A question about the top tread of stairs. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

justariot · 11-11-2009, 10:02 AM

I read much of what you guys write and the knowledge is very high so this is where I am turning for help.
I am having a home built and the stairs that were ordered are not correct in my opinion. The stairs are oak (paid for that) and the top tread is sitting flush with the subfloor. This seems wrong, in my other houses the top tread was raised so wood floors could be butted up against it and be flush. Also a carpet and pad would be just about flush as well.
Essex homes is saying they order 2 different stairs on for wood upstairs and one for a rug upstairs! That sound rediculous to me, I say that I cannot add wood floors in the future because it would create a tripping hazard aswell as being unsightly.
I told them that on their own site they have a picture of how the floors should look and they told me that the reason thats the way it is, is because they use metal balisters not wood.

Please let me know if I am correct that the top tread should be elevated, is it always done this way, most of the time, hardly, only my 3 homes that I have owned.

Thanks very much Dave

bwalley · 11-11-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justariot

I read much of what you guys write and the knowledge is very high so this is where I am turning for help.
I am having a home built and the stairs that were ordered are not correct in my opinion. The stairs are oak (paid for that) and the top tread is sitting flush with the subfloor. This seems wrong, in my other houses the top tread was raised so wood floors could be butted up against it and be flush. Also a carpet and pad would be just about flush as well.
Essex homes is saying they order 2 different stairs on for wood upstairs and one for a rug upstairs! That sound rediculous to me, I say that I cannot add wood floors in the future because it would create a tripping hazard aswell as being unsightly.
I told them that on their own site they have a picture of how the floors should look and they told me that the reason thats the way it is, is because they use metal balisters not wood.

Please let me know if I am correct that the top tread should be elevated, is it always done this way, most of the time, hardly, only my 3 homes that I have owned.

Thanks very much Dave

There should be enough clearance to accomodate the flooring, whether carpet or wood, so that the finished floor is flush or close to flush with the top tread of the stairs, the carpet pile may be slightly higher which is Ok because it is a soft floor, but the wood floor should be flush.

The subfloor should not be flush with the trop tread.

justariot · 11-11-2009, 10:44 AM

I know its just one opinion but THANK YOU for saying that, I have been banging my head on the wall over this for 2 weeks.
House is pre drywall so they can fix it but the project magager says "its too late even if it was wrong, which its not."
I really hate to say this but my next option is to lawyer up which is so stupid.

**genecarp** · 11-11-2009, 10:48 AM

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