The potential problems with removal of runner are dependent upon how the runner was installed. Some dearies actually tack the runner to the steps, tread and riser. Ouch, because removal leaves those holes to be filled and stained to match (very difficult to conceal). An alternative method is to use carpet bars which come in wood or metal, in an assortment of finishes. This is slightly more expensive but imo, also *looks* more luxurious. The carpet is barred at the back of the tread where it meets the riser; best practice has the runner tacked beneath each tread rather than slanted from top-front to the back of the next lower riser. Note that under-tread tacking also uses the most running feet of carpet, so the most finished appearance is going to cost. There are several other methods, so discuss intent with the installer before s/he does the work. One thing for sure, is to not use any sort of sticky-back tape: it either doesn't hold well, or holds too well and removel is labor-intensive. Because of the carpet pile height, if possible choose treads that are slightly deeper than usual so as to maintain fully safe depth.

We got a great deal in our last house on remnant wool runner carpet for our stairs, as our staircase was not very big. It was not DIY but the price installed was less than we would have paid just for the carpet had we ordered a special pattern. So you might call around to local carpet shops to see if they have any leftover runner that may fit. Good luck!

If you are looking to do a decorative carpet on the stairs (only) then one way to do it is to use the carpet as a RUNNER...not a stringer-stringer carpeting. The other thing to consider is normally the stairs should match "something". If you have different carpet at the top of the stairs that does not match the stair carpet, that NORMALLY means you have different carpet DOWN stairs. The stairs will match the carpeting on the MAIN floor. I'm not hearing that this is your scenario. What type of flooring do you have on the main floor? This is what the stairs will be MATCHING if you choose to go this route (stairs not matching carpet upstairs). The other way to do this is to use the decorative carpet on the stairs and then pay to have an area rug cut and bound in your chosen "stair" carpet. This area rug then sits in the entrance/bottom of the stairs. This is a quick, easy (slightly less expensive) way to get the stairs to match "something".....'cause they really should match something. Right now they match the upstairs carpet. Once you change this design feature, you need to REPLACE it with another version of "must match something". The bound area rug in the same carpet is one of the fastest ways to do this. Good luck. Remember to look at your main level flooring and decide whether or not you want to go forward with this concept.

Sigh....carpets hide HORRIBLE surfaces. And you've just discovered another place where this is true - the stairs. *In THEORY (ahem....too much work for most professionals - they would skip over to a surface and be done with it), you can TRIM OFF the slight overlap nose on every single tread to create a perfect 90 deg angle for each riser/tread combo. Then you need to STRIP AND SAND down the white material SITTING on the wood. Please check for lead based paint if the house was built before 1978. (If there is LEAD....move on to full removal/replacement of the tread/risers and leave well enough alone.) Once the wood is PERFECTLY CLEAN (and that means free of the chemical STRIPPER you used to remove the white ?paint?), you can then go ahead and putty all the little staple holes and cracks, etc. Then you sand again. This thing should be as smooth as an Ice Rink! Now you are ready to glue down the vinyl and the nosing. Shouldn't take more than a week. Or you source IDENTICAL thickness wood (pressure treated for this purpose) and remove and replace each and every riser and tread. Be aware....as soon as you TOUCH these things, you need to bring the whole thing up to code. Move ONE piece and you need the whole thing to code. And code means "Finishing Carpenter" level of mastery....and legal everything that goes with the title. If you do this, you might as well have them deal with the banister, etc and have everything moved up to code at the same time - no sense in waiting. If you simply resurface the treads with new carpet, you get away from all of this. If you can resurface using the original material, you should be able to keep everything else as-is. As soon as you remove stuff, and "rebuild" then you are getting into so serious code issues. Personally, I would throw down a stunning carpet that compliments the LVT and leave well enough alone. Make it look handsome by using a runner and then fixing/painting out the treads/risers in a pretty way....but it will involve a huge amount of work. Good luck. Check the paint for lead before you do anything else.