Carpentry and joinery
Stairs and bannisters
Whether this needs a licence in Ireland
No licence required
Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer
Stairs and bannisters: what the job involves
Repairing or replacing a staircase and its balustrade: fixing creaking treads, replacing spindles, newels and handrails, cladding old stairs in oak, or making and fitting a new stairs. A staircase changed or replaced must meet the Building Regulations on steepness, headroom and guarding.
Also asked for as: stairs carpenter · new bannisters · replace spindles · staircase renovation · oak stairs cladding
How the job is usually done
- Inspect the stairs from above and below for loose treads, worn nosings, the strength of newels and the gaps in the balustrade.
- Agree what is being done: repair, new balustrade, cladding the existing stairs or a new staircase, and the material.
- For a new staircase, measure total rise and going exactly and have it made to suit, checking headroom.
- Remove the old balustrade or staircase, protecting walls, floors and the hall.
- Fit the new newels, handrails and spindles, or the new stairs, fixed securely to the floors and walls.
- Glue and screw creaking treads from below where reachable, fit nosings and make good.
- Sand and finish, or leave ready for painting.
Stairs and bannisters: what is included
Usually included
- The agreed repair, balustrade or staircase
- Fixing to floors and walls
- Removing the old parts, if agreed
Usually not included — agree it separately
- Plaster and decoration of the stairwell
- Stair carpet or runner
- Moving lighting or switches on the stairs
- Glass balustrade panels, unless quoted
Materials and who supplies them
- Softwood, oak or ash for treads, newels, handrails and spindles
- Glass or metal balustrade systems, if chosen
- Adhesives, screws and finishes
- New staircases are usually made by a joinery workshop to measure
How long it takes
Usually a day for creaking treads or new spindles, two or three days for a full new balustrade, and several days for a new staircase after a workshop lead time.
When to book
Replace stairs before new flooring and decoration in the hall, since the work damages both.
Stairs and bannisters: the rules in Ireland
What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.
A new or replacement staircase in a home should follow the guidance on steepness and guarding: each rise no more than 220 mm, each going at least 220 mm, a pitch no steeper than 42 degrees, guarding at least 900 mm high and no gap a 100 mm sphere can pass through.
Applies to: the carpenter and the homeowner
Building Regulations Part K, Technical Guidance Document K (Department of Housing) · gov.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
In a house with a floor more than 4.5 m above ground, the stairway is part of the escape route and generally has to stay protected; opening it up can need fire-safety changes elsewhere.
Applies to: the homeowner and the designer
Building Regulations Part B, Technical Guidance Document B Volume 2 (Department of Housing) · gov.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
What stairs and bannisters costs, and why
What jobs on Talqero came to
Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.
What affects the price
- Repair, new balustrade, cladding or a complete new staircase
- Material: pine, oak, glass or metal
- Turns, winders, half-landings and the number of newels
- Access underneath to fix creaks properly
- Finishing: oiled, lacquered or painted
- Making good to walls, ceilings and floors
- VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.
Paperwork to ask for at the end
- Drawings or a specification for a new staircase or balustrade
- For glass balustrades: the glass specification and fixing details
- An itemised invoice
Safety
- Children can climb horizontal rails and squeeze through wide gaps; keep gaps under 100 mm and avoid ladder-like designs.
- Stairs are out of use during part of the work; agree how the upstairs will be reached.
- Old stair paint may contain lead and should not be sanded dry.
Stairs and bannisters: before you hire
Questions to ask a tradesperson
- Will the new stairs or balustrade meet the Building Regulations on rise, going and guarding?
- Is the staircase made in your workshop or ordered?
- How long will the stairs be out of use?
- Does the price include finishing and making good?
What you can do yourself
Fixing a creaking tread from underneath is a fair DIY job if it is reachable; replacing balustrades or the staircase is a carpenter’s work.
What to put in your task
- What do you want done?
- What shape is the staircase?
- What material would you like for the balustrade?
- Is the underside of the stairs open or plastered?
Photos that help
- The whole staircase from the bottom and from the landing
- The newel posts and handrail joints
- The underside of the stairs or the cupboard beneath
- A close-up of worn or loose treads
Stairs and bannisters by county
Choose your county for stairs and bannisters close to home.
- Stairs and bannisters in Dublin
- Stairs and bannisters in Cork
- Stairs and bannisters in Galway
- Stairs and bannisters in Kildare
- Stairs and bannisters in Limerick
- Stairs and bannisters in Meath
- Stairs and bannisters in Tipperary
- Stairs and bannisters in Donegal
- Stairs and bannisters in Wexford
- Stairs and bannisters in Kerry
- Stairs and bannisters in Wicklow
- Stairs and bannisters in Mayo
- Stairs and bannisters in Louth
- Stairs and bannisters in Waterford
- Stairs and bannisters in Clare
- Stairs and bannisters in Kilkenny
- Stairs and bannisters in Westmeath
- Stairs and bannisters in Laois
- Stairs and bannisters in Cavan
- Stairs and bannisters in Offaly
- Stairs and bannisters in Sligo
- Stairs and bannisters in Roscommon
- Stairs and bannisters in Monaghan
- Stairs and bannisters in Carlow
- Stairs and bannisters in Longford
- Stairs and bannisters in Leitrim
Carpentry and joinery
Need stairs and bannisters? Describe the job.
Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.
Questions about stairs and bannisters
Does stairs and bannisters need a licence in Ireland?
No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.cru.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.
Can my stairs be made less steep?
Only by changing the going and number of steps, which needs more floor space at the bottom or top. A carpenter can measure what is possible within the regulations.
Can I put a glass balustrade on my stairs?
Yes, using toughened or laminated glass designed for balustrades and fixed to suit. It must meet the same height and strength guidance as any guarding.
Why do my stairs creak?
Usually the wedges and glue blocks under the treads have loosened or shrunk. Re-gluing and screwing from underneath is the proper fix; from above it can be screwed and plugged.