Is this an open staircase?

Certainly looks like it is not going to be an open staircase.

Yes it will be better heating wise, but I have an open staircase and I'm putting a door halfway up to fix that issue.

As for cost - - it should not add a lot unless he is using the walls as strengtheners.

Steve

Thanks, Yak_Chat

Seems I have to talk to the builder on Monday.



IF YOU DON'T MIND, would you please pm me a photo what your staricase looks like?

Regards, Aulyna

No probs Alunya.

Pic is as I bought the place.

I'm building a wall where the stairs turn right, and putting a door in there to seperate the area thermally and acoustically.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff311/sunkosi/StairsandLounge.jpg

Steve

Yes its just normal radiata pine. The termite-treated framing is dyed a blue colour. Its not full treated pine as its not treated for rot/decay - just termites.
Its definately too late unless you want to throw all your frames out and pay for new ones. I'm surprised you weren't asked about it.

Aulyna,

Unfortunately there are termites pretty much everywhere in Australia.
The tropical ones are just bigger and hungrier
This might help re canberra termites.
[url]http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1440-
6055.1991.tb00414.x?cookieSet=1[/url]

Re a staircase - I like the look of an open staircase - this one at my place is a bit out of place as it is an add on the previous owner did and in my opinion is not in sympathy with the house, however, it works.

IMO - providing the staircase can be blocked off - airflow and noise wise as required - then open is more attractive.

Maybe you can help me - what you think I should do with mine??

I have this wall planned - and it was to be halfway up - but maybe I do it at the top?

So - do I leave the downstairs section as is, and build a wall upstairs - where the railing goes across on the bottom photo

Or do I close it off downstairs at the first landing and join to the raked beam - which means a door halfway up the stairs - but i also will be building a set of external stairs as getting furniture up these stairs is a total plain. Memories of Amsterdam and crane off the balcony come to mind

My downstairs view of my stairs.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff311/sunkosi/StairsandLounge.jpg

And the stairs as they arive upstairs - to the right.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff311/sunkosi/TopofStairs.jpg

Now - onto your house - one good feature of the stairs as is - you can block off upstairs area very easily and this ensures the noise and smells from downstairs do not permeate all of the house.

My thoughts.

Steve

The reason I’m asking is I’m planning to have wooden floor for the whole house, but some said it would be noisy if it’s not carpet on stairs and upstairs. What do you think?



Aulyna, my parents have a 2 story house with an open staircase, although it is all in one length, not in 2 directions like Ash's. Anyway the stair case is timber and most of their house is tiled, only the bedrooms are carpeted, and yes, the noise does carry from down stairs to upstairs big time. There is a TV built into the area under the stairs and a small open sitting room directly across from the staircase, TV noise to upstairs is quite loud. Haven't noticed smells, but then their house is a bit unusual in that the kitchen is on the upper level.
(It's really a split level house, built into a slope, so the back door opens onto the back garden)

Aulyna, The pic you can sée of downstairs is how the place was before I bought it.

I have since removed all that scratchy carpet and I am doing polished floors for the lounge and kitchen area, with a new rug to go on the lounge area.

And from some advice from friends (and Ashes input) Thanks Ash I'm doing carpet in all the bedrooms downstairs (which were carpet and are currently bare boards) along with polished floors in the hallway with rugs on them to reduce the noise.

And under the stairs and in the new wall 2b, I'll put acoustic insulation to the stop noise travelling upstairs.
Or is that noise upstairs from travelling downstairs
Steve

Edit

Well you've fixed part of it?

Now the next message is like - hmm - out of place.

So now I'll delete my post.
Steve