The Short Version
Here are the main jobs we do on stairs and what each one costs. All prices are for one staircase, before painting and before sales tax.
| The job | Typical | Most jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New railing system, regular | about $3,100 | $2,600 to $3,900 |
| New railing system, larger | about $6,400 | $4,700 to $7,700 |
| New treads and risers, no railing | about $3,300 | $2,500 to $4,500 |
| New staircase and railing, regular | about $6,600 | $6,300 to $7,400 |
| New staircase and railing, larger | about $10,900 | $8,600 to $12,800 |
| Refinish an existing staircase | about $1,200 | $1,000 to $1,700 |
The ranges are wide on purpose. A short flight with one post and a simple rail sits near the low end. A foyer staircase with a long balcony railing sits near the top. These are the prices on signed quotes.
What a New Stair Railing Costs
On a regular staircase, a new railing system usually costs $2,600 to $3,900. The typical job is about $3,100.
When the railing is larger, with four or more posts or a run along a balcony upstairs, it usually costs $4,700 to $7,700. The typical job is about $6,400. More railing means more posts, more handrail and more balusters to supply, fit and finish.
That is a whole system, not just a handrail. It includes the newel posts, the handrail and the balusters. We stain it to match your floors, and we paint the spindles when you want them painted.
Within each size, the price moves with the materials you pick, like iron balusters or a different wood.
Want a price for your own stairs?
Free in-home estimates across Monmouth, Mercer, Ocean and Middlesex counties. See our stair and rail services.
What It Costs to Rebuild a Staircase
A new staircase with a regular railing usually costs $6,300 to $7,400. The typical job is about $6,600. With a larger railing, four or more posts or a balcony run upstairs, it usually costs $8,600 to $12,800, and the typical job is about $10,900. The railing makes most of the difference.
The treads and risers are most of the gap between a railing alone and a full staircase. If you only need new treads and risers and keep the railing you have, that job usually costs $2,500 to $4,500. We have done fewer of those, so treat that range as a guide.
What Stair Refinishing Costs
Sanding and finishing a standard flight of stairs is most often $950. It is a flat price for the flight, not a price per step.
All in, refinishing a staircase usually costs $1,000 to $1,700. Most of the jobs above $950 add something, like an extra coat of finish, a new landing, or taking the spindles off and putting them back.
About one in four of our refinish jobs also paint the risers and stringers. Painting adds about $1,000 to $1,400.
If we add steps to the job, each extra step is about $50.
What Moves the Price
Five things change a stair price more than anything else.
- Railing only, or the staircase too. Adding new treads and risers is the biggest jump.
- Length and number of runs. A long railing or several sets of stairs costs more.
- Painting. Painted risers, stringers and spindles add about $1,000 to $1,400.
- Stain matching. We match the stain to your floors, and it is listed on the quote.
- Where the stairs are. A foyer staircase with a balcony railing upstairs sits at the top.
Why National Cost Sites Show Lower Numbers
Our stair job is usually the whole job. Here is what is in our price:
- We tear out the old stair or railing.
- We reinforce the structure and repair whatever it needs.
- We supply the materials.
- We install it, including the balusters.
- We finish it, and we paint it when you want it painted.
National cost sites mostly price one part. They show what a handrail costs on its own, with no treads and no painting. Those numbers are not wrong. They are for a smaller job.
So a $3,100 railing from us is a full system and not an expensive handrail. When you compare quotes, ask each one what it includes.
Refinish or Replace?
If the treads are solid, refinishing saves the staircase and costs the least. Sanding takes off the old finish and the wear. Then we stain and finish the wood.
If the treads are cracked, loose or worn through, sanding cannot fix them. They need to be replaced, and the job moves up to the price of a new staircase.
The main limit is how much wood is left to sand. We check that at the estimate, and we tell you which job you need, even when it is the cheaper one. See our refinishing cost guide for floor prices.
