Is that Trex for the steps? Options:

1. Have them replace the rails (not the posts) with a matching handrail made of the same material as your steps (if that's available).

2. Or paint the rails and posts a soft black shade.

I hope he didn't charge you much for the rails. They're very basic. I would paint them the same color as the steps except the white might be better for visibility and safety. They do seem to match the trim around the front door, so it could be worse. :-) If you have a picture of what you would prefer, show your builder and get a quote for it. Communication is important of course, but with these things a picture paints a thousand words. Without a picture or drawing I'm not surprised you were thinking one thing and he was thinking something else. Did you want spindles all the way down the stairs?

Bungalow West · More Info

They don't look tall enough to be code. In my area they have to be 36" from the nosing to the handrail, some areas allow a little shorter. Double check the height with a tape measure to see if these are code (not that a 2x4 is ever code but they usually let that fly)

Minimally I would paint the angled board on the side grey to match the steps, it isn't a detail I would highlight

I think they look just fine. Maybe you were expecting more vertical spindles?

What is going on with the bottom right step and the post?

Also the metal runners on each step, is it the photo, because, I see different widths.

Also, take a look at the stringers. The left one and the right one do not end the same.

Getting picky, but I don't like much of what your builder did.

Hallett & Co. you know all about this...

SeattleMCM, Thank you for your advice. Yes, they are Trex.

The good news is the rails are very basic and not a lot to remove. Maybe I would ask the contractor if he can add spindles to them, that would look better to me.

kandrewspa, thank you for the advice. Yes, I did want spindles or at least a more finished-looking post with a finial or something to cap it. I don't know what to do now to make this look better. I thought I could somehow fix it without costing too much more. I've already spent enough. We'll see what I can come up with. I'll post some after pictures if I make any improvements.

HALLETT & Co. Thank you. I will check the height of the rails. These steps and rails are just looking worst as time passes. I don't know how I ended up with such a disaster. If I make any improvements, I will post the pictures. Fingers crossed.

The side pieces that are white and running down the edge of the stairs do not look like they are done correctly. The ends do not seem to end naturally. The rails are pretty basic and I think the person who suggested painting them was on to something. Whether black or the same color as the steps would look nice in my opinion. If he comes back and fixes his mistakes with the build and makes it look professional, that will go a long way for how it looks.

judianna20 I don't like much about this job either. And I like it less with each passing day.

Find a pic of how you want them to look. If these cant be modified to achieve that, then have him start over. I would be very unhappy, too. They look unfinished and like an amateur built them.

kfsgd Yes thank you. I told him I was disappointed in the finished product. He did say he would come back and discuss some improvements. We'll see!!!!!

Olychick exactly thank you. That's what I have been saying too. I'm actually embarrassed with what I ended up with. That picture you posted is what I thought would be the end product.

Did he do the steps too? what is the rise and run of each tread/riser? measure them. Those absolutely need to be done correctly.

Everything looks like it was done by a hack. Sorry.

These are composite stairs and how the railing should be done. ( not this style handrail, but just look at placement)

You could try something like this

if any of this is out of code, he owes you a refund. (and I'd hire someone else who knows what they're doing to redo them)

You should be able to wrap your hand around the handrail securely. It's for safety, not a decorative thing.

You're not asking for anything unreasonable or special. This example is from the Home Depot site when I search for "outdoor handrails".

Beth H. : Yes, I agree with everything you are saying. Any one of the pictures you posted would have been perfect. I would have been happy with any one of them. That is what I was thinking I was getting. It does look like it was done by a hack. My husband and I have been arguing about this job from the beginning. To answer your question, the handrails are very sturdy. They do not jiggle or move back and forth. Yes the steps and the rails were done by the same person. We are going to call the installer and get this done right. I am so disappointed with this and I'm embarrassed too.

I guess the question is what did you ask for in a drawing or at least picture of what you wanted so he knew what you were expecting.

Patricia Colwell Consulting That is where I screwed up. I never showed him a picture of what I was expecting until I saw what he was doing. I just assumed he knew what handrails looked like especially for the front of the house. I am very upset with myself and embarrassed by this mess in front of my house. My husband and I have been arguing over it because of course he thinks it looks just fine. OMG!! I have called the guy that did this. He knows I am upset and he said he will come back to make some improvements. On top of my disappointment in the work, it was not cheap.

What's done is done so don't beat yourself up; if anyone should feel embarrassed it should be him and not you. I think it's reasonable to expect a certain 'standard' front porch railing. I would have expected him to ask what kind of spindles and posts you wanted, as well as the actual handrail part. You do need to have it shaped so that it can be grasped, not just slide your hand along the top of a wide board.

As someone else suggested, I would paint that white board along the side of the steps the same color as the steps so it disappears.

Looking again at the stairs, what are the white gaps between the treads. And then the empty spaces? Did your builder just place TREX planks on top of existing steps? Why doesn’t the riser go behind the tread beneath it? I think that the entire stairs should be torn off and built anew.

ptreckel The builder removed the original stairs completely and built the entire frame. The TREX does not go over the existing steps at all. As for the white gaps, I complained about those too. Since my husband thought the entire finished product looks fine, I am fighting with him and the builder. The builder did say he would come back and fix the stairs. In the meantime, I will look for the proper handrails that are more appropriate for a front entrance, not a 2 x 4 . OMG!!! So much stress and arguing over what should have been a simple job.

That handrail isn't code; it's too fat to grip:

If both gentlemen are arguing with you about it, you might want to shell out and have the city building inspector come and assess what's been done. If it isn't to code, then the builder needs to buck up or lose any reputation he may have.