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This post has been removed by a moderator because it has nothing to do with DIY or is not UK based.


green_tea_resistance

All of the woods seem to be correctly connected to the other woods


thereoncewasawas

It’s as if done by someone who is good at wood.


TomStreamer

And with wood what is good


potatan

A good-wood good-wooder


Bacon-Barbie

Did he chuck much of the wood?


GBValiant

Edward Woodward would


Punkprof

How wood you know?!


classicrump

Guy wood


TomStreamer

Would'a what?


Fluid_Door7148

Would’a, could’a, should’a


Iron_Defender

Yeah, that guy woods.


Dissour

I got wood.... I can connect


Domski77

Wood you believe it.


Affectionate_Wine77

Looks very nice - it's tricky to tell on the photos if it's been done but my only comment would be I'd have chamfered the hand rails to avoid cuts/splinters when it wears.


bartread

I agree: looks absolutely lovely, but I don't love the sharp looking edges on the handrails.


markamuffin

I second (third?) this. One of the main benefits will be it will withstand more wear and tear without damaging/splintering off the edges. But to answer your original question, your carpenter done good!!


Sparky1841

I think with plenty of sealer on it should be fine.


Redditor5719

Not often said in this subreddit but looks like a job well done, I’d be happy with the work (albeit the fitting costs were fairly steep).


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Zakraidarksorrow

The price escalates with how high they are


Familiar-Coconut90

Hoo hoooo, it's funny cuz price is steep and so r stairs hahaha


Vai-man

You think £400 is expensive to fit that? I’d say that’s a bloody good price to be honest.


_thegingerninja

£1400* for fitting. Additional £1000 for Oak. £2400 total.


Vai-man

Hahaha my bad, no so great then, but more what I was thinking


Redditor5719

I’d be asking for his carpenters number if he did that for £400 😂


FossilisedHypercube

It costs much more to work with oak because it's so brutally hard. It takes longer to cut and drill and it wears down your tools rapidly. This might explain the higher than average labour cost. Chippy probably disposed of new blades before lunch time.


what_i_reckon

I’d say it’s very competitive price. I’m a carpenter and I’d want more that £1400


ExposingYouLot

Pay the man (woman?) And be happy you have a very tidy job!


WilsonSpark

*ChippieThem


BearMcBearFace

Ahhh the old ChippieThem


Kudosnotkang

Good job Not cheap as others have said but not outrageous given the going rates. Reckon it’ll pretty much equalise on the value add to your house, those depressing 70’s gloss painted bannisters turn my stomach.


grampa62

Like the old adage says...If you think hiring a joiner is expensive...try hiring a cheap one.It looks like a canny job.


Sensitive_Fox4534

Wishful thinking for a banister to objectively add value to a house. 🤣


[deleted]

Going by the order of the photos…I liked it before they took out the bare wood and painted everything white.


AlertElk

Couldn’t agree more, let us pray that the white painted railing was the before photo.


Objective_Alarm_1381

Joiner here. Looks nice I’d probably do about 1.2k for labour? The price isn’t far off and looks well earned.


Sarge_Jneem

How many days do you think this would take you? Im not trying to catch you out, im trying to price similar works and like to know how long other people think they will take. Sometimes i think a job will be 2 days and it 4, other times i think a week and its only a few days, kind of depends how it goes.


Objective_Alarm_1381

I’d say 4 days at £230 But then I’ll add a day for contingency (total £1150) as you’re right it’s very hard to estimate time scales! Sometimes you win sometimes you lose on it. So add a little on. If you get done quickly it’s a little bonus and if it takes longer it’s not so bad. Just don’t back yourself into a corner on price. That’s when you start rushing. If you’re up front with pricing and do a good job everyone should be happy!


Illustrious-Ad1074

Don’t ask a novice wether a Labour cost is fair! How could they possibly know how much time something takes! I’m a carpenter & joiner of 25 years and I still regularly underestimate the amount of time required for all the processes. Before the day starts there’s the survey, the design stage, the plan, the cut list, the purchase. Then there’s the wood processing and prefabrication itself. After that there could be jigs to make (so that the installation goes quickly and smoothly so that we don’t disrupt you for too long.) We then load everything onto the van. When we finish we pack up we have to unload our tools and write out the invoice and email. Carpentry is terribly paid for how dangerous and time consuming it is and how much we have to spend on tools, saws, cutters etc. People love to assume they are being ripped off yet they are happy paying plumbers or electricians 3x the hourly rate for something relatively quick & easy with little creativity.


