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Based in Stoke, First Step Designs is a leading UK designer, builder, and installer of bespoke metal staircases. Over the past decade, we’ve helped countless homeowners transform their homes into something spectacular with precision-crafted metal stairs that bring visions to life, enhance how living spaces are experienced, and boost property values.
In recent years, we’ve been featured on Grand Designs and worked on increasingly high-profile projects, including a staircase renovation for the world’s strongest man, Eddie Hall. In 2024, we were crowned the Build It Award’s Best Staircase of the Year winners. With First Step Designs working on your dream metal staircase, you can rest assured knowing that you’re working with the best in the business.
We don’t do prefabricated or off-the-shelf designs. We design and fabricate every last element of our staircases ourselves, ensuring metal stairs that are truly unique and built around your style and aesthetic preferences.
Reach out to us today for a zero-cost and obligation-free discussion of your bespoke metal staircase needs. Our designers are on standby to assist you with precise 3D mockups and design concepts to help you build the stairs of your dreams.
We’re the best at metal staircases because we love the material. We love its strength and the challenges of working with a material as tough as metal. We love how versatile it is and its timeless aesthetic. We love how it looks great raw but also lends itself to various finishing options that complement the overall design.
Where other companies rely on metal for their staircases’ structures, our design and fabrication showcase the material as a defining design feature that enhances living spaces with a sleek, modern aesthetic.
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Your new or renovated stairs are no more than a quick call, email or message away.
You can also use our Inspiration Gallery to save images of our work that you like. Then, simply send them along with any other photos, plans, or details through our contact form so we can discuss your project.
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After understanding what you’re trying to achieve, we’ll send a detailed and itemised same-day quote. Our pricing is honest and transparent, allowing you to quickly determine if we are the right fit for your project.
At your request, we’ll gladly quote for multiple configurations of your ideal stairs.
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After visiting your home to take the measurements we need, we draft and present fully accurate 3D renditions of what your staircase will look like in your home.
Once the details, timelines, and installation dates are locked in, we begin fabricating your dream staircase.
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That’s right: sit back knowing that our expert team of craftsmen is hard at work bringing your staircase to life, fabricating your dream stairs to our exacting standards.
Depending on the complexity of the design, this typically takes anywhere from 3 to 5 days.
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Our expert and experienced team of Staffordshire-based installers will install your new or renovated stairs in 2 to 4 days.
They have a wealth of experience in joinery and engineering, a seriously professional attitude towards work, and operate as unintrusively as possible.
Right off the bat, the term metal staircase is open to interpretation. To some, it means a staircase that relies on a metal substructure for rigidity and support, with little of the metal visible during normal use. For others, it can mean a floating or central spine staircase where the metal elements are brought to the forefront instead of being substituted for glass, wood, or concrete.
No matter how you define it, First Step Design has the skills and experience to craft a metal staircase to complement your home’s aesthetic, architectural features, and available space. If you have your heart set on a bespoke metal staircase, we’ll create one that is not only structurally sound but also a striking focal point in your home.
While this is only a rough guide, metal staircases are commonly found in various home styles and configurations. For example:
Bespoke staircases require thoughtful planning, and we typically recommend starting the design process 4 to 6 months before the intended installation date. This ensures there’s enough time to explore different design options, make confident decisions, and avoid compromises.
Timing your staircase to fit into the broader renovation or construction schedule is essential. If left too late, it may limit your design possibilities or delay the broader project.
That said, when a client comes to us with a clear vision and the project conditions are right, we can sometimes complete the entire process—from design through to installation—in as little as 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the scope of the project.
Bespoke staircases can vary significantly in cost depending on several key factors, including design complexity, material choices, finishing details, and installation requirements.
At First Step Designs, most of the staircases we’ve delivered in recent years have fallen in the £20,000 to £30,000 (+VAT) range.
For a more accurate idea of pricing, we recommend reaching out to our team with your plans or exploring our guide: How much does a new staircase cost?, which includes real examples with specifications and budgets.
While virtually every modern staircase in the UK is constructed around either a full-steel or steel-reinforced timber structure—either left exposed or visible, depending on the design intentions—the rest of the staircase almost always features a mix of materials, most commonly steel, wood, glass, stone, and concrete.
Understanding how each material will affect the final product in terms of aesthetics and performance, our design team guides our clients to find the best materials to complement their home.
Bespoke staircases are available in a wide range of styles, and, as long as the design complies with UK building regulations, any staircase that is custom-built to suit the client's exact needs may be considered bespoke. As the UK's leaders in modern staircase design, we specialise in the most popular styles of staircases, but feel free to reach out to us with a challenge.
A bespoke staircase is one that has been entirely custom-designed, engineered, and built to suit a specific property and client. Unlike mass-produced or modular stairs that come in standardised shapes and sizes, bespoke staircases are created from scratch to align with the architecture of the home and the aesthetic preferences of the homeowner. Prefabricated stairs prioritise affordability and uniformity; bespoke stairs prioritise expression and quality.
It’s also worth noting that bespoke staircases are typically built by skilled craftsmen with a passion for building custom designs with exacting precision.
