i agree that taking down the wall and installing a banister and railings will be nice. But i do think a carpenter is the way to go. diy would require a skill set that unless you are very handy and have all the right tools, may end up costing u in the end. this house has some corks huh.

It really just depends on how much work needs to be done. When was the house built? If the landing isn't up to code, then there might be several other things that will also need to be updated if any work is done on the house. If the house undergoes renovation then it will need to meet the most current building codes. You should have someone come out and inspect your home just to see what else might need to be update as well. This will prevent you from starting a project blind and spending more than you anticipate. But yes, I would advise that you seek personal help for this type of project, unless you are absolutely sure you can do it. You don't want to take any chances, especially with a child in the house.

This was just mentioned during inspection, everything else is good or has been updated. It was in code at one time, but those have changed and the bars are spaced too far apart and the lower bar makes a nice step up for kids so he suggested changing them out. I was told a contractor could add would slats in between the metal ones and paint them white for $325 but it just sounds like a quick fix. I'm not sure I would like that either.