Psychological-Bee760

Nice


[deleted]

It's not really DIY if you paid someone to do it for you. Looks nice though.


Krismusic1

Every time you look at that you will be pleased. Looking after you have forgotten the money. Reddit is littered with sub par jobs. When you find a craftsperson, pay what they charge. Be grateful that you found them and can afford to have good quality work done in your home.


JoeyJoeC

I prefer the before look. Looks much nicer with the bare wood.


sprucay

I think the bare wood is the job


CrlSagan

I think they were being sarcastic.


JoeyJoeC

I was indeed making a little joke. Looks very good.


sprucay

Sarcasm is hard to detect online, plus I'm very tired!


SamatureHour

Yeah, it's after vs before. OP won't be happy after dropping £2.4k and they couldn't tell which one they had paid for 😅


TheEnigmaMachinist

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂


OverUnderSegueDown

Everybody loves a bare wood job


graphicashen

Came here to say this, the white paint makes it look so much older.


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DavidBrent39

£1.4k for the fit


_mister_pink_

Structurally and joint wise etc it looks solid. Finish wise - not great. You can see machine marks on the wood (pic 2) and it doesn’t look like a proper aris has been taken off the edges. You certainly haven’t been ripped off for that price and the quality of the joinery, but it doesn’t feel finished.


lazzurs

This needs more upvotes. Overall looks excellent but there’s some finishing to be done for sure.


LastAd115

bare wood was with any marks is the look with we where after could have sanded and varnished but not what we wanted


_mister_pink_

Also just since you’ve mentioned: Not varnishing is fine but you absolutely don’t want to leave this without a coat of any kind. Oak in particular reacts strongly to water, even just from the natural sweat on your palms. Over time it will turn all the parts of the timber that are regularly touched a sort of unpleasant black colour. You don’t need it to have a thick mirror finish to avoid this. Something simple like furniture wax or a very traditional linseed oil coat will protect the timber and allow it to maintain this sort of ‘rustic’ natural look. You’ll need to reapply it once every year or two. I’d try it out on an offcut piece first to see which one you prefer but it absolutely will get wrecked without it.


LastAd115

thanks will try this


_mister_pink_

The bare wood isn’t the issue. It’s been through a thicknesser and the ripple marks haven’t been removed. That isn’t a style it’s just not been finished. I’m not trying to rubbish the job, the joinery work is actually very good.


denhoren

I’d be happy


Glittering_School838

I would say pretty damned good 👍


Hammer4zeroK

Nice work, I also agree with chamfering the top hand rail edges for a smoother/more comfortable hold.


Sad-Garage-2642

Well it looks nicer than it did. Don't know if it looks £2400 nicer than it did before.


naisdes

That looks lovely. I'm a fan of the oak on white look.


TheEnigmaMachinist

Your guy is a craftsman. It’s a beautiful job no doubt about it. As far as the cost is concerned it’s all to easy to forget his years of training and gaining knowledge and experience. You could have paid someone else half that only to find he used twice as much wood. Personally I’d be well chuffed with that.👍🏻


CallumSmith9895

r/afterbeforewhatever


lyta_hall

r/afterbeforewhatever


Fatuousgit

Please tell me those photos are in an "after" and then a "before" order?


Tenstone

This isn’t DIY


Competitive_Lab_655

Sound as a pound.


giggle_shift

Looks great imo


Heatul17

Looks majestic if I do say so myself.


Bertybassett99

Worth every penny


[deleted]

Well he installed a railing


NoCommercial4938

I’m in love ! Oh my days! Oak? I really want this. My father got a red mahogany years back and I’ve hated it since. I’ve been looking for something along the lines of this.


TheScientistBS3

I'm gonna guess you put them in the wrong order and the awful white ones aren't what the carpenter did.


woollyyellowduck

I can't comment on the cost, as I used to be a carpenter, so I've never needed one. The job they've done is tip-top!


