'Worse, though, they chopped off about 2” of the edge of the stair treads to make the end moldings fit, and I kept misjudging the stair depth and stumbling...the finished stair depth now ranges between 8 and 9 inches, depending on the stair."

At this point basically start over with someone who knows what they are doing. This guy just destroyed your stairs, trades need to all be the same and if the tread depth and rise is now different per step you will probably need to have the stairs completely rebuilt as these will no longer meet code.

@millworkman, the GC has informed me they're replacing the treads at their own cost. I feel like I'm stuck with them as I signed the contract...am I supposed to tell them the stairs entirely need rebuilt?

The ends of the molding can be returned on themselves; no need for the wrong profile and a Sharpie.

Isn't this just maddening? You pay someone who is supposed to know what the hell he's doing only to find out he's an idiot and you suddenly have to learn stair codes and the right way to do everything! Good luck, I feel for you.

Of all the rotten things contractors have done and said, this has to be right up there in the top 5. To reduce the size of treads!!!!! In your house!!!!

I feel like that could kill somebody.

We trot up and down our stairs so much, carrying laundry and stuff, and grow accustomed to stairs in our own home. In a new home, we could accustom ourselves to narrower treads, but in your own home? And without asking you first? I would be SO ANGRY. How dare somebody change a safety issue and then try to defend it? This is terrible.

By the way, I wouldn't use quarter round in my own home. On the other hand, I would've had multiple conversations about how the stairs would look and how the work would be done when it comes to the type of materials available to do stairs that match the vinyl floor you're using. The quarter round issue should've been hashed out ahead of time. But I guess you don't have that kind of contractor.

@Mrs. S - regarding using quarter round - yeah. There was no discussion whatsoever about how the stairs would look or how they would come together. I never thought to ask, as I assumed when one gets new stair coverings, they would just look...like stairs. Lesson learned.

What a mess....It's always better to just have unfinished treads stained to match the vinyl sample. That way nothing is pieced together or hacked up like this. Sorry you're dealing with this.

Unfortunately, despite recommendations I picked the wrong contractor. He completely rebuilt my stairs three (3) times before getting it right.

Fortunately, I had a decent building inspector who made him comply with the code.

Woking in emergency medicine at a trauma center, I know how DANGEROUS stairs are. Many people die due to falls on stairs.

Don’t lean on that top railing!

They're using stair noses instead of stair treads, so that's the second issue - the first being them hacking up your stairs. If you don't want the bullnose at all, that is a pretty specific install. Look into Schluter systems.

Agree they look awful! As you already know, we intuitively step where we anticipate the next stair should be, and that's why consistent regular size stairs are so important.

Quarter round is the wrong approach. Frankly, a nice carpet would look much, much better than what you are ending up with.

We are redoing all floors on both floors with LVP. I am not at all a fan of LVP on stairs because I think it is unattractive due to the need for nosing or whatever that piece that is put on the front edge is called. After hearing how much it would cost to put in attractive regular wood stairs to replace the junk that was hidden under the carpet, we plan to carpet the stairs again.

Sorry but you need a rebuild. The nosing is a bull nosing which needs a square edge to sit on. The carpeted treads had a rounded edge that the carpet was wrapped around and stapled into place. That edge had to go...which is where the issues began.

The railings are improper and need to be redone. You might be able to salvage the banister...but the effort to do so probably isn't worth it...because new spindles need to be brought in and fitted AND they must meet today's code.

I'm going to tell you a LITTLE secret (that every good Finishing Carpenter knows...and many a good flooring installer as well) = 'floating planks' are NEVER floated ON a stair tread. They are GLUED (...or else you will be floating down to the bottom on your arse...not good).

And because you GLUE the treads you do NOT need to leave 'EXPANSION' gaps at the edges of the tread. Nope! No! You simply cut the plank TIGHT to the riser and tight to the stringers. A piece of paper should NOT be able to fit between the GLUED plank and the vertical surface it is sitting up against.

Now the thing that is going to make you cry: NO EXPANSION gap means NO TRIM. None. Quarter round is used to COVER expansion gaps (like on your regular floors). You should NEVER see quarter round on stairs because there is NO GAP to hide.

OMG...I fear there are more oopsas in store for you on this stair. I don't think new treads are going to do it for you.

A Finishing Carpenter is the person who deals with stairs. They are the HIGHEST PAID 'hammer swingers' in the building industry. Why? Because they deal with the EXPENSIVE STUFF - like the 15+ codes on stairs.

The GC has NO CLUE about stairs. The crew he runs has LESS knowledge than the GC. You signed a contract in GOOD FAITH that the GC *could do everything in the contract. Ahem...*could means "with full knowledge of and full capability to create/modify/install what was spelled out in the contract. The 'stair' part is arguably 'open for interpretation' at this point.

I would put in writing you EXPECT the GC will bring in a Finishing Carpenter to RECTIFY the issues created by the GC altering the stairs and railings. The final product MUST meet all of today's codes and it MUST pass inspection before final payment is made (original amount negotiated...not 'top ups' because he let "Joey" swing a hammer today.

In a weird way, you 'lucked out'. The instant the GC altered the stairs to the point they needed to be fixed, you gained the work that *should have been listed. But now, you don't have to pay for the BIG oopsa this guy made. Think of it as a 'freebee' stair upgrade - railings and spindles included.

Once the GC gets the bill from the Finishing Carpenter he had to hire for this job, the GC will NEVER take on a job with stairs - ever! Believe me. It will probably cost him his ENTIRE profit. I'm not joking. He may even end up LOSING money on this job. All because he let his 'boys' loose on your treads.

I would have them remove all the old treads, and put all new ones on that are a decent quality wood, and then get someone (not them), to match the stain, and restain them. That is a huge mess, and yes, it is very unsafe.

I think your doggo in the pic at the top of the stairs says it all. He doesn't look impressed either.

Where’s the photo? Everyone can see the photo but be?

Wealthy- there is a link in green ink in the original post “pics here” I think it says that you need to click. That will take you right to the pictures