Staircase Repair vs. Replace
I am considering repairing a staircase in a 120 year brownstone in ProHeights which goes from 3rd to 4th floor. The risers have fallen out of the stringers and I have been given both options. I am leaning towards replacement but I fear I will open a can of worms due to the age of…
I am considering repairing a staircase in a 120 year brownstone in ProHeights which goes from 3rd to 4th floor. The risers have fallen out of the stringers and I have been given both options. I am leaning towards replacement but I fear I will open a can of worms due to the age of the home and the degree of settling that has taken place over the years. Any thoughts or experience?
Bruce -are you a stair contractor? I have the same problem–week underpinnings on just a couple of stairs. Would love to get the underpinnings repaired and shore up the stairs. Anyone have recs for folks that will repair stairs versus replace? any idea as to costs?
I mean repair…..
Thanks Bruce. You are spot on with your comments. I think i will go with the replace option.
If I understand your predicament, when you say the risers have fallen out of the stringers, I assume you mean that they have come out of the wall side??
Typical stairs would have a mitered joint at the open stringer, which I also am assuming is not separated??
In terms of repair, we would normally fabricate new risers on the assumption that the new physical position of the stairs is out further from the wall stringer than when the house was built.
Is there slope in the hallway floor where the stair meets the landing?
The problem with a new staircase meeting two existing landings is that any new stairs is square and needs to be installed plumb. If the landings are now sloping, some compromise is necessary or you have a trip hazard and an unsightly situation at the landings.
We normally shim up each tread (either your existing treads or new ones fabricated out of 5/4 poplar)
How elaborate or plain are the ballusters? A new stair will need new ballusters, and that is another can of worms.
So in sum, although replacing with new sounds convenient, and lord knows in many renovation situations wholesale replacement does make sense, both for dollars and sanity, I would call repair of old stairs one of the exceptions.
You can contact me off-line bruce at jerseydata.net.
We are renovating a brownstone from late 1800’s. Opting to replace vs. repair. Will let you know how it goes. Cost was same either way..
Any potential for surprise cost? the difference i got was 130% more for the replace.
We didn’t have the issues that you are speaking of, although our stairs did squeak a bit. We got a quote from Bill at Fine Cicular Stairs to totally rebuild and a quote from our GC to repair by removing and replacing each riser. We opted to go with the repair, which in the end was just as expensive as the rebuild (materials/labor plus my dh ahd to help our GC). If the prices aren’t that different, I’d go with a rebuild. Bill has been recommended here many times.
There was just a post/recommendation the other day:
http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forum/archives/2010/08/stair_rebuild.php#comments
That’s odd. I was told the only way to fix this problem is to replace, not repair.
I think repair is preferable because you have the same matching wood and it should cost less.
But maybe the root cause of our problem is different from yours, and that is why you were told either option will work.