STAIR CARPET AND RUNNER FITTING IN REDDITCH AND WARWICKSHIRE

Stairs take more wear than any other part of the house, so they are the place not to cut corners. I fit carpet on straight, winding, turned and open-riser staircases, and carry on across the landing so the whole run looks like one job. If you would rather show off the wood, I also fit runners, with or without stair rods.

There are two ways to finish the steps. A waterfall finish runs one piece of carpet over the nose of each step and down the riser, with no break at the edge. It is the usual choice for straight stairs and runners. A Hollywood finish, sometimes called upholstered, uses separate pieces for the tread and the riser, pulled tight and tucked in at the nose so every step looks squared off. It takes longer, but it suits winding and turned stairs well.

A staircase usually takes me about half a day, landing included. Stairs need the hardest-wearing carpet you can sensibly afford and a good underlay, because every foot lands on the same spot. Cheap carpet shows wear first at the edge of each step. I bring stair-suitable samples to the survey so you can see the difference in your own light.