How Much Does It Cost To Install Exterior Stairs?

$837

(wood stairs, 45” rise in 6 steps)
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Exterior Stairway Costs

Indoor Cost Guides      Stairs      Exterior Stairway Costs

An exterior stairway may serve as the house entry or as access to an elevated porch or deck.

You will find the cost to install an exterior stairway will vary with total stairway rise, stair width, material, and labor rate.

In the following table the Labor Cost figure is what the able DIY person should expect to save by performing the complete installation.

Exterior stairway (porch access): treated pine-wood structure and tread boards with total 45”of rise in 6 steps with riser plates, concrete footing, and redwood handrail.

The Cost of Exterior Stairs Installation

Item Unit Cost Quantity Line Cost
1. Stairway: douglas fir stringers (3); pine step (36" wide x 12" deep) and riser boards (7-1/2" tall); common nails and stainless steel fasteners. $25 per stair 6 $152
2. Handrail: 7' long with balusters, pine lumber, common nails and stainless steel fasteners. $39 per foot 7 $273
3. Concrete footing: 3 cu.ft. (36" long x 12" deep x 12" wide) mixed on site by hand, with reinforcing steel. $158 per cu.yd. 0.33 $52
Material Cost $477 per job 1 $477
4. + Labor Cost (carpentry) $36 per hour 8 $288
5. + Labor Cost (concrete) $36 per hour 2 $72
Total Cost $139 per stair 6 $837

Other considerations and costs

  • Taxes and permit fees are not included.
  • Pre-fabricated kits may be available, however the exterior installation may require customizing that could negate the potential savings of a pre-fab kit.

DIY considerations

  • This project requires a high level of carpentry skills, particularly in cutting the structural pieces to a possibly uneven terrain-landing situation, and furthermore joining many separate pieces and a handrail with attractive and secure results.
  • Partial DIY is possible by taking on the minor concrete work.

References

  • Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2015.
  • Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
  • Literature review of DIY Web sites.
How much does it cost to install exterior stairs in your city?
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Cost by city

(wood stairs, 45” rise in 6 steps)
  • New York, NY$1,345
  • Bronx, NY$1,105
  • Brooklyn, NY$921
  • Philadelphia, PA$1,149
  • Washington, DC$997
  • Atlanta, GA$902
  • Miami, FL$820
  • Fort Lauderdale, FL$859
  • Minneapolis, MN$1,008
  • Chicago, IL$1,174
  • Houston, TX$1,211
  • San Antonio, TX$813
  • Austin, TX$921
  • Denver, CO$778
  • Phoenix, AZ$821
  • Las Vegas, NV$901
  • Los Angeles, CA$1,015
  • San Diego, CA$921
  • San Jose, CA$1,113
  • Seattle, WA$815

Local costs have been calculated by accounting for labor and material cost differences across different cities. To get accurate cost estimates, indicate yours: