.
Is it a big job to replace a staircase?
It's usually two to three days' work, plus building control if the job needs approval.
Do I need building regs to replace a staircase?
If it affects the structure (a new or wider opening, cut joists) or the way out in a fire, yes: it's building work under the regulations. A straight swap in the same opening may not need approval, so check with building control before you order, and I'd build to Approved Document K either way: rises of 150 to 220mm, goings of 220 to 300mm, a pitch of no more than 42 degrees and 2m headroom.
How high should a stair handrail be?
LABC's good practice is 900 to 1000mm above the line of the stair, on both sides if the stair is 1m wide or more.
How we priced thisView sources (3, 3 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialApproved Document K: Protection from falling, collision and impact (2013 edition), Section 5, GOV.UK. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialReplacing handrails and balustrades on stairs in the home (12 July 2021), LABC. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialThe Building Regulations 2010, regulation 3: meaning of building work, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
