It stands to reason that homeowners want estimates before tackling a remodeling project. Yet it surprises a lot of people to realize that prices among contractors can vary quite a bit. Prices on staircase updates can be anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000 per project. That is a 1000% swing!

So what’s the deal? Well, do not assume that so much price variation is the result of contractors trying to rip you off. There certainly are bad actors in our business but, by and large, the vast majority of us do right by our customers. Price variations are the result of a lot of different factors.

The Amount of Work

Obviously, the amount of work being done is the starting point. You might be interested only in updating your stair spindles by replacing the original wood with iron. Or perhaps you already have iron spindles and are looking for a new handrail and newel post.

The price goes up with every bit of work you need done. Your lowest price will be on a simple update to your current installation. The highest price will include complete removal and replacement of the existing staircase including the stairs, handrails, newel posts and spindles..

The Time of Year

Believe it or not, the time of year you have the work done does influence the price. This is due to the fact that home remodeling tends to be seasonal. In northern and mid-western environments, homeowners tend to attack remodeling projects during the spring and summer. Here in the South, we prefer the fall and winter.

Whether you are looking for new iron stair spindles in Atlanta or Chicago, seasonal influences affect price. You can get a lower price when demand isn’t as high. In other words, have your work done during the slow season and you’ll get a better rate.

The Materials You Choose

Next up, understand that there is quite a bit of variation in materials. As with every home construction project, you have your entry level materials and your top-of-the-line alternatives. Then there are all of the choices in between.

The cost of an intricate and ornate wrought iron spindle staircase will be higher than updating the same staircase with straight wooden spindles. Your choice of wrought iron costs a bit more in terms of materials. The more ornate the spindles, the higher the price. And be careful. Some contractors will use lower-quality-hollow-spindles that in a lot of cases are actually aluminum, not iron.

In addition, if you want an upgraded color other than black there will most likely be an upcharge for that as well.

More Than One Estimate

As an experienced contractor specializing in iron spindles in Georgia, we are more than happy to provide our customers with estimates. We recommend getting more than one estimate, even though that means contacting the competition. Multiple estimates are important so that you can see exactly who charges what.

Make sure the estimates you get list exactly what you will pay for each part of the project. Any contractor not willing to provide a detailed estimate probably shouldn’t wind up in your top three choices. The last thing you want is a contractor that isn’t being forthright with you.

If you are getting ready to update your staircase, we invite you to give us a shout. Here at The Iron Spindle, we’re all about beautiful staircases complemented by perfectly designed and installed balustrades. We would love the opportunity to work with you on your project.