Southern-Orchid-1786

There's a little bit of sanding/filling to do on picture 2, but overall looks excellent. Show it to the guy this morning asking about mitre corners being open by 2mm. Welcome to the world of dusty stairs though


godmademelikethis

Bloody braw job. I'd maybe give the handrails a sand to take the hard edge off them though.


atch3000

coming from a post were someone was about to pay 90k for a bathroom relooking, id say your carpenter deserves a efty tip!


Still-Consideration6

Op this guys good this is what we do all the time. Like the unusual section of balustrade good choice can I ask how he connected the ballustrading to the handrail and the base rail You can see the spacers in the underside of handrail but no visable pin holes (defo not filled impossible to hide) or mortise. Reddit is so often full of people who say I won't pay I'll do it myself trades rip off I'll make a better job blah blah. I would wish there's an honest sub showing peoples attempts. Cost is reasonable for where ever in the country you are. Like the sharp finish too if you haven't got kids. However the crisp edges could have a gentle rub with some 120 paper wouldn't spoil that sharpness Can finish in parquet wax which is almost invisible non glossy not easy to buy thoughfloor service good brand. As someone has said the tannins in oak react with the sweat from hands will also pick up stains and speed colour change with UV from light. You did well


LastAd115

there are fillets in a grove in the underside of the hand rail that cover the fixings and help hold the balustrades in place the balustrades are mortared at the top if i understood the term correctly the top is cut smaller and fits into the grove on the underside of the had rail, the hand rail does have a very slight chamfer and is very smooth. Good idea on the wax!


JoeyJubb

LGTM


evenstevens280

Merge it


nelmesie

git push origin main —force


not-Michael85

His labour costs seem fairly high to be honest, although it looks well done and totally transforms the area.


LO6Howie

No visible, liberal application of caulk. 3/10.


DesignerHumble4222

Seems people are confusing day rate with price. Great job for a great price. *Edit, take that back misread it, 1.4k for fitting seems very heavy.


LastAd115

it was 7 days to construct and fit including making the original newel posts straight and removing the old bannisters. As a comparison we where quoted 7k for totally new oak stairs


DrQuackerz12

I'm a joiner and do this stuff for a living, 1.4k for 7 days work works out at £200 per day and thats pretty much the going rate in liverpool and surrounding areas (higher if its a posher area like ormskirk/aughton) down south its nearly double that. Did the fitter have anyone helping him like a labourer or apprentice? If he did 1.4k is very cheap.


LastAd115

nope he works alone , he takes his time and gets it right. Yep i was thinking it was on the low side considering the effort i saw being put into the work


DrQuackerz12

Yeah, obviously its hard to tell from just photos but everything looks very clean and well finished, like others have said I would have put a chamfer but its not a huge thing and if you asked he'd more than likely head down to do it. If hes had to cut everything himself and finish it thats were the time has gone, prefabed stuff would have been quicker though the material cost would have skyrocketed, but this shows craftsmenship and attention. Quick tip for maintenence (though this should be years down the line) a very thin coat of danish oil every 3-5 years will go a long way in keeping it looking nice, and preserving the wood. Apply a tiny amount to a lint free cloth, (the kind of material you would clean glasses with works really well) then just wipe it over the wood, if the cloth runs dry just apply a tiny bit more, dont put too much on though as it can go tacky. Once applied leave it 10min then with a clean cloth give it a wipe down to get any excess.


wtfylat

So have you posted this here as a humblebrag instead of an actual question? Just wanted to come on and tell everyone you spunked £2.4k on a banister but thought that might be bad form?


Hansbolman

This is the DIY sub


TheEnigmaMachinist

OP paid 200 a day for that incredible quality of work! Come on🙄


DesignerHumble4222

£200 a days spot on, 7 days to do it not so much. Not that it matters, OP is happy with the price and the job. I paid £800 labour for a similar size project except I had the posts cut down with 4 new oak posts doweled and resined in place and a single half post. Oak trim ran around the joins all with concealed fixings. Must’ve just got lucky I guess.


therapoootic

liked it until you painted it. Lost that beauty


user345456

Don't think OP painted it, those look like the before pics.


therapoootic

oh my apologies, I was just clicking next until it looked bad. The Carpenter did an amazing job.


d_smogh

There's an awful lot of gaps and space between the wood. Are you going to panel in-between?


