Two-Story Foyer & Stairwell — Central Valley

What the job involved

Foyers and open stairwells are where most interior quotes diverge. They need staging, they take twice as long per square foot as a bedroom, and they are the most-seen space in the house — so a crew that isn't set up for height work will either price them out of the job or rush them.

This one had the full set: two-story walls, a ceiling well above ladder height, an open stairwell with a return landing, and a stained handrail with painted balusters, which means two different finishes meeting on the same assembly with no room for a wandering line.

The stairwell wall also had the stress crack that almost every colonial develops where the framing meets at the stair opening. We cut it open, taped it and feathered the compound wide enough that the joint can move seasonally without telegraphing back through. Filling a crack like that instead of repairing it buys about ten months.

Balusters were done individually rather than sprayed, which is slower but leaves no overspray on the treads and no bridging between spindle and stringer.

Full scope of work

• Two-story foyer walls and ceiling
• Open stairwell and landing
• Handrail, balusters, newel posts and risers
• Front door interior and sidelights
• All casing and baseboard on both levels
• Crack repair at the stairwell wall