Thanks, that's what I was thinking after he left, that the leveling stuff would go through the slats! I don't think there is a flatness issue, at least not that we have ever noticed, and I am very sensitive to that. I can feel the flatness issue in my Dad's house upstairs, but I never noticed it at home. Is that something the installers would need to measure for when they come rip the carpet out? And how flat is flat? Meaning, what is the industry standard for that? I'm fine with doing the fix if there is an issue. What about sound-dampening layer? Since this gameroom is partially open to the formal rooms below, I was wondering if a sound dampening layer could be added under the wood. The contractor said yes, but was vague about that that is. How do I choose if I want nail down, glue down or floating? What are the implications of each choice? Sorry for all the questions. We've had wood floors in both our homes, but we didn't install them, so I don't even know what type of installation they were. Thanks for responding.

If you paid for a 'retread' then you might only get new wood on the treads. If you paid for the spindles to be removed, the Red Oak removed and replaced with matching white oak, then you have a right to be upset. It all depends on the contract. Stairs are tricky. They are expensive, they are tiring, they are tricky and then are (once again) expensive. **If your original talk (ie. contract) spoke about staining, the GC (not a wood professional by any stretch of the imagination) would assume the two woods could be matched once stain went down (very common to work this way). If you then changed your mind and went with a natural finish, the Red Oak stringers became a liability that never were properly addressed after that (ie. paid for removal). Did your GC use a finishing Carpenter? If s/he did not, the GC was saving money. What used to be on the stair treads? Do you have photos of before (old coverings) and after (new wood with finish)?

heritage, I know you didn't . I was just mentioning the unsafe part regarding kids in case the op didn't know. Stairs and balusters are all unsafe when it comes to kids. doesn't matter what they're made of. kids will climb on anything. that's why I mentioned the teaching part. it was nothing against your comment.

Will the flooring be the same on both levels? Do you know what wood is under the stair carpet? You might be pleasantly surprised to find oak :-) One other thought would be to paint both the treads and risers white to match your trim and put in a patterned runner (just be sure the carpet installer knows how to make the pattern match on the corner!) In pic below imagine the treads in the same white - the runner makes the stairs pop. Also, check your building code - your railing may need to be raised if it's original to the home. Good luck with your project!