Hi everyone!
We are not even started our build yet, but are trying to work out budgets and get ahead of the 8 ball with regards to further plans for our outdoor areas.
Basically, our house is a split level (side split) and will need some kind of stairs or ramp from the garage up to the front door entry, and also stairs from the back sliding door, down to the courtyard (see images at end of post).
The builder has told us that it is our responsibility to build stairs/access and we will not get a certificate of occupancy until they have been completed! The front & back doors will also be deadlocked until it is complete, due to the safety issues related (i get this for the back door, as its an immediate 900mm drop from the door, however the front yard shouldn't have been an issue, it just meant there was no access from the drive directly to the front door unless you walked back further towards the footpath, and up onto the top level)...
My main concern is -- WHO and WHERE do I look for someone to do this? We live in a country town, where tradies are somewhat limited, and myself & other half are not the most hands on people in the world..
Also we (potentially) will have a BAL of 40, so I guess timber decking is out of the question for the rear? I will try and scan some pics of the rear area to show you how it sits, but anyones ideas or recommendations is greatly appreciated. Has anyone built stairs like this themselves before?? If so, how hard is it - honestly - for 2 novices?
http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x391/j0anne04/stairs.jpg
** Image 1: Front and side elevation of house showing the way the house sits, and also where the stairs are required. There is 840mm step at rear, not sure on exact drop at front - but it is slightly greater due to the slope of driveway, and garage is also 3 steps lower than remainder of house.
http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x391/j0anne04/stairs2-1.jpg
** Image 2: One option for the rear stairs (straight from back door, down to main courtyard area)
http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x391/j0anne04/stairs3-2.jpg
** Image 3: A second option for the rear stairs, giving us usable space on the top AND lower level (I want to use the top level for a clothes line, or enclosed cat area - but if I do stairs directly from the door down, id have to do more stairs further down the yard to get UP to this area... it also gives us access to the utilities down the dead side of the house)..
Jo