Your Bet: Stairs Under This or Not?

[jyl]

This is a 1908 Four Square house that was divided into three units sometime between the world wars.

The door from first floor to basement was locked up. On the basement side, the door was covered up with pressboard which I’ve removed.

The first flight of stairs, from first door to the basement entry landing, is covered with this big wood box.

I don’t have a hammer or saw with me, so I’ll come back tomorrow and remove this box. I’m really hoping to find the original stairs inside it. So I don’t have to build new stairs.

Whaddya Bet? Original stairs still there, or No Stairs?

[rwest]

I bet stairs, but needing some work.

[masraum]

What ^he^ said. Stairs in there, but probably needing a little work. Hopefully, not too much.

I've seen some cool stuff online where folks found doors between rooms or pocket doors that had been boarded up. Or "old fashioned" panel and frame doors that had been converted to smooth slab doors.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Definitely stairs. Should have started a poll!

[Steve Carlton]

Are there people under the stairs?

[A930Rocket]

No stairs.

If there are stairs, it’s going to look like a ladder.

[jyl]

I’m sick of going outside and around to get from first floor to basement. So any stairs will be fine! Then I’ll fix them up, as a low priority item.

[70SATMan]

There are stairs and probably a mummified body.

Looking forward to the reveal!

[stevej37]

Call Geraldo Rivera

[Skytrooper]

What does it look like from the backside ? It looks to me like the last two steps are protruding from the box.
My guess is that the stairs are still there.

[rfuerst911sc]

Remains of Jimmy Hoffa

[OK-944]

Hmmm...maybe we should cue up Led Zeppelin?

[john70t]

Looks like a big old can 'o worms to me:
-A maximum rise and minimum tread depth is required by code for any commercial/rental use. It's a safety thing. You can get away with it for a personal home but there might be an issue if it's inspected later on, or someone ever falls on them. Insurance would have a stink.

-The stringers have to carry 500lbs++ weight and be locked into the header. Metal might do it. Stairs snapping in the middle is a bad thing. Those look thin. As in 2x4. It's difficult to tell proportions from the fish-eye photos.

-A more gradual stair stringer will extend well into the existing exterior door sweep path. It will intrude into the landing and make it irregular. So an outward-sweep door is needed. Plus you might need a minimum sized landing at the top in front of the door.

-The right side wall to the door looks like it carries the weight of the second floor stairs and the first floor joists....but is floating in air. That load-carrying header might need to get beefed up with a steel beam or glue lams. That looks like a critical vertical load point for the entire structure, to my layman eyes.

-You will probably want a solid handrail to prevent falling all the way down into the basement.

-A different idea (if feasible) Would be to move that door back if possible to allow more stair length and keep the full landing from the outside. The header and section of floor would need a post and much reinforcement. Boxing in a floor cutout would get tricky and need more posts. Who knows what is in there. That could get messy but would keep the pathways usable and safe.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by 70SATMan

Looking forward to the reveal!

Me as well…first time I have heard the term “4 Square”.

Neat stuff.

[LWJ]

It will be an encased shrine to the deceased ancestors of the prior owners. Which, is set upon the old stairs.

I love peeling back old houses. Fun stuff. I often write little messages on the back of drywall or a tx4 for someone down the road to read.

[wdfifteen]

I’m thinking you’ll find a previously owner’s “technical library.”

[LEAKYSEALS951]

^Is "technical library" code for "palm and paddle?"

[911 Rod]

Stairs up or down?

I think there will only be stairs going down as the box is for going up?

[Cajundaddy]

That is their stash from the gold heist of 1918. Now worth $20B

[vash]

there is 0% chance I could have left that question unanswered in my head. bare minimum, I punch a hole in the box and take a peek. let me know if an eye looks back at you from inside!!