Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Oct 12, 2020 8:57 am Hi there We’ve spent $2mill building our house (excl land) and have a few issues outstanding. Most we have let go, one if frustrating us a lot - but the builder is basically saying it’s our problem which is extremely disappointing, especially for a “luxury” builder. It’s to do with the skirting on our stairs. The Builder for some reason installed skirting along the stairs that doesn’t match the thickness or profile of our skirting. It looks ridiculous. And it’s really obvious when you walk in the house. What can we do? Would greatly appreciate advice. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 2Oct 12, 2020 9:46 am That timber on the top of the stair stringer is not a skirting. All it does is cover the gap between the stairs and the wall.If you had that running down the stairs in my opinion it would look too top heavy. I would have done almost exactly the same if I was doing it when I was building unless it was in the speccies or on a section drawing. Stewie Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 4Oct 12, 2020 2:06 pm I agree alexxp79, but the stringer looks a lot thicker than the skirting, typically 30-40mm thick plus a bit of a gap as well. The skirting is probably a standard 19mm profile. Unless you are going to change the skirting to the same thickness as the stringer then there will be the difference. It also begs the question of how you would butt that 30-40mm skirting into the next standard 19mm architrave? Stewie Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 5Oct 12, 2020 3:11 pm Yes, just noticed that stringer is much thicker. I wonder why they haven't aligned stringer thickness to skirting? I am quite sure that they can produce 3d timber pieces which can be also increasing to the stringer thickness when getting closer to stringer to and vice versa after. Would require an interior designer to draw the model/shape. Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 6Oct 12, 2020 3:37 pm Doesn't quite work like that Alex. The skirting is the skirting and the stringer is the stringer. You can't machine a tapered skirting that goes from 18mm to the 30-40mm of the stringer. If the OP want's to keep that same profile as the skirting running down the stairs then they just have to sit a skirting board on top of the stringer. It would probably be better to run a smaller height of the same skirting profile so it doesn't look to deep up the stairs. Then it would need to be married into the existing skirting at the top and bottom. The skirting at the top would be to short now to join them so would need to be extended or replaced. The bottom should have enough length to remove and cut to meet up. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 7Oct 12, 2020 3:38 pm We have the same in our custom build too. But TBH I’ve never noticed it until I read your post and went to check! Could it more obvious because the corner has dirt in it? Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 8Oct 12, 2020 3:44 pm chippy Doesn't quite work like that Alex. The skirting is the skirting and the stringer is the stringer. You can't machine a tapered skirting that goes from 18mm to the 30-40mm of the stringer. hey chippy, why exactly it can't be done? Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 9Oct 12, 2020 4:01 pm I guess wouldn't is more appropriate than can't. I could machine it on my CNC machine but I wouldn't because it would be prohibitivly expensive and just wouldn't look good. As I said the skirting is the skirting and should be a uniform thickness. It would look silly tapering it in it's thickness to try and marry it in with the stringer. They are seperate parts. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 10Oct 12, 2020 4:21 pm chippy I guess wouldn't is more appropriate than can't. I could machine it on my CNC machine but I wouldn't because it would be prohibitivly expensive and just wouldn't look good. As I said the skirting is the skirting and should be a uniform thickness. It would look silly tapering it in it's thickness to try and marry it in with the stringer. They are seperate parts. I see. So cutting the original skirting to the height of the stringer and putting it on top will be the best? Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 11Oct 12, 2020 7:33 pm alexp79 chippy I guess wouldn't is more appropriate than can't. I could machine it on my CNC machine but I wouldn't because it would be prohibitivly expensive and just wouldn't look good. As I said the skirting is the skirting and should be a uniform thickness. It would look silly tapering it in it's thickness to try and marry it in with the stringer. They are seperate parts. I see. So cutting the original skirting to the height of the stringer and putting it on top will be the best? More like this. You don't need to cut the height of the skirting above and below the stairs. The piece you put on top of the stringer may be a lower height if you don't want it to sit too high. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 12Oct 12, 2020 7:38 pm For the OP I'd probably opt for the second image. In that photo the stringer is recessed into the wall so it looks a bit odd but you get the idea. If the top skirting was cut over the stringer and then a smaller height skirt married into it up the stringer it would give that continuous look the OP is after. The top picture shows how the bottom skirting would meet up with the stringer skirt. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Builder issue - stairs and skirting - help please 13Oct 17, 2020 5:37 am And that image alexp79 looks like a 3D computer image to me. Always easy to make it look good on screen, not always easy or practical in the real world. Stewie Joe Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. If you haven't sorted this already you need to caulk this gap. Not sure where you are but if you are in Sydney I can… 5 4346 Building Standards; Getting It Right! Is this acceptable in a new house build. Floors where installed by builder. Already chips in board and skirting is not flush 0 186 |