Made in Ulverston ยท Fitted across Cumbria
Bespoke staircases in Cumbria
Bespoke staircases in Cumbria are made to fit one opening in one building, rather than ordered from a catalogue in standard sizes. Alan Towse makes and fits them from his base in Ulverston, along with feature windows, cabinets, doors and fitted shelving.
This is where the cabinetmaking actually shows. Everything else on this site is downstream of it.
The oak spiral in the barn
It started as a circle cut through a first floor and a stack of oak on the bench.
Every tread was cut, jointed and fitted by hand, winding around one central post, inside a round stairwell that had to be built and plastered to match it. The cutting list sat on the top tread while the rest went in underneath.
You cannot order that. There is no flat pack version, and there is no fitter in a van who does it on a Thursday afternoon. It is the single job on these pages that took the most out of him, and it is the one he would show you first.
Not only spirals
Most staircases are straight, and a straight flight done well is its own kind of satisfying. Solid treads, panelled understair joinery, a handrail that feels right in the hand because somebody thought about the section.
The same bench makes the rest of the joinery in a house.
- Straight and winding staircases in oak and other timbers
- Feature windows, made and installed
- Kitchen cabinets and fitted furniture
- Doors, hung properly, so they still shut in August
- Built-in shelving, alcoves and understair storage
- Galleried landings with glass and steel balustrade
One client, many years
The strongest thing anybody has written about this work came from a client in Ulverston who has used him repeatedly over a long stretch of time.
She wrote that Alan has undertaken many different projects for us over the years ranging from the manufacture and installation of a fabulous feature window and bespoke stairs through to the refurbishment of our conservatory, and that she can only offer the highest of recommendations.
People do not keep calling the same joiner back for years by accident.
Questions people ask
Do you make the staircase or order it in?+
It is made. Alan and his team are ex-cabinetmakers, and joinery including bespoke staircases is manufactured rather than bought in as a kit.
Can you build a spiral staircase?+
Yes. The oak spiral shown on this page was made and fitted by hand around a single central post, inside a round stairwell built to suit it.
Will a new staircase need building control approval?+
Usually, yes, and Alan maintains working relationships with local planning and building control. He will tell you what is needed before work starts.
Do you make other joinery besides stairs?+
Yes. Feature windows, kitchen cabinets, doors, shelving, alcoves and fitted furniture all come off the same bench.
How far will you travel for a staircase?+
The base is Ulverston and the regular patch is Furness and the South Lakes. For a made staircase elsewhere in Cumbria, ring and ask.
Next step
Get a price in writing.
Alan comes out, looks at the room, and puts a figure on paper. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
01229 889947 Send a message instead