When researching the right company to help you in planning and constructing a staircase for your home, you must choose wisely and carefully because the stairs are an important element of your home that require precise measurements and quality construction.

There are a handful of key ways to identify a quality stair company that can be trusted, so if you are seeking to have a new stair design constructed in your home you need to know how to choose a certified and reliable place of business.

Hiring a Sacramento Stair Company Checklist

So when hiring a stairs company to come and work in your home, be sure that they meet all of the following standards:

1. Examples of previous work: A quality stairs company will proudly display a collection of their work online so as to show future customers their previous stair designs and workmanship. If a stairs company does not have a way for you to access pictures of their previous work, consider looking elsewhere.
2. Knowledgeable staff: One sure way to test if the salesperson with whom you are consulting knows what they are doing and is being straightforward is to as them all of the right questions; for example, by seeing how they respond to the proposal of a physically impossible dimension of a stair design (such as 8 inch risers), you can gage whether or not you are really dealing with a legitimate stair company.
3. Positive reactions to unsatisfied customers: Since it is unrealistic to assume every single job performed by a stairs company was 100 percent satisfactory to every single customer, look at how the company’s negative reviews were received and responded to by the company itself, in order to see how they treat even unsatisfied customers.
4. Will they complete the job on the stair design, including finishing and staining: Believe it or not, not all stair companies will complete the job with a staining and finishing process and many homeowners end up having to hire another company entirely to complete the step of finishing and staining, so if the company you are looking at does not do the job 100 percent, find one who will!
5. Do they allow for a meeting with an owner or manager if making a large purchase?: A quality stairs company will gladly make the time to meet with a valued customer should they receive ample notice, so if you are not feeling like a priority to the company you are paying good money to, you should look elsewhere!

Now that you know exactly what to look for when hiring a stairs company to execute the stair design of your dreams, you can narrow the search down even more and get you that much closer to construction!

If you plan on trusting a Sacramento stairs company to handle your stair remodel or construction project, there are several contractor-related concerns you should familiarize yourself with prior to making the decision. By knowing some of the keys elements associated with what makes a Sacramento stairs company great at their job, you are much more likely to find a contractor who is reputable and capable of delivering the finished product you want and deserve! iStairs is in fact one such Sacramento stairs company which provides all the necessary assurances and expertise you would expect to find in a trusted contractor.

 

iStairs – Sacramento Stairs Company Expert

So take the following list of tips and recommendations into consideration while you decide on which Sacramento Stairs Company is ideal for you and your home.

1. Referrals are perhaps the most important aspect of the contractor selection process. Ideally, you are looking for a Sacramento stairs contractor who is known and used by some of the homeowners in your area. Consider asking a reliable neighbor or friend for names if they had success with a recent stair remodel or reconstruction.

2. Research all the options available for a Sacramento stairs company in order to find the best contractor for your needs. It is smart to ask the contractor directly a few questions in order to determine the company’s basic sense of professionalism and experience. Many Sacramento area homeowners find that iStairs is the consummate professional in the stairs construction business simply because of the way they communicate with the customer.

3. Ask all of the potential contractor options for references so you can better narrow down your choices. By seeing how previous homeowners have assessed their experience with the company, you too can make a more informed selection of your Sacramento stairs contractor. Make sure you get answers to the basic questions like, how long ago was the construction project completed; how long did the installation and labor take; and finally, how many employees did it take for the company to complete the project in its entirety?

4. After going through several customer references, ask for the professional references from your list of contractors so as to get a sense of the company’s reputation in the industry. iStairs is one Sacramento stairs company with several professional relationships within the business of construction, all of which reflect positively upon the dedicated experts at iStairs.

5. Similarly, it is also important to do online research with the Better Business Bureau to further investigate the remaining Sacramento stairs contractors on your list, paying special attention to the content of the reviews and what they might actually reveal about the business practices of your stairs contractor.

6. Compare and contrast the price estimations given by the competing contractors, after they have thoroughly inspected the job in order to accurately estimate the costs. iStairs is particularly reputable for the way in which they conduct the price estimation process, as evidenced by customer testimonials and reviews (another important tip to consider!).

7. Last but certainly not least, address concerns verifying the qualifications of your chosen Sacramento stairs company by double-checking that your contractor is in fact licensed and insured, via an online check with the appropriate government website.

If you are looking for a Sacramento Stairs contractor that will go above and beyond for their clients, iStairs is just right for you! Give us a call today or fill out our Contact Us for and we will be happy to help you on your next project!

Excited to work on your wood stair railing kit? Here’s a nifty guide on how you can start installing your stair railing kit from iStairs:

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Are you interested in building your own custom staircase? As a custom stair builder, iStairs know that customers often wonder about the terminologies involving custom stairs. Over the years, stair parts haven’t changed at all, so being familiar with these terminologies will aid you to understand your custom stair better.

Baluster:

These are the vertical spindles that hold up the handrails of a stair. These are found along the staircase. Balusters are often confused with newels.

Balustrade:

It includes the entire elements a stair that makes up and supports the railing. The balustrade includes the handrails, balusters, and newels.

Baserail:

A rail found along the bottom of the balustrade.

Cove Mould:

A decorative mould that provides a smooth progression to the riser. It is installed underneath the nosing of the tread.

Gooseneck:

Often used as a progression to a balcony or landing, a gooseneck is a handrail fitting with a vertical ‘goose neck’ shape.

Handrail:

A rail at the side of a staircase, serving as a support or a guide.

Landing:

A platform or wider step, connecting two flights of stairs or at the end of the stairway.

Mortise:

A deep recess, notch, hole, lot, or groove cut into wood that you insert another piece into. Mortises hold treads, often cut into stringers on closed staircases.

Newel:

Another important custom stair builder part, as this supports the balustrade system. Newels are larger than balusters. Usually, it is placed at the top and the bottom of the staircase, or at a turn in the handrail.

Nosing:

Protruding beyond the edge of the vertical riser beneath it, a nosing is the front edge of a stair’s tread.

Open/closed staircase:

Differences between an open and closed staircase are obvious. If you see the steps from the sides, including the nosing of the tread, and riser, it is an open staircase. If you see that the steps are enclosed, it is a closed staircase.

Over-the-post:

This is another style a custom stair builder can do for your staircase. This staircase has its handrail run over the top of newels or posts. This is complicated to install.

Post-to-post:

A variation of custom staircase where the railings connect to the side of the posts or newels. Custom stair builders use this because it’s the simplest and most inexpensive way to join railings.

Rake:

The pitch or angle of the staircase and handrail.

Riser:

The vertical part of a step.

Rosette:

A decorative piece of wood attached at the end of the handrail where it meets the wall.

Run:

The horizontal dimension of a step, from one riser to the next, excluding the tread nose. The length of all treads combined is called the total run.

Shoe rail:

Found above the steps, it’s a rail that is parallel to the handrail at the foot level. Balusters are anchored in the shoe rail, instead of the usual tread.

Skirt board:

It provides the trim. A skirt board runs along the wall at foot level on the stairs.

Stringer:

Open and close staircases have different stringers. An open staircase has its stringer cut, while a closed staircase has its treads routed to the side. A stringer is found on the sides of the steps, supporting the treads and risers.

Tread:

The horizontal part of a stair, or step.

Turnout:

Turnouts are used at the start of an over-the-post staircase. A turnout is a handrail that sits on top of a newel that turns away from the stair.

Volute:

Volutes are used at the start of an over-the-post staircase. A volute is a handrail sits on top of a newel and spirals in on itself.