The original post: /r/diy by /u/Alone-Library9765 on 2024-11-13 03:55:07.

See photos here https://imgur.com/a/sBEJrOs

As you can see the attic access is right above the staircase to the second floor, so it feels daunting to go up the attic ladder with another staircase being right beneath you. The pull down ladder for the attic also pulls down in the middle of the second floor hallway, so it is blocking the hallway when it is down. The hallway is also only 3 feet wide, which makes it feel even more daunting to ascend the ladder. It’s as if the ladder is resting on the edge of a cliff that’s only 3 feet wide and you will fall down off the cliff if you fall off the ladder. I’m basically just wondering if there is a way to create a permanent staircase here that is up to code, or to at least make it feel safer to go up the attic ladder. I considered installing a door at the top of the second floor stairs, but the pull down ladder to the attic would interfere with a door since it goes down into that space when it’s down. I also considered building a small loft in the area above the stairs with a separate staircase from the loft to the attic and a path to access the loft along the left side of the wall. But the existing staircase to the second floor is only 3 feet wide, so I probably could not make a path to a loft unless the path was something like 1.5 feet wide (which I do not believe would be within code since I believe any path or hallway in a house has to be at least 3 feet wide). If anyone has any workable ideas or suggestions for this situation please feel free to let me know. Thank you in advance.