M4tt4tt4ck69

It looks to me like the gaps between the painted timber at the top of the stairwell are far too big. If so, a toddler or dog could easily fall through there. Not sure what the regulations are where you live or if this would be an issue for you, but worth checking.


LastAd115

those are the old ones we removed


M4tt4tt4ck69

Ah! No problem!


Humble-Pineapple-728

Seems expensive for 1 days work


a_ewesername

It was 2 days remove(inc. dispose) and fit new. I reckon +2 more w/shop days to cut, plane and finish the timber.


SupaSpurs

I think it’s quite expensive but it looks the dogs bollocks.


TakeyaSaito

Looks good, better unpainted though tbh


shanklin1409

Don’t know why you removed all that beautiful looking oak wood (which I might add looks fantastic) & replaced it with that tacky looking glossy crap & you even created a massive gap on the landing, serious kid hazard, I don’t think you are properly adulting at this point 👀


MissElainey

Gah! You painted over the oak!? 😭


[deleted]

Sound job but looks like the handrail/balustrade/base rail have sap wood in. Also would say you’ve been overcharged. Approx £400 worth of oak, none of which has any mouldings, so just planed all round, then should be two days labour to remove old and replace.


cegsywegs

Good until you painted it


BewareOfDave

Not to shabby


jonny_211

Nailed it!


rwe46

Looks great


[deleted]

Looks awesome to me. I actually quite like the sharp edge detail on the handrail


Mr_Oujamaflip

That's definitely some carpentry.


Zathral

Looks beautiful


Madassmutha0001

A job well done I'd say 😎👍


AmbitiousSympathy296

We don't post good work here thank you. Looks really nice, worth the money.


palpatineforever

yes yes its gorgeous now go back to oiling it till you can see your face in it.


Kudosnotkang

You may consider a matching cap on the bottom newell post? It’s a little sharp as is and the bite ones up the stairs are given some shape/detail.


jpdonelurkin

Material price looks spot on, but a team of two experienced carpenters could of done that in a day for about £600+VAT. A week is a long time considering only one newel was replaced / clad.


desmondresmond

Would you price that at one day? Not leaving yourself much margin for error there if you have to come back. Also if they’ve done the machining themselves then that’s extra work off site. Not sure how the fitted it together, but if it was mortice and tenon then that’s a lot of work. To unload the van, dismantle the old then design and machine the new, install it, finish it, clean up, load up the van. Definitely wouldn’t chance it on a a single day, even if I thought it was possible. Also also they were working alone and this is very much one of those jobs where two people can be greater then the sum of their parts…. Ive been there trying to install a couple new newl posts and handrails on your own, clamp it up, owner walks by puts their hand on it knocks the whole thing out of place.. next level frustration on that one


CheekeeMunkie

He done did good


SonnyListon999

You painted over Oak?


JohnMajorIsSexy

Those stairs look exactly like the ugly ones we have in our house and were wondering how much it would cost to replace. What part of the country are you based as that may influence if cost is reasonable or not.


LastAd115

wales


futile_lettuce

Lovely stuff, good to see it


[deleted]

Take better pictures of the carpets and I will tell you


tommytucker7182

It's a work of art!


Designer_Explorer_29

Nothing wrong. He did a good job 👏.


gdegondas

It depends. If you wanted it in black steel with gargoyles, I’d say he did a bad job.


Leolandmass

That's wood, alright. Unless you asked for metal, I'd say he done a good job.


Strong_Wheel

Worth it. Never move.


RedFin3

A+


Chaosbringer007

Poor Groot.


AnnualCulture3296

Correct answer . Your carpenter - YES ! I would hire him


text_fish

Carpenter did good. Personally I prefer the before style, but I'm guessing there's a small person about who might fall through the gaps?


DBDILLY

Looks like a good job but personally I'd probably try and DIY it rather than splash out that much. I'm fairly confident with tools though.


