So far in our Room At The Top guide, we've taken you through ways to assess the feasibility of using your loft as part of the living space in your home, concentrating on the structure and the available space. Now, one of the key areas to consider is access to the new loft room. We'll look at some of the options available to you, whilst keeping within the guidelines of the Building Regulations for staircases (in the UK). To use your loft as a habitable room, you should have some form of fixed stairway - a retractable loft ladder wouldn't be acceptable. (Click
here to view the UK Building Control Regulations for Staircases.) A simple, straight flight of stairs may provide the easiest access but it also takes up the most space and for most houses this would cause a problem. But, with a little imagination and using one of the innovative and attractive staircases available, you could have an inviting and stylish access to your loft room.
![](https://thestaircasepeople.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Motion-mid-247x300.jpg)
For a conventional style of staircase,...