A bespoke staircase in London costs from about £2,000 to £14,000 or more in 2026. A straightforward made-to-measure timber staircase starts at £2,000-£3,600. A bespoke feature staircase in oak, with open treads, a curved flight or a steel-and-timber design, runs £6,000-£14,000+. A staircase renovation, re-treading and a new balustrade rather than a full replacement, is typically £1,500-£5,000. Final cost depends on material, design and whether the opening changes. Prices exclude VAT.
In This Guide
Bespoke Staircase Cost at a Glance (2026 London Prices)
The figures below are typical supply-and-fit costs for a London staircase in 2026, excluding VAT. They assume the existing opening and floor levels stay the same. Changing the position of a staircase, or forming a new opening, is structural work and adds cost.
| Staircase Type | Typical Cost (London) | What It Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard straight timber stair | £2,000-£3,600 | Made-to-measure softwood or oak-veneer flight, standard balustrade, fitted to an existing opening. |
| Quality hardwood stair | £4,000-£7,000 | Solid oak or painted hardwood, turned or square spindles, oak handrail and newels. |
| Bespoke feature staircase | £6,000-£14,000+ | Open treads, a curved or winding flight, cut strings, glass or steel balustrade, book-matched timber. |
| Staircase renovation | £1,500-£5,000 | Re-treading, a new balustrade and handrail, repairs and refinishing, keeping the existing structure. |
For how a staircase sits inside a wider budget, see our house renovation costs guide. A staircase is joinery, so it falls in the joinery and finishes portion of a renovation rather than the structural shell.
Cost by Material and Style
Material and design are the two biggest levers on staircase cost. A painted softwood stair is the most economical; solid oak, walnut and steel-and-timber designs sit higher.
| Material / Style | Typical Cost | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Painted softwood (closed string) | £2,000-£4,000 | Classic, cost-effective, painted finish. A good match for period homes. |
| Solid oak | £4,000-£8,000 | Warm, durable, timeless. Oak treads, handrail and newels. |
| Open-tread (floating look) | £6,000-£12,000 | Treads with no risers for a light, contemporary feel. Needs careful structural design. |
| Steel-and-timber or glass balustrade | £8,000-£14,000+ | Metal-framed stringers or glass panels with timber treads. A statement design. |
Metalwork is a premium option we offer across our joinery: a black steel-framed flight, brass detailing on a handrail, or a glazed screen beside the stair. Timber can also be matched to other joinery in the home, from wall panelling to flooring.
Staircase Renovation vs Replacement
You do not always need a new staircase. If the structure is sound, a renovation at £1,500-£5,000 can transform a tired stair: new treads and risers, a replacement balustrade and handrail, filled and repaired strings, and a fresh paint or oil finish. Replacement makes sense when the layout changes, the going is too steep, or you want a different style altogether. A survey settles which route is better value for your stair.
What Drives the Cost
- Material. Painted softwood is the most economical; solid oak, walnut, steel and glass move you up.
- Design. A straight flight is the baseline. Winders, half-landings, curved flights and open treads each add design and fabrication time.
- Balustrade. Standard spindles are included at the lower end; glass panels, steel and bespoke metalwork cost more.
- Changing the opening. Moving the staircase or forming a new floor opening is structural work, separate from the joinery.
- Finish. Factory-finished and hand-finished timber, and matching to existing joinery, affect the figure.
Under-Stair Joinery and Storage
A staircase creates one of the most useful, and most wasted, spaces in a home: the void beneath it. We design bespoke under-stair joinery alongside the stair itself, from pull-out drawers and a concealed cloakroom to a compact home office or a boot room. See our under-stairs storage ideas guide for designs and costs, and our bespoke joinery service for how we build it.
Staircases in a Loft Conversion
A new staircase is often the trickiest part of a loft conversion, because it has to land neatly on the floor below without eating into a bedroom. The staircase joinery is our work; the conversion itself, the structure, dormers and building control, is handled by our sister company houseUP. We design the loft stair and the under-eaves joinery together, so the two meet cleanly. Our loft wardrobes and eaves storage page shows how we treat the space around a new loft stair.
Building Regulations and Timescales
Staircases in England must meet Building Regulations, which cover the pitch, headroom, going, rise and balustrade heights. We design every staircase to current standards, but regulations change and period properties can be treated differently, so check with your local authority or building control before finalising a design. A made-to-measure staircase typically takes 3 to 6 weeks to manufacture after survey and design sign-off, plus 1 to 3 days to install. Feature and steel-and-timber stairs take longer.
How Noba and Stod Approaches Staircases
Noba and Stod is a London bespoke joinery and furniture studio. We design and build staircases to measure in our own workshop, from a clean painted flight for a period terrace to a steel-and-timber feature stair with a glazed screen, like the one in our Greenwich project. One dedicated team coordinates the joinery, any metalwork and the install, with a single point of contact from survey to handover. If you are comparing studios, our guide to choosing a London joinery company sets out what to look for.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a bespoke staircase cost in London in 2026?
A bespoke staircase in London costs from about £2,000 to £14,000 or more in 2026, excluding VAT. A standard made-to-measure timber stair is £2,000-£3,600, a quality solid oak stair is £4,000-£7,000, and a feature staircase with open treads, a curved flight or a steel-and-timber design runs £6,000-£14,000+. Changing the position of the stair is structural work and costs extra.
How much does it cost to renovate an existing staircase?
A staircase renovation in London is typically £1,500-£5,000, depending on the work. That covers new treads and risers, a replacement balustrade and handrail, repairs to the strings, and refinishing, while keeping the existing structure. It is a good-value alternative to full replacement when the stair is structurally sound and the layout is staying the same.
Which staircase material is most cost-effective?
Painted softwood is the most economical choice, at roughly £2,000-£4,000 for a closed-string flight, and it suits period homes well. Solid oak sits higher at £4,000-£8,000 for its warmth and durability, while open-tread, steel-and-timber and glass-balustrade designs are the most expensive because of the structural design and fabrication involved.
Do staircases have to meet Building Regulations?
Yes. Staircases in England must meet Building Regulations covering pitch, headroom, the going and rise of each step, and balustrade heights. We design every staircase to current standards, but regulations change and period properties can be handled differently, so check with your local authority or building control before finalising a design.
How long does a bespoke staircase take to make and fit?
A made-to-measure staircase usually takes 3 to 6 weeks to manufacture after the survey and design sign-off, plus 1 to 3 days to install. Feature staircases with curved flights, open treads or steel-and-timber construction take longer, as does anything that depends on structural work being completed first.
Who does the structural work if my staircase moves or is part of a loft conversion?
Making the staircase is joinery, and that is our work. Moving a staircase, forming a new floor opening, or building a loft to put a stair into is structural work. Our sister company houseUP handles the structure, floor openings and building control, and Noba and Stod designs and builds the staircase and the joinery around it, so both sides stay coordinated under one owner.
Last reviewed October 2026. Prices are a London market guide for planning and exclude VAT; we quote each staircase after a survey.
