Need to make basement stairs (floor plans, how much, washer, install)

[MissesFixIt]

We want to have access from basement to house. The basement is finished but you have to go outside to get to the basement. We want to install an entrance from a closet from upstairs to go downstairs. Anyone know what exactly this is called

[Cosmic]

One of the problem tho in a retro fit is getting enough headroom so the stairs do not contain a "head knocker" after the few couple steps and having enough space in the basement to do it as a straight stairwell.

Lots of times you can solve it by turning in a direction, like 90 degees thru part of the stair run with either a landing or pier type support. Lot depends on the particular circumstances and exactly how the floor plans work. Many basement stairwells are directly under another stairwell going up stairs, nature of the beast, that usually gives enough headroom if the basement entry point is done right. Most closets won't have enough floor area to get the stairs installed, you just never develop enough headroom in the layout in the right spots. Plus if you are doing it per the code, stairs have to meet certain dimensions, slopes and fire ratings, etc. Many times very tough to back fit stairs anywhere once the original floor plan is executed. Can be done but newbies usually are not that good at it. You have to have the "vision thing" to understand how it will all work before cutting anything apart.

Lots of times it is best to add a small "Bump Out" on to the house, including a basement section to actually get the stairs in, all depends on the design and how much floor space you are willing or able to sacrifice in the process, takes a lot more than folks think. Look for headroom type problems before assuming it will all fit in an area.

Sometimes a spiral stairs can be the solution if permitted. Depends on what is involved and how anal it can be.

[old_cold]

My parents added an inside stairway/stairwell (the term you asked about) and had the head knocker Cosmic mentioned.
But they also had a wide space to put it in.
Many standard closets are less than 30" so you have to have a wider than usual one or realize yours, if all else is OK, is going to be foot traffic only, which makes a spiral a good option.
If a cold area and foot traffic only, the worst can still be better than going outside to get there.

[windtimber]

Originally Posted by MissesFixIt

We want to have access from basement to house. The basement is finished but you have to go outside to get to the basement. We want to install an entrance from a closet from upstairs to go downstairs. Anyone know what exactly this is called

Well, it's called a "stair case." Sorry...couldn't resist.

More to the point, go to any public library and check out a book on uses of the steel square. There will be a whole chapter, or two maybe, dedicated to laying out staircases with the steel square. That will give you an idea of the space you need, calculating run, riser height, headroom, etc. You can then do some figuring and see if it's reasonably possible. Good luck!

[desertsun41]

I think cosmic covered it. But what he meant by a bump out is basicly an addition to your home. A stairway could take up about 3.5' X 12' total. To do a spiral you still need about 5' X 5' and I really doubt your closet is that big.

I believe you are in for more cost and trouble then you thought.

[MissesFixIt]

The closet is deep and my aunt made her linen closet the access to her basement. I figured I could do the same. I can figure out a different spot to install the stairs but I don't want to mess up the living room.. so either the kitchen (which sucks because I don't have much kitchen space to spare) or sacrifice my pretty living room.

We are making the basement's 2 other rooms a master bed & guest room. Upstairs will be the kids rooms. So we kind of want stairs instead of going outside. lol.

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by MissesFixIt

The closet is deep and my aunt made her linen closet the access to her basement. I figured I could do the same. I can figure out a different spot to install the stairs but I don't want to mess up the living room.. so either the kitchen (which sucks because I don't have much kitchen space to spare) or sacrifice my pretty living room.

We are making the basement's 2 other rooms a master bed & guest room. Upstairs will be the kids rooms. So we kind of want stairs instead of going outside. lol.

Since you are renting the house I kinda wonder why you are even asking such an expensive question.

[MissesFixIt]

We aren't renting the house. We looked at a rental house because we kind of gave up on house hunting but now we are back to house hunting... so this is a thing we would have to do with the house we made an offer on. I was just wondering the cost and how to go about it.

[bellalunatic]

Please, reconsider the idea of having the master in the basement if it is a real below grade basement...in the end it's not usually a big selling point for lots of folks, unless they prefer a cave dwelling type master bedroom.
But then again if you're planning on staying in this home till your golden years, then have at it!
The stairs are a pretty huge space eater, we had looked at doing that with our last house and square footage wise it was took too much out of the existing footprint.
If you don't have a setback issue with the bumpout to enclose a new staircase outside of the footprint, that may be your best bet.

[MissesFixIt]

The basement is finished. It was originally a rental apartment. Hence the separate entrance. I would make the kitchen area my new washer/dryer area, a master bed n bath with an office or guest room down there. I just have to figure out where to place stairs.