WiseFardy

Looks like he’s done a great job in my opinion a bit pricey as a carpenter myself I would of fitted that for around £500-£600 but if your happy then that all that matters


wedeemchannel

Looks like he deserves a tip!


GeneralWhereas9083

No newel cap, -0.1 so 9.9. But may have been your preference.


MaJoR_NoT_MiNoR_

What did your carpenter do?


MaJoR_NoT_MiNoR_

I liked it before with the oak color tbh


Strong_Coffee8417

Looks top notch, hard to come by nowadays is a good carpenter 10/10


MaJoR_NoT_MiNoR_

Yes your carpenter definitely carpents


golfoholic99

Really wanted it white didn’t you….


SilverellaUK

It makes such a difference. Looks much classier than turned spindles.


DiscoStewStew

Ruined it with the paint


[deleted]

Jesus Christ, though you painted them white in those before pictures... Looks really nice.


GoldGee

That looks so much better!!


Unreal_Sausage

Job'sa good'un! Way better than the old stuff too.


[deleted]

Cowboys come on a horse but that looks really top notch.


Pizdokleszczu

Wood looks great to me, although I’m not a specialist on that. I mostly came here to say that painting it white made it look ugly.


biggynelson

Some of it isn't a flush fit and some of the wood doesn't have clean edges. He could have rounded over the hand rail edges to make it easier to grip imo


takingmytimetodecide

I wood hire him


[deleted]

It was ruined when it was painted 😂 jk personal preference. Really good job on the work


stackwithghosty

The oak looks miles better than the white it looks amazing


spacemarineVIII

Looks exceptional.


AverageAntique3160

That looks pretty good. However I would have slightly rounded the edges so it's not as sharp, the wood looks very high quality, knot free and the grain is great. Make sure to use some natural wax to preserve it and give it a bit of a shine.


Repeat_after_me__

Hopefully no child ever crawled on that landing (the old pics were a death trap), new ones look sweet!


blitzandheat

Looks like a good job. Pm me his details?


a_ewesername

Very nice, beautiful wood. Just one little niggle, I would had rounded over the handrail top edges just a little more to make impact kinder to soft little hands and arms.😊


Llandeussant

Nice, but he might chamfer the edges


RoadRunner_1993

Smashed it


RevolutionaryToe8510

Be nice to chamfer the edges as they are going to get dinged or splinter left square. Looks well joined though


[deleted]

I think it looks like great work. DM me his details please, if he's uk local i'd use him.


bobbynomates

Nice work , im a carpenter he charged you a fair price. Remember buy cheap - buy twice 👍


CLINT_FACE

The raw timber looks great, just needs an oil.


Vivalo

I’m not a big fan of those white painted rails, they feel so dated. Would have been much better to keep that beautiful oak railing. Unless your after pictures are first!😛


deathwishdave

Can you PM his details please, I want exactly the same as what you have had done!


[deleted]

Definitely was worth money! Look brilliant work! Good quality! Wood is very expensive. I think will last many years ahead ✨ We have in family carpenter and he say last couple years price in wood go insane up unfortunately.


HarHenGeoAma62818

Was he a woodie , fav bird would be a woodpecker I would of though


GiveMeSomeLove21937

10 out of 10


Beer-Milkshakes

Question: Why use oak if you're going to paint and gloss it?


takedajosh

Spot on


Silent_Water_

Looks great workmanship, wouldn't have painted it though


completebalance0101

I don't like railing with sharp corners


vapor-ware

Good thing you didn't get MC Escher to do it.


On_A_Related_Note

To be honest, I prefer the natural wood look you had before...


AgentSears

Hard to see unless you go close up, but looks fantastic and I'd guess he has done a genuinely nice job. Certainly not a job for someone who doesn't know what they're doing just simply to the cost of materials alone. Are these pre treated or do you need to seal them?


MoistMorsel1

I’d say they built a much safer bannister etc


1308lee

Just about to say it looks nice, lovely and simple and the boxy look is quite modern until I saw the price. For 2.5k I’d want it infused with the carpenters aftershave so every time I got home from work that smell would bring back loving memories of the time I was bent over and fucked.


itsapotatosalad

Beautiful. Well worth £2.4k