From Failed Inspection to Code-Compliant
A two-year-old custom home, a builder who tried twice, and stair rails that still wobbled. Here’s how our crew made them solid, safe and up to code in one trip.
The problem
Donna and her family were about a year into their custom-built home when a home inspector flagged the staircase. The balusters were spaced too far apart to meet code, and they weren’t properly seated.
That’s not a cosmetic issue. Wide gaps and loose balusters are a real fall risk, especially with children in the house, and they can hold up a sale or refinance.
Stair rail inspection: what the inspector flagged
| Item | Before | After FJR |
|---|---|---|
| Baluster spacing | Fail | Pass |
| Balusters seated & secure | Fail | Pass |
| Newel posts solid | Fail | Pass |
| Wall handrail secure | Loose | Pass |
Two builder visits corrected the spacing only.
What happened first
The builder was responsible for the fix, so they got the first chance. It took more than one try, and it still wasn’t right.
Inspection fails
Baluster spacing out of code; balusters poorly seated.
Builder visit one
Carpenters work on the rails.
Builder visit two
Spacing is corrected, but balusters and newel posts are still loose.
Inspector agrees: still not solid
The rails remain a safety concern.
Donna calls FJR Stair & Door
Randy talks with the builder directly about what code requires.
Rails pass code
Every baluster and newel post secured in one trip.
Why she chose FJR
Donna needed someone who understood stair code, not just carpentry. Randy was willing to get on the phone with her builder and walk through exactly what compliance required, so everyone agreed on the standard before any work began.
The home was about three and a half hours from our McKinney shop. Our crew made the drive anyway.
What we did
Instead of patching the spots that failed, we went through the whole stair railing system.
- Secured every baluster so none can shift or twist
- Secured every newel post, the anchor for the whole railing
- Secured the loose wall-mounted handrail
- Filled the gaps and smoothed the rough corners left from the original build
- Protected the home while we worked and cleaned up completely afterward
The result
The rails now pass code. They’re solid under hand, safe for the whole family, and they finally look like they belong in a custom home.
Donna was just as struck by how the crew left the house. She said the cleanup was so thorough you could eat off the stairs.
Donna’s review, in full
Donna posted on Google before we visited, then came back and updated it once the work was done. Both parts are reproduced here word for word.
Before the visitAfter many problems with our custom home builder and balusters that failed an inspection, we came across “FJR Stair & Door” online while trying to find a professional who could help our builder bring our stair rail up to code. We came across Randy and he seems to know what he is doing so, we shared his information with our builder and are thankful Randy is willing to speak with him in an effort to help them bring our stair rails within code compliance. Thank you Randy!! :-)
Update, after the work“FJR Stair and Door” came to our home yesterday (3.5 hours away). Our custom-built home is two years old. After having an inspector visit our home last year, we were told that our balusters were too far apart (not up to code) and not seated well (which made them a safety hazard). The builder came out twice and we’ve had several carpenters in our home. The builder had our balusters placed closer together on our handrails, but they were still not seated to our satisfaction (inspector agreed). They used the same method as before. (Yes…we tried to tell them, but our pleas fell on deaf ears.) Our balusters and newel posts were not rock solid as they should have been for safety reasons. Just as we thought there was no knowledgeable carpenters out there who could do hand rails correctly and make them look nice…that’s when we reached out to “FJR Stair and Door”. What a difference they have made! We literally mean, we were blessed to find them! They are totally professional and definitely have an eye for details that our builder certainly did not have. They came in and smoothed out all of the rough corners that were left behind by our builder. They filled in all of the gaps that should have been filled in by our builder. They secured the handrail along the wall, so it is no longer unstable. It is now stabilized and secured well. They secured all of the balusters and the newel posts. It’s amazing the difference they have made in our home. And, they cleaned up behind themselves to the point you could eat off of the stairs if you wanted to. We now have peace of mind that no one will be hurt and the handrails look fantastic! We would HIGHLY recommend “FJR Stair and Door” to family, friends, and anyone who needs help with their staircase in any way. What a difference they have made! Thank you Randy! Awesome job guys!! We couldn’t be more pleased!! If we could give you all 10 stars, we would do it! :-)
— Donna Green, verified Google review
What Donna Said
“What a difference they have made! We literally mean, we were blessed to find them! They are totally professional and definitely have an eye for details that our builder certainly did not have.”
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Stair Rails Fail Inspection, or Still Loose After a Repair?
We’ll look at the whole system, explain what code requires, and fix it properly. Free in-home consultation and written estimate, backed by a 1-year workmanship warranty.