Continuous Banister

[alex_b]

We need someone to make a new continuous banister to carry on the existing one into the loft. Anybody have any recommendations? I appreciate it's a niche skill.

[*Bob*]

Got ours done by 'Old Basing' also know as 'The Stair Guy'.

We wanted continuous but when he explained how tall the 'turn' would need to be to get from one level up the the higher one it become clear it would be very costly and wouldn't really look right anyway. Depends how tight your turn is, obvs every case is different.

In the end, he did a fine job on matching the hand rail (posted him a thin section of our existing rail) - did the same with a spindle - and he has a great array of newel posts to choose from, so in the end it all worked out really well.

[email protected]

[*Bob*]

website here

http://www.stairguys.co.uk

[alex_b]

Thanks so much. Did you do it all remotely or does he have someone local for survey and fitting. I'd be really nervous screwing it up.

[*Bob*]

It was all remote, but trouble free - he was very helpful. Although ours was relatively straightforward and we got lucky with a bit of leftover 'curve' from the existing bannister after it was cut - which could be re-used to make it flow better.

Actually thinking back, I sent a spindle but in the end it was just used as a reference for height and we just picked a template from the pages of varieties of his website. He said most spindles in old houses were made up on the spot as they threw the house together so there are small variations everywhere from one house to the next. If you have to have a 'totally exact' spindle match, it involves a lot of extra setup work and cost. Some of the templates were pretty near - you don't notice the difference really.

Matching the handrail profile was really worth it though - that makes a big difference.

It was fitted by our builders at the time (they worked out the measurements / numbers required for me to give to him). I don't know if he measures and fits, but some jobs must need seeing in the flesh if they're more complex. A complicated bespoke curve is going to cost a bit of wedge though!

[alex_b]

Alas he doesn't do continuous banisters; the hunt continues...

[*Bob*]

Bugger

erm.. anything else I can 'help' with, just ask..

[alex_b]

Thanks anyway for the suggestion, I've asked if they recommend anyone else. Hopefully they can point me in the right direction. You wouldn't have thought it'd be so hard, the Victorians managed to make them ok.

[Jeremy]

alex_b Wrote:

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> the Victorians managed to make them ok.

Quite impressive, considering the houses all seem to be made up on the spot, with completely different dimensions.

[*Bob*]

Bits and wood and brick chucked up on the fly, stuffed with rubble and brown paper, no foundations.

Yours for ?100 (in 1895)

[LadyNorwood]

I honestly thought you wrote 'barrister'....

[Jeremy]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Bits and wood and brick chucked up on the fly,

> stuffed with rubble and brown paper, no foundations.

Explains why they tend to sink by an inch when people decide to build two extra rooms on top of them.

[*Bob*]

A few mm for a loft maybe, not an inch!

(pedants corner)

[alex_b]

LadyNorwood Wrote:

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> I honestly thought you wrote 'barrister'....

Not looking to spend that much ;)