I needed to have a steel handrail fabricated and installed along one(1) side of a slightly curved set of seven (7) concrete steps. Thesteps are about two feet long and each step drops about eight inchesfrom the previous one. The estimate for the handrail was $1,700. Iwent ahead and had it done.This morning two men installed the handrail in four and a half or fivehours.The material involved consists solely of: - about 25 feet of one inch square steel cut into seven or eight pieces to serve as uprights. - about 33 feet of solid steel toprail, an inch and one half wide with a little decorative hill-like feature running down thecenter the entire length. This toprail was cut into eight piecesvarying in length. There are two eight foor pieces,three four footpieces, and one three foot piece.There are no other components, decorative or otherwise. The uprightswere inserted into holes drilled in the concrete and filled with aspecial cement.The six inch overhangs on the ends of the toprail are bent down toresemble a swan's head.Given the foregoing, would anyone care to hazard an opinion on whetherI poaid too much, too little, or just about the right amount?Thanks.

My honest opinion? Did you get a kiss with that screwing?If all the work was accomplished on the job site, not in a shop, where thecomponents were sawn to size and assembled first, you got screwed. Basedon what you told us, even at $100/hr per man, it would be hard torationalize the cost. There must be more to the story.Harold

Did I pay too much for a steel handrail

Apr 25, 2004 24 Replies

Rate this thread:

Colin French 22 years ago

hey, if you like the job then you paid just the amount

Vote

Rusty Bates 22 years ago

John,

You didn't say what part of country the work was done. You mentioned you received and gave the go-ahead on an estimate for the type of work your job site required. Perhaps it was the amount of time used to do the job that surprised you. You have to ask yourself if the job was done to a professional standard and will hold up under normal usage? If so, then you should be happy, the company did its job in a professional, quick and timely manner for the price agree by you. Still I would say it was fair amount for a job well done.

Rusty Bates

(SNIP)

Vote

PIW 22 years ago

Sounds about right, I charge $35 a foot uninstalled.

Les

Vote

Richard J Kinch 22 years ago

It is clear you don't know anything about me.

Vote

Ted Edwards 22 years ago

Thanks for the reply. Very interesting idea.

When we add the deck we planned on, I will have just that problem and I like the idea.

I would think so!

Nicopress swagers I have. I don't know what a Felco cable cutter looks like but my big crimpers have a cutter that handles 1/4" easily without ravelling the strands.

I'll have to work out the tensions needed as a function of spacing but I sure like the concept!

Ted

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required