The cost of under stairs storage comes down to three things: how many moving parts it has, how awkward the stair shape is, and how it is finished. A simple cupboard with one door and a shelf is the most economical. Pull out drawers that each follow the slope of the stairs, a built in desk or a boot bench add cost, because each one is a separate piece of joinery made to the angle.
Because every staircase is different, there is no fair fixed price, but understanding those three levers lets you shape the design to your budget before anyone quotes.
Cupboards, drawers or both?
Hinged cupboards are the simplest. They suit bulky things like the vacuum cleaner and the ironing board, and they need the fewest fittings.
Pull out drawers make the deep, low end under the stairs usable, because you bring the contents to you rather than crawling in. They are also the most involved option, since each drawer has its own heavy duty runners and its own sloping front. Many of the best designs mix the two: a tall cupboard at the high end and drawers where the space drops away.
The stair shape changes the work
A straight flight with a clean sloping underside is the easiest to build under. Winders, a landing halfway, an open string or a stair that has been boxed in unevenly all mean more measuring and more individual cuts. Older staircases are often out of level, and the joinery has to follow them while still looking square from the hallway.
Hidden things under the stairs
Under stairs spaces often hold gas and electric meters, the consumer unit, pipes or a water stopcock. These need to stay accessible, so the design has to leave a door or removable panel in the right place. It is worth opening up the space and checking before anyone designs, because moving services is a separate job for the relevant trade.
Finish and matching the hallway
A painted finish that matches the stair spindles, skirting or hallway panelling makes the storage look like part of the house rather than furniture pushed into a gap. It is more work than a plain finish, but it is usually what people want in a hallway that visitors see first. If you are also thinking about panelling the stairwell, doing both together keeps the lines consistent.
Why a fitted design beats a freestanding unit here
Freestanding shoe racks and cupboards are made in rectangles, and the space under a stair is a triangle. Whatever you buy leaves a wedge of wasted space at the low end and a gap at the top that collects dust. Joinery made to the angle uses the whole volume, and because it is fixed in place it does not rock on an uneven hall floor or pull away from the wall.
It also changes how the hallway feels. A neat run of painted doors and drawers under the stairs reads as part of the architecture, which matters in the first space anyone sees when they come in.
Getting more for your money
For a real figure we need to see the staircase. Ring 02380 201687 or 07833 227576 and we will come and measure.
- Decide what will live there first. Coats and shoes need a different layout from files or wine.
- Use drawers where the space is deep and low, cupboards where it is tall.
- Keep one open section if you want somewhere to drop bags without opening a door.
- Plan meter and stopcock access from the start rather than cutting into finished work later.
Common questions
- Are under stairs drawers more expensive than cupboards?
- Usually, because each drawer has its own heavy duty runners and a front cut to the stair slope.
- Can you build storage around a meter or consumer unit?
- Yes, as long as access is kept. We design a door or removable panel in the right place.
- Does an old staircase cost more to build under?
- It can, because uneven or out of level stairs need more measuring and individual cuts.
- Can under stairs storage match my hallway panelling?
- Yes. Painting both in the same colour and matching the profiles makes them read as one piece.
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