Stairs & Millwork — Salt Spring Island, Gulf Islands & Cowichan Valley

Interior millwork is where a renovation either finishes well or doesn't. On Salt Spring Island and Gulf Islands properties — many of which were built in the 1970s and 80s with builder-grade trim, hollow-core doors, and carpet over softwood stairs — millwork upgrades are often the highest-visibility improvement relative to cost. Stair renovations specifically are common in older island homes: carpet over fir stairs that have never been properly finished, squeaking risers from decades of seasonal movement, and railings that don't meet current code are all standard conditions we work with.

Railing upgrades on island properties almost always involve a code review. BC Building Code requirements for residential railings — 36" minimum height on stairs under 6 feet, 42" on open sides above 6 feet, maximum 4" baluster spacing — are frequently not met on older construction. When we scope a railing replacement, we document existing conditions, scope to current code, and provide a written estimate before any demo. Cable railing systems are increasingly requested on island properties for the view-preserving profile; glass panel systems are also available where budget supports it.

On Cowichan Valley properties, interior trim packages are a common renovation scope in homes that were built for function over finish — standard builder trim that's now dated or damaged, original baseboard that doesn't match after flooring replacement, or stairwells that were left unfinished when the rest of the home was renovated. We scope trim packages as standalone projects or as part of a larger renovation — the millwork phase is documented separately so homeowners know exactly what they're getting for each component of the work.