What stair railing work costs
Railing repairs are priced by the visit and new rails by the run. Tightening a newel and resetting brackets is one short stop. A new wall rail for a basement stair is one visit with the rail, brackets and returns on the materials line. A full baluster swap is priced per baluster, and the estimate shows the count.
Stair railings jobs we have billed this year
Bathroom sink re anchored and recaulked, new toilet seat
Washington, DC, Oct 2026. Labor and materials.
$287
Shower rod re anchored with metal anchors
Annapolis, MD, Aug 2026. Labor and materials.
$100
Wall touch up after an old leak and a loose fire pull station resecured
Washington, DC, Aug 2026. Labor and materials.
$147
Finished jobs with the town and the month. Street addresses stay off the list.
What moves the price
- Repair versus new run. Rebolting a newel and resetting two brackets is an hour. A new rail on a stair with a turn means fittings, a goose neck or an easing, and a longer day.
- The material you pick. Painted pine rail and wood balusters cost a fraction of oak rail with iron balusters, and iron takes a drilling jig and more time per piece.
- What is behind the drywall. Brackets need studs or blocking. Where the studs fall in the wrong place we open the wall, add blocking, patch and paint, and that shows as a line on the estimate.
- An inspection in the picture changes the scope. Rental inspections in PG, Baltimore County and DC ask for a graspable rail and a guard on open sides, and we build to that when you tell us one is coming.
Get the number for your job
Send the address and a photo. The written estimate comes back the same day on most jobs, and the price on it is the price on the invoice.
Or call or text (240) 616-4788. Hours 8 to 6, Monday through Saturday.
Cost questions
- How high does the handrail have to be?
- Between 34 and 38 inches, measured straight up from the nose of the tread, on every stair with four or more risers. Guards on open landings are 36 inches. We set it to that and we say so on the invoice for the inspector.
- Can you tighten a newel without taking the stairs apart?
- Usually. A newel fastener goes in from the side through a plug hole, or a lag from below if the ceiling under the stair is open. Only a newel with a rotted or split base needs to come out.
- Can you match my missing balusters?
- Stock profiles, yes, from the lumberyard the same week. Old turned balusters in a Baltimore rowhouse or a Capitol Hill stair are a custom turning, which takes two to three weeks, or we convert the run to iron if you prefer.
How the work itself goes is on the stair railings page.