# Forum Home Renovation Stairs, Steps and Ramps  Outdoor Stairs code compliance confusion

## TBris

Hi,  
We have a boulder wall (less than 1m high) and I'd like to put some stairs in up to the level it retains. Ideally I'd like to cut through the wall and put boulder steps up to the next level. However I don't want to construct stairs that could be pulled up for non compliance with building regs later on.  
From my research the regs for garden stairs seem to be a bit fuzzy. I understand that BCA states "3.9.1.2 (b) stairs serving only non-habitable rooms, such as attics, storerooms and the like that are not used on a regular or daily basis can use AS 1657." 
This makes me think any stairs I build don't have to comply with BCA as the stairs are only to another level of the garden and to a shed.  
However, this seems to be contradicted by a building inspection I had done on the house when it was purchased where a set of garden stairs were flagged up in the report as having "uneven height treads", "non compliant with BCA section 3.9" 
Could someone help clear up the confusion? Where do I stand with compliance and building stairs in my yard? Given I'd like to use natural boulders for the stairs achieving all of the BCA requirements would probably be impossible.  
Thanks for your help.

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## Random Username

As far as I'm aware, stairs outside of, and not attached to/part of a building are not covered under the building code as they are not part of the building envelope.  They might need to comply with AS1657 if they are the only way to access the structure, but if it's just a path around a garden (ie not necessary for the function of the building), no.

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## Mike8136

+1

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## ringtail

+ 2 but you should always go out of your way to make any stair perfect. You might spill your beer otherwise.

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## Marc

You can always build the stairs with split stone instead of round stuff. That should allow to make the raises pretty close.

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## TBris

Thanks for that feedback. I'm going to try my hardest to use the flattest faces and I think I can do a pretty close job but I was worried I'd create something out of code. 
The steps will only access a garden terrace and shed.  
Thanks again, Tim

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## phild01

Just generally, the deeper the tread the shallower the rise.

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## Marc

I built some outdoor stone stairs to negotiate a 2.5m high retaining wall, using left over boulders set in dirt on an existing slope. Basically it was to make it easier than crawling up the hill on your fours.
Most of the stones I had kicking around had some semblance of a flat face and were big enough to constitute one step by themselves. 
Started from the top, digging one hole and setting the stone as levelled as possible. And the next and so forth. Nothing to it. Some were a bit rocky at first but after a few rainy days, they are now part of the landscape. The raise vary a bit but nothing major. A good steady handrail made everything good.

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