Scope of the Huntsville makeover
A carpet-to-hardwood makeover keeps a sound stringer and replaces what you walk on. This Huntsville house also needed a new guard. We quoted one visit: pull the carpet and the outdated posts and rails, then install new treads, newels, a wood handrail, and matte black balusters, and finish everything in place so the hall does not look like two contractors.
We measured rise count, both sides, and the floors at the top and bottom before writing a free estimate. Under the pad the framing was the usual North Alabama builder stringer — sound enough to keep. We do not publish prices. Call (256) 665-2161.
Our workAfter — light oak treads, white risers, square wood newel, and matte black balusters.
Before: carpet, leftover rails, unfinished walls
The stairs still had carpet. White turned spindles and a wood cap sat against unfinished drywall. Looking up the flight, the leftover builder rail was what you saw first — not a hardwood run that belonged with the rest of the house. Those two frames are the before set.
BeforeBefore — leftover carpet, white turned spindles, and a wood cap against unfinished drywall. 
BeforeBefore — looking up the carpeted run before tear-out.
What we did on the run
We removed the carpet, the rails, the posts, and the balusters. Because the framing held, we did not tear the staircase out. We supplied and installed new hardwood treads, square wood newels, a wood handrail, and matte black metal balusters. Risers went in painted white. We sanded and finished the whole staircase so the treads, newels, and rail share one tone under the house light.
The afters show light oak treads, white risers, a square wood newel, and matte black balusters; looking down the finished oak stair and landing; and the oak handrail with black balusters at the upper landing. Virtually dustless containment stayed up while we worked in a lived-in house.
AfterAfter — looking down the finished oak stair and landing. 
AfterAfter — oak handrail and matte black balusters at the upper landing.
Why the whole staircase had to change
Huntsville houses — older in-town and newer two-story alike — often keep leftover carpet on the stair after the first-floor floor is already down. Pulling the carpet and leaving the skinny builder rail is half a job. Installing a new rail on still-carpeted treads is the other half. This house needed both, finished as one interior.
A makeover-plus-rail is the usual Huntsville quote when the stringer is sound and the leftover guard does not belong with the new oak. A rail-only replacement is the quote when the treads already match, as on the Madison railing replacement. A full custom install is for an addition or a layout that is past saving. Interior hardwood only — we do not do outdoor steel. Matte black balusters here sit in oak treads and an oak handrail, not a welded metal stair.
Neighborhoods where this kind of leftover-carpet stair shows up include Twickenham, Five Points, Blossomwood, and Jones Valley. Older plaster walls want a skirt board cut to the opening. Newer plank floors want the tread stain sampled on the actual boards. That context lives on the Huntsville stair makeovers page.
Related Huntsville stair work
The process is on carpet-to-hardwood stair makeovers. Rail systems — wood handrails, newels, wood or matte black metal balusters — are on staircase railings. If the treads are already wood and only the guard is wrong, start on staircase remodeling. More finished interiors: all projects and the gallery.
Josh measures on site and writes a free estimate. Call (256) 665-2161 or send the contact form. Licensed and fully insured. We come to the house — there is no public shop address.