New Staircase - £2000 - fair?

[Dilkris]

I am wishing to replace the below set of stairs and handrail as quite simply they have come to the end of their life - they are predominantly open to the weather.
I have been quoted some £2000 for fabrication, removal of existing and install of the new.
The new stairs will be supplied treated, (with what exactly I am unsure).
The existing stairs are mainly 250 x 30 (mm) timber of which there is a total running meterage (including the two stringers) of some 19m.
I know everything is more expensive these days but with an itemized material cost of £625 quoted, I thought the price was somewhat high.
Or is £2000 considered fair for this job?
Note: The landing does not require replacing and is not part of the scope.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Seems like the ideal excuse to get the welder out and make one.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Seems like the ideal excuse to get the welder out

You need an excuse?

There are some pretty nice steel staircases about though, can get pretty fancy with them

 

[Tigman]

premade Treads from Brundle £38.80each , you have 13 , 2 stringers 200 x 12mm , the only work is the handrail one side ! Galvanised would be a good way to go , I don't think that's a bad price !

 

[Kram]

Get some more quotes.. it may be they dont want or need the extra work and I'm always hearing businesses say that, spoilt I think but then they get enough work as everyone else is too lazy to turn up, thats my experience.

The new stairs will be supplied treated

Be aware that treated wood is usually not the best quality to start with - Im told its the less desirable and less durable timber that gets treated as its the only way they can sell it!

I'd perhaps spec a decent quality timber that is to be dipped in proper creosote, to make it last. I've not used the proper creosote so I'm unsure if its suitable - not if it could transfer to shoes etc...

 

[frank horton]

in steel and perhaps a few £'s extra I'd want galv steel...
I paid somewhere around £500 for galvanising on a stair set I made very similar...but a lot mere metal....
All wood is carp these day and unless it's totally soaked in some kinda preserver it will rot...
Make it in steel and it will last a lifetime for similar money...

as said above, if u can get ready made steel steps u only have to make side plates (which can be bolted)
measuring is critical but it's not diff to do it yourself...

 

[Munkul]

£2k is high, but not entirely unreasonable. I'd have thought shopping around would get you nearer £1500. But I'm not a wood botherer, so...

If you did them in steel with industrial 2 bar handrails you'd be around £1500 as a job quote I reckon. If you need domestic handrails then definitely £2k.

 

[highseas]

If I made them I would want 2k possibly a bit more galved ,our galv is now £1 a kg plus £100 carriage.
I think it’s a reasonable price, but also a simple enugh job to do them yourself?

 

[Munkul]

If I made them I would want 2k possibly a bit more galved ,our galv is now £1 a kg plus £100 carriage.
I think it’s a reasonable price, but also a simple enugh job to do them yourself?

I forgot about galv. Yeah definitely £2k+

 

[dobbslc]

I paid £1500 for these a couple of years ago.

13 tread with a 1/4 landing/bottom step.
Went for the solid wood threads not MDF!? Nicely made and pretty sturdy.
The first set they sent were 23mm too tall!
The next set were spot on.
I wouldn't use wood outside though.

 

[TEO]

premade Treads from Brundle £38.80each , you have 13 , 2 stringers 200 x 12mm , the only work is the handrail one side ! Galvanised would be a good way to go , I don't think that's a bad price !

I've use 8mm thick stringers, more that up to the job.
You don't even need to weld anything just drill some accurate holes.
Brundles & DC Ironworks are my first stop, I always compare the two as often there's a strange anomaly in pricing for the same components & I'll end up buying bits from both.

 

[TEO]

as said above, if u can get ready made steel steps u only have to make side plates (which can be bolted)
measuring is critical but it's not diff to do it yourself...

The side plates which are really just pre drilled angle are available at either of the suppliers above.
I make a jig for the holes on the stringer then only have to mark up once along each stringer.

 

[tom2207]

get the treads folded locally , bolt the in not weld and all you need is a mag drill and a stick welder ,, its not a big job depending on your time and confidence levels ,,,, another mans time is always an expensive thing to buy.

 

[Seadog]

The side plates which are really just pre drilled angle are available at either of the suppliers above.
I make a jig for the holes on the stringer then only have to mark up once along each stringer.

Or mark one, clamp or tack the second to it, and drill one set of holes.

 

[TEO]

Or mark one, clamp or tack the second to it, and drill one set of holes.

Sorry, sounds great but I don't get it?
The brackets are predrilled but the stringer needs drilling & so do the dubar treads. With the treads I've used extra support around the drill press & a jig but the stringers I marked the spacing then moved a jig along to drill the two holes per side.

 

[TEO]

Or mark one, clamp or tack the second to it, and drill one set of holes.

Do you mean mark up one stringer, pair the two up & drill both at the same time? That makes sense & I can't remember exactly why I chose to drill the stringers separately, I think it was to do with the difficulty I had getting them perfectly aligned, I might have struggled with that for too long before deciding just to mark them up separately.

 

[Seadog]

Do you mean mark up one stringer, pair the two up & drill both at the same time? That makes sense & I can't remember exactly why I chose to drill the stringers separately, I think it was to do with the difficulty I had getting them perfectly aligned, I might have struggled with that for too long before deciding just to mark them up separately.

Exactly that.

 

[gaz1]

i can build my own staircases up so thats down to materials and time to make them so no cost much for me

as goes for the external ones id get them galvanised
side plates is down to your choice either plate or box section

as goes for the tread and remember they wear down with alot of use so its down to the material that you use

tread plate vs steel plate but you also need a non slip item with steel plate these need to be folded z plate vs folded down both sides

bolted vs fixed is another option to choose bolted means you need 2 threaded holes either side but the front can be bolted whilst the rear can be slotted in