Wood floor stair installation in MetroWest, MA

The cost of replacing carpeted stairs with hardwood in Shrewsbury depends on the number of steps, wood species, whether treads are site-finished or prefinished, stair shape, and whether stringer repairs or railing work are bundled in. We provide a detailed written estimate after assessing the staircase on-site. Contact us to Get a Quote for your project.

Under 780 CMR, the Massachusetts State Building Code, a building permit is required for work that goes beyond cosmetic finish replacement. Shrewsbury's Building Inspector's Office administers permits online and directs applicants to that code for specifics. Cosmetic finish work such as carpet or tile is typically exempt, but structural stringer changes or framing alterations are not. We identify permit requirements during the on-site assessment.

We offer four approaches: full tread and riser replacement for carpet-to-hardwood conversions, retro-fit overlay treads over existing stairs, new construction stair installation, and refinishing or stain-matching existing hardwood stairs to a newly installed floor. The right method depends on the condition of the existing stringers and subfloor, which we assess during the on-site measurement visit.

Standard-grade options include red oak and white oak. Premium tiers cover hickory, maple, hard maple, walnut, and cherry. We install solid 3/4-inch tread stock as well as engineered and retro-overlay nosed treads in the 5/8-to-1-inch range. When a species or stain needs to carry through from an adjoining room, custom mill shop treads matched to the existing floor profile are also available.

Included work covers tread and riser material and installation, fastening to existing stringers, basic stringer shimming, sanding and finish coats for site-finished stairs, standard nosing and nosing returns, and cleanup with debris removal. Structural stringer replacement, custom ironwork or glass railings, permit fees for structural alterations, and carpet or tile removal beyond standard scope are each quoted as separate line items.

Geometry is one of the most significant scope variables on a stair job. A straight 8-to-13-step run with retro-overlay treads is a contained one-to-two-day project. An L-shaped or winder staircase requires custom-cut treads at each angled transition, adding fitting time. A curved or multi-flight staircase with baluster and railing work can run four to seven days, and narrow stairwells or multiple landings add access complexity accounted for in the written estimate.

Massachusetts adopts the International Residential Code under 780 CMR. Rise typically runs 7 to 7.75 inches and run 10 to 11 inches, with a maximum 3/8-inch variance between any two steps on the same flight. Nosing projection falls between 3/4 and 1.25 inches, and balusters must be spaced so a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through. We install to those tolerances on every stair project across MetroWest.

Clearing the staircase of furniture, rugs, and stored items gives the crew immediate access on day one. Because treads will be off-limits during finish cure, plan an alternate route between floors for the three to five days following site-finishing. We stand behind our workmanship with a 3-year warranty. If an issue is caused by our work, we'll return promptly to inspect it and make it right at no additional cost during the warranty period.