Stair renovation for owners' associations (VvE) and commercial buildings — what are the requirements?

A stair renovation in a private home and a stair renovation in a shared stairwell of an apartment building or a commercial property are two fundamentally different assignments.

In a home, it is primarily about appearance and ease of maintenance. In an owners' association (VvE, the Dutch homeowners' association) or commercial building, legal requirements come on top of that.

What makes a shared stairwell different?

A communal stairwell is used daily by multiple residents — sometimes dozens. It also falls under building regulations as an escape route.

That has three consequences:

1. Anti-slip is legally relevant

In escape routes and communal stairwells, requirements apply to the anti-slip performance of the floor and stair finish. NEN 7909 is the Dutch standard that serves as the reference here. More on this can be found in why anti-slip matters in apartment buildings.

2. Fire safety is legally required

Materials in escape routes may hardly contribute to fire spread. Fire class Bfl-s1 is the relevant classification for floor and stair materials. Why this weighs heavily can be found in why fire classification matters in a VvE stairwell.

3. Emissions in occupied spaces

In buildings where people spend long periods — including care buildings, schools and offices — emission requirements play an increasing role.

An overview of all relevant standards can be found in technical standards for stair renovation.

Which system meets these requirements?

EverStep Solid from Omnistair is the system for the professional market.

EverStep Solid has:

NEN 7909 anti-slip.

Fire class Bfl-s1.

Emission performance at Indoor Air Comfort Gold level.

High wear resistance for intensive daily use.

Immediately walkable after installation — minimal disruption.

Is it about prefab concrete stairs? Then read renovating prefab concrete VvE stairs.

What if a full renovation is not feasible right now?

For situations where a full renovation is not possible in the short term, GripStep Pro offers an interim solution. GripStep Pro is placed over the existing stair nosing and also complies with NEN 7909 and fire class Bfl-s1.

How does a VvE project proceed?

A VvE project requires preparation: a meeting, a quotation, a majority vote and implementation planning. Omnistair supports VvE board members and facility managers in this process with project support and specification texts.

For the consideration per building type, read which stair renovation is suitable for an apartment building. For offices and hospitality, a separate consideration applies: commercial stair renovation for offices and hospitality.