The current cost of living crisis is impacting all of us. It can make things especially difficult when working on a building or home improvement project, with the costs of materials often rising as work goes on, shrinking your remaining budget. Here at British Spirals & Castings, we are committed to providing the best service and value throughout your project, whatever your budget.
Here are some tips to save costs and get a staircase that looks great and fits perfectly.
Choose a design from our standard ranges
Whilst we can produce completely one-off designs, like this floating helical staircase, we also offer a number of popular standard ranges of spiral and straight staircases.
For our cast spiral staircases, these ranges are based on the pattern of the treads. They include:
We have pre-existing pattern moulds for these treads in a number of widths. By selecting one of these existing sizes, we’re able to produce the staircases both more quickly and affordably as there is no time needed to create a new mould. Get in touch and we can help you to find the most suitable size for your project.
Explore our Scandinavian Range
Our Scandinavian range of spiral staircases feature combine cast aluminium structure with timber treads. Whilst we can provide these with a range of hardwood treads, they can also be designed with marine grade birch ply-wood treads. This is our most affordable design of spirals staircase and also perfectly complements the practical, Scandinavian aesthetic which remains highly desirable for many homeowners and businesses.
Go for a more minimalist design
We offer a wide range of spindles and decorative railing panels which can be used for the baluster. However, all our standard square and circular profile spindles are produced with the same care and attention to detail as the more ornate alternatives and can provide a modern aesthetic whilst saving on costs.
The same is true for the handrail, where we can offer a simple all-metal design with visible top fixings. This can create an industrial aesthetic whilst also being a more affordable alternative to other options we offer, such as wooden handrails.
Think carefully about the staircase dimensions
In addition to picking one of our standard widths of treads, it’s also worth considering what size of staircase you actually need. Here in the UK, there are clear regulations which set out the minimum width for different designs of staircase depending on where they are being fitted. For example, a staircase going up to a single bedroom, such as a loft conversion, can be much narrower than a main staircase.
Learn more about the minimum width of staircases
By opting for slightly narrower treads, less raw materials are needed which will have a knock-on effect on the cost of the finished staircase.
Think about materials and finishes
Often, when customers come to us for a metal staircase, they think the only available options are cast iron or wrought iron. In fact, we produce almost all of our metal staircases from cast aluminium at our Staffordshire foundry. Cast aluminium is much lighter than these alternatives which can mean that a less extensive footing is needed for exterior staircases or avoids the need for additional internal supports when fitting a staircase for a loft conversion.
Additionally, whilst we offer a professional powder coating service for a smooth finish on our cast aluminium pieces, we can also supply them unfinished – allowing you to apply a hand painted finish.
Watch our powder coating video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEy9DNBsjEI
Measure and install the staircase yourself
Finally, we’ve worked with homeowners both in the UK and abroad who’ve saved costs on their project by carrying out the measuring and installation themselves. We can provide clear guidance on how to measure the space along with fixing instructions for when the staircase arrives. Keep in mind that some of the components will be heavy or cumbersome so you’ll need a few friends to help with the installation.
Get in touch
If you are interested in having a bespoke spiral staircase, balcony or railing designed and installed in your own property, visit our gallery to view some of the options and submit a quote or get in touch via phone or email.
