[stairman]

to all! Nice and imformative site. I am a stairbuilder from upstate nY, and If I may be of any assistance please ask

 

[stairman]

I have not been back to this site in quote a while. Sorry for offering help and leaving high and dry. I thought I would get a email if anyone replied. I will keep a eye n the board now.

 

[stairman]

Hello,
I moved in my house on Long Island two years ago. It is a cape cod house pretty much nothing was ever done to this house it didn't even have a dishwasher. When you entered into the home there is a staircase directly in front of you that the door clears until it touched the bottom of the stringer on the left. There was a room to the left so the there wall a closet behind the door and the wall was finished on the left side of the staicase going all the way up stairs. We took out the closet behind the door and the wall up the fifth step just like the right side of the staircase which is opened with the stringer hiding underneath the steps. Now the left side of the wall is opened and the the two rooms are connected it looks 10000% better. However we now need to replace the staircase and due to wear and tear it has been through it seems more economical to replace the whole thing with an all oak staircase. My problem is there are about four stairbuilders and I dont trust any of them. They are slick people who seem very unprofessional. None of them are straightforward and some of complaint according to the towns consumer affairs. My question is how do I pick a good stairbuilder and what it the est way to make sure they do the right thing. What should the contract say? They all seem squemish when I mention referrals and refences. As if no one has ever asked them before. I am confused and at my wits end.

I would check them out like any other company. How long have they been in business? A walk through there shop to see stairs they're working on. Photo album of jobs, and references. Check with BBB, and Chamber of Commerece. Details on the contract of materials used, exact price, what they do and dont do, and most importantly date of install. Also local contractors should be able to refer a good stair builder. Bigger companys, from my experience, dont like to do existing homes/remodles. Because it is not as easy as taking out the old and outting in the new staircase. You will have some wall removal, framing, drywalling, taping, painting, and trim work to do. It is usually a bigger project than just a stair builder.

 

[stairman]

I'm in the process ofsetting up a m,aterial list for balliaters{2x2"] is there a Magic formula to establish this amount or just divide by 4" ??? thanks :Thumbs:

Aside from a very accurate layout, dividing by 4" would give you a estimate. You really have to take the width of the baluster into consideration. Especially at the narrowist point. for example a 1 3/4" square baluster can be spaced 5 1/4" on center, where as a 1 1/4" would need to be spaced 4 7/8" on center. Typically I would use the balusters on the stair treads to dictate the spacing on the balcony rails, so that they are all the same. everyone does this different though. Code claims you cant fit a 4" sphere inbetween the balusters. Heres a link to the 2003 visual interpetation of the IRC code, of stair building. This is often used to help inspectors see the code as we see it.
I cant post the link because I do not have 10 posts yet, but please go to stairways dot org and look for IRC codes