Staircase Regulations Australia

So, your new build is coming along swimmingly with all of your interior plans mapped out and approved – but have you thought much about your staircase? Just like building most things for new homes in Australia, stairs come with their own set of safety regulations that you need to adhere to. After all, they’ve been put in place to keep the new tenants safe – so they’re definitely necessary guidelines!

Today, we’re looking into the staircase regulations currently set out in Australia so you know everything before heading into your building plans. So, keep reading our ultimate guide to learn more!

What are the staircase regulations in Australia?

The National Construction Code (NCC) has several sections relating to staircase construction, so let’s take a look at these to learn all about the necessary regulations:

NCC Section 3.9.1 Stairway and Ramp Construction

• Any staircase used in habitable rooms must comply with the Building code 3.9.1
• For inhabitable rooms or unspecified areas, such as leading to basements or attics, can be built outside of Building Code Standards AS 1657

NCC Part 3.9.1.3

• A staircase must have no less than two risers and no more than 18 without a 750 mm2 landing area
• Each tread and riser must be the same measurement within a single flight
• Riser openings for an open-rise staircase should not have a sphere larger than 125 mm passing through it
• Treads and top-nosing stairs must have slip-resistant finishes or materials
• When constructing stairs, there must not be over three winders in a quarter-landing section, and a half-landing section must not have more than six winders
• If there’s a door that opens onto a staircase, there must also be a landing before the drop of the first stair – unless the door-to-floor dimension is less than 57 mm, in which a zero tread is required instead

NCC Part 3.9.1.4

• The treads of your stairs must have a surface with slip resistance classification
• Ramps that are no steeper than 1:8 must have slip resistance materials at P4 or R10 ratings for dry conditions, and P5 or R12 for wet
• Tread surfaces need P3 or R10 ratings for dry conditions and P4 or R11 for wet
• Nosing or landing edge strips must have a P3 rating when in dry conditions, while wet conditions must have a rating of P4

NCC Part 3.9.2.3

Australian Standard 1657 – 1992

These guidelines talk about fixed platforms, walkways, stairways, and ladders, including their design, construction, and installation. This means it’s essential reading material for anyone hoping to build a staircase that’s up to code!

4.1 – Angle And Width Of Slope

• The width of the stair’s slip should not be less than 600 mm when measured between the edges of the handrails
• The pitch angle of the stair should not be less than 26.5 degrees, but not more than 45 degrees – steeper pitch angles will define the staircase as a ladder instead

4.2.2 – Straight Flights

• Steps should have no more than 18 risers without a 750 mm2 landing area for added safety
• When creating a long staircase, it must have no more than 36 risers without directional changes

4.3.2 – Minimum Vertical Clearance

• Head clearance needs to be more than 2000 mm when measured vertically from the nosing line of each step

4.3.1 – Rises And Goings

• All dimensions need to be uniformed along every rises and goings on your flight of stairs
• You have a tolerance range of more or less than 5 mm

NCC Section 3.9.2 Barriers and Handrails

• At the pitch of your staircase, the height of your balustrade must be at least equal to 86.5 mm from its imaginary nosing line
• If your balustrade is above a finished floor, balcony, landing, or path, it must have a measurement higher than 1000 mm
• Openings must not allow a 125 sphere to pass through them when measured above the imaginary nosing line running from nosing to nosing
• If your floor or balcony has the potential for a fall more than 4000 mm, horizontal elements (between 150 mm and 760 mm) must not allow for climbing

How to choose the right size for your staircase

As you can see, there are plenty of regulations to abide by when building your own custom staircase! When deciding upon the size of your staircase, it’s important to note who’s going to be using it everyday. Are you planning on living with or leasing it out to families with small children or elderly people? If so, you’ll need to take this into account when choosing the size of your staircase.

Children and older people may benefit from a smaller rise, wider treat, and added railings for support. While the national standard for minimum tread is 240 mm, we might recommend a higher width of 300 mm to help children climb stairs and to accommodate a classic four-pronged walking stick. The national height standard for a riser is between 150 and 180 mm, but we recommend choosing the lower height for families with children and older members.

How do I make sure that my staircase is compliant with Australian regulations?

To make sure your staircase is compliant with Australian stair regulations, we highly recommend enlisting the help of a building inspector. Their job is to undertake several checks of your home to identify any potential structural issues, safety hazards, and other issues that may make your home unlivable. If you’re building a new home, you’ll likely already have one to oversee the entire project.

We’d also recommend working with your builder to make sure you’re both aware of the regulations and what you need from the final result to make your stairs compliant. This, along with your building inspector, can help you create the best and safest staircase, preventing any potentially dangerous hazards in the long run.

How much will a building inspector cost to review my new build?

While there’s no flat rate for hiring a building inspector, you can expect the price to fluctuate depending on factors such as the size of your home, how many inspections you need, and whether they need to make any minor adjustments or not.

The average price of a building inspector in Australia is between $200 and $300 for smaller homes and $400 to $500 for larger buildings. Bear in mind that this is per inspection, and they’ll look at your staircase multiple times. In metropolitan areas, you may even find the price of each inspection as high as $1,200. However, it’s vital that you hire a trusted building inspector to make sure everything in your new build is up to code and safe, so don’t skimp on this step.

Get free advice on staircase building regulations from an experienced building broker. Book your free, impartial consultation today!