Understairs storage in Exeter
Professional understairs storage services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
Quote
Typical Duration
1-2 days
Location
Exeter, Devon
Turn that awkward understairs void into properly organized storage - custom shelving, hooks, and clever solutions for the sloping space.
The Storage Space You're Not Using
Look under your stairs. It's either completely wasted space (random stuff thrown in), or you've got shop-bought shelving that doesn't quite fit the angles and wastes half the room.
Understairs storage only works when it's custom-built for your exact space. The slope, the depth, the weird angles - it's all unique to your house. One-size-fits-all solutions don't fit at all.
💡 Pro tip: The difference between good and bad understairs storage is all in the planning. Measure every angle, think about what you actually store, design it properly - then the build is straightforward.
Good Storage vs Wasted Space
| ✅ Properly Designed | ❌ Just Shoving Stuff In |
|---|---|
| Custom shelving fits perfectly | Standard shelves don't fit angles |
| Everything has a place | Everything dumped wherever |
| Can see and reach everything | Dig through to find anything |
| Lighting makes it usable | Dark mystery cupboard |
| Looks finished and tidy | Bare wood and exposed screws |
What Can You Store?
🔧 Cleaning Supplies
- Shelves for bottles, sprays, cloths
- Hooks for mops, brooms, dustpan
- Vacuum cleaner space (upright or pull-out)
- Buckets and bins
📦 Coats & Shoes
- Coat hooks at different heights (kids/adults)
- Shoe racks or angled shelves
- Bag storage
- Seasonal storage (summer/winter swap)
🍷 Drinks & Wine Storage
- Wine racks (cool dark space is ideal)
- Shelf for glasses and bottles
- Beer/cider storage
- Home bar setup
🎨 Hobby & Craft Storage
- Shelving for supplies
- Pull-out drawers for small items
- Tools and equipment
- Project storage
🚲 Bikes & Sports Equipment
- Bike hooks or stands
- Sports bag storage
- Football/rugby gear
- Seasonal equipment swap
What's Involved
Initial Consultation
- Measure the space (all angles and slopes)
- Discuss what you need to store
- Design the layout together
- Quote materials and labor
Build & Install
- Custom shelving to fit exactly
- Hooks, rails, pull-outs as needed
- Lighting installation
- Paint/finish
Final Setup
- Clean and tidy
- Show you how everything works
- Any adjustments needed
- Ready to load up
Approximate Costs
Every space is different, but rough ballpark:
| Storage Solution | What You Get | Approx Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simple shelving | 3-5 basic shelves + hooks | £200-400 |
| Standard fitout | Custom shelving, lighting, painted | £400-700 |
| Full custom build | Pull-outs, electrics, fancy finish, complete | £700-1200+ |
These are estimates only. Need to see your space and discuss requirements for accurate quote.
Perfect If You Want To...
✅ Stop wasting valuable space - every house needs storage
✅ Get properly organized - tired of things falling out
✅ Make your house work better - especially smaller properties
✅ Add value - good storage is a genuine selling point
Why Choose Us for Understairs storage in Exeter?
Custom-designed for your exact space
Every inch of awkward space utilized
Easy access to stored items
Professional finish, painted and ready
What to Expect
Step 1: Free Quote Visit
I come round, measure up your understairs area (including all the awkward bits), discuss what you want to store and your budget. Then work up a detailed quote.
Step 2: Design Agreement
Go through the design together - where shelves go, what height, lighting, finish. Make any changes you want before we start. You approve, I order materials.
Step 3: Installation (1-2 Days)
Build and fit everything - shelving, hooks, lighting, whatever we've agreed. Paint if wanted. Clean up properly, show you the finished result.
🔧 DIY Tips
Fancy tackling understairs storage yourself? Here's the approach:
🔧 Essential tools
- Good tape measure
- Spirit level
- Cordless drill/driver
- Saw for cutting (hand saw or powered)
- Stud finder
- Sandpaper, paint, brushes
📐 Measuring up
- Measure width, depth, height at multiple points (everything changes with the slope)
- Draw a rough sketch with measurements
- Mark where wall studs are (you'll be screwing into these)
- Photograph it to refer to when buying materials
- Buy materials slightly over-size (can trim to fit)
🪜 Building for the slope
- Decide: will shelves follow the slope or step down?
- Following slope = angled brackets, trickier to fit
- Stepping down = easier build, some wasted space
- Fixed shelves are stronger than adjustable for understairs
- Secure everything to wall studs, not just plasterboard
⚠️ Common DIY problems
- Buying flat-pack shelving that doesn't fit angles
- Weak fixings (falls down when loaded)
- Shelves too deep (can't reach the back)
- No lighting (unusable dark space)
- Door clearance not checked (can't open fully)
💡 Pro trick: Before you build anything, put cardboard boxes in the space at different heights to test what layout actually works for your stored items. Way easier to move boxes around than rebuild shelving!
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Got other storage jobs? Garage shelving, utility room, shed organization - bundle them together for better value. Same approach, same skills, efficient use of time.
Old Exeter houses - Lots of Victorian/Edwardian properties with beautiful original woodwork under the stairs. Sometimes just needs organizing, not replacing.
Access doors - If your understairs door is old, sticking, or wrong size, worth sorting as part of the project. Pointless having great storage if you can't get to it easily.
Load it thoughtfully - Put heavy stuff low down, frequently-used items at easy height, seasonal stuff high or deep. Sounds obvious but makes daily use so much better.
Future changes - Life changes, storage needs change. Modular approach (adjustable shelves, removable hooks) gives flexibility for later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between basic shelving and a full storage fitout?
Basic shelving is just a few simple shelves to organize what you've got - quick and affordable (£200-400). Full fitout means custom-built storage with pull-outs, hooks, lighting, proper finishing - tailored exactly to your needs and how you use the space (£600-1200). Most people fall somewhere in between!
Can you work around the weird angles and sloping ceiling?
That's exactly what custom understairs storage is for! Every understairs is different - sloping ceiling, awkward depth, strange angles. I measure it all, design shelving and storage to work with the space, not fight against it.
Will you paint it or do I need to do that myself?
I can paint it as part of the job (white is standard, other colors available). Makes a huge difference - looks finished and professional rather than bare MDF. Just add it to the quote discussion.
How much extra does lighting add?
Battery-powered LED strips are about £20-30 in materials and 15 minutes to fit. Wired lighting costs more (electrician needed unless you've got power right there already) but gives better, brighter light. I recommend at least battery LEDs - dark cupboards are useless cupboards.
Can you make it removable if I'm renting?
Yes, within reason. We can use less permanent fixings and modular units rather than fully built-in. Won't be quite as sturdy or space-efficient as permanent installation, but doable. Discuss with your landlord first though - even 'temporary' installations make holes.
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01392 964094Request Online QuoteOur Rates
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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