Would this work with my house?

newhomeowner2011a

11 years ago

Why I have everyone excited about helping me fix something else on our house via this forum, I thought I'd ask something else about the front of our house.

Here is the front of our house -

{{gwi:38500}}

We plan to replace the steps and walkway with concrete (no more bricks). We have rec'd bids and to do the apron on the bottom steps will cost anywhere from $500-1k more just for the apron.

#1 - Do you think the extra cost is worth it on the bottom steps to incl the apron or not?

#2 - What type of handrails would you use? We have a chunky (boxy) house so I thought these might fit it well vs. the painted wrought iron handles that flare outwards (nice but perhaps too dainty for our house or do you think it highlights the design in our windows?) -

#3 - we have the option to keep the stairs flaring or going straight. Obviously w/ the wood handrails, straight is the answer but if y'all say wrought iron (whether painted or not), would you suggest flaring like it currently does?

Thanks as always!

Comments (7)

chickadee2_gw
11 years ago
Is the apron that sloping section of stone? I wouldn't do it. I'd also do a strait railing without the curve. I'm not sure about that style of railing you pictured. I'd love to see someone photo shop that onto your house, but you might need a picture of the railing straight on and not on an angle. I agree you could use something with a heavier look than what you have now. Are you doing a railing on the lower set of steps? I'm at the age where I like a railing esp. at night.
jmc01
11 years ago
Do you live in the north where cold winters are a reality? We rebuilt our front concrete steps a couple of years ago and learned that there were building code requirements for sinking the bottom step below the frost line.

The architectural detail around your front door tells me that your home wasn't intended to have hand rails. That said, building code requires them. I would go with a simple style so that the detail around the door isn't lost. I'd get rid of the flare and skip the apron....unless you decide to go what would probably be the most expensive route and have stucco knee-wall style sides to the steps, like in the attached photo. Going with the same material as your house would be my top choice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stucco
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Oakley
11 years ago
I think a simple black iron handrail would look best.
User
11 years ago
I would reuse the same handrail and paint it black.
User
11 years ago
I would reuse the same handrail and paint it black.
bronwynsmom
11 years ago
If you have the option of leaving the handrails alone, you might just paint them the deepest charcoal gray you can find.

The chunky style you posted doesn't really work with your house...and if you did decide to add a stucco wall, it would be wonderful to keep it completely unadorned until you got to ground level, and then to repeat that distinctive, almost Egyptian curve in the pilasters around your front door.
Arapaho-Rd
11 years ago
We have a very long custom wrought-iron railing that was taken out when the steps were replaced. We were told it was a custom piece and we'd be crazy not to use it again. I think yours looks like the original wrought iron and the curvature is beautiful. Ours is painted black - brushed first with a wire brush, cleaned and dried thoroughly then primed and repainted with Rustoleum paint.