For safety’s sake, we added a hand railing to a basement stairway and regretted not doing it sooner. Since stairs are the location for many home accidents, the addition of a handrail to steady yourself, especially when carrying something, means safe passage. A handrail is also needed on a wide-open or steep stairway. Whichever direction you’re going – up or down – a stair railing ensures safe footing and passage on a stairway.
A carpenter will charge $257, including labor and material, to install a standard 10-foot-long hardwood handrail in a straight staircase using brass rail brackets fastened to the wall. Assuming you have carpentry skills and tools, you can buy the rail and hardware for $105 and do it yourself. You’ll need a stud finder to locate the brackets, a carpenter’s level to lay out the rail’s position on the wall, an electric drill to install the brackets, and a miter saw if the rail requires cutting.
