New Stairs (aka "what we did Labor Day weekend")

The railings from our 1984 stairs were too far apart for our curious little man and they needed to go!

They were dangerous and we were just in time!

He had just learned to get through the railings going down the stairs about 3 weeks ago (he had learned to get up the stairs going through the railings months ago but for some reason that wasn't as dangerous). Although we are only partly done - it sure makes a difference! We still have to complete the top of the stairs and then finish the oak with a few coats of clear sealant.

Overall, I'm very happy with the results and wish we would've done this sooner.

The original bid we got for this was ~$15K!!!!!! Then, with us doing all the demo and finishing and painting - it was still ~$7K!!!!!!

So, we asked Steve (my Mom's boyfriend) to help us (meaning Lance) install new stairs (my job was to feed them well and take care of Alex). Not exciting and glamorous, like a new bathroom, but very necessary and it will really change the feeling of the entrance to our home. We noticed another neighbor up the street doing all sorts of remodeling - and guess what they were doing... Windows, stairs, master bathroom - just like us. We still need to compare what we've done and see if we can get any good tips or ideas.

We'll just have to pick out the carpet that will go up the stairs and in the hallway, get it installed and we'll be done.