Custom Staircases and Railings Markham: Glass, Iron, Aluminum & Wood Stair Design
By The Staircase Railings Toronto Crew
Custom staircases and railings in Markham, from 1850s Unionville heritage homes to newer Cornell builds. We restore heritage stairs, forge matching porch ironwork, upgrade builder stairs and build glass and stainless railings in our Etobicoke shop for Unionville, Cornell, Angus Glen and Cathedraltown. Frameless glass runs $225-$350 per lin ft, exterior wrought iron $145-$225 and custom staircases $8,500-$45,000 CAD.
- Consultations within the week
- Serving Markham since 2003
- Permit-Ready CAD Drawings to OBC 9.8
- 5-Star Customer Satisfaction
Thanks, we got your request.
A lead technician will call you back within one business day to book your in-home consultation.
- 22 Years of Custom Stair and Railing Fabrication
- 5,000+ GTA Installs
- 5-Star Customer Satisfaction
- Top-Rated Toronto Custom Stair and Railing Contractor
- 99% First-Visit Inspection Pass Rate
- WSIB Registered, $2M Liability
Markham Stair and Railing Problems, Old and New
Unionville porch railings that need a heritage permit first
What you see: The front porch railing on your older Unionville house is rusting or loose, and a stock aluminum replacement would look wrong on the street.
Why it happens here: Unionville is one of the city's four Heritage Conservation Districts, so exterior alterations need a Minor or Major Heritage Permit and have to follow the district guidelines.
How we fix it: We template the original pattern, forge a metal and iron railing to match and supply the drawings your heritage permit application needs.
Walk your stairs with this list. If two or more sound familiar, it's worth a free consultation.
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Problem 1
Wobbly handrails and loose spindles
Guards that move under palm pressure have cracked joints, and old kit posts rarely meet OBC deflection criteria.
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Problem 2
Baluster gaps wider than 100mm
Many older GTA stairs have 120-150mm gaps. New interior wrought iron fixes it from $95-$185 per lin ft.
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Problem 3
Squeaking, cupped or worn treads
Refinish from $65-$140 per tread, or replace individual treads at $145-$225 each.
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Problem 4
Rust and flaking paint on outdoor rails
Powder-coated aluminum runs $75-$155 per lin ft; 316 stainless $175-$285 near the lake.
Heritage Ironwork, Glass and Stair Upgrades
Most calls here are for metal & iron railings, glass railings and staircase refinishing. Every other system below is cut, welded and milled in the same Etobicoke shop.
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Popular Here Metal & Iron Railings
$95-$285 CAD / lin ft
Interior wrought iron balusters, exterior scrollwork, straight-bar modern and custom forged railings, welded and powder-coated in-shop. $95-$225 CAD per lin ft.
Explore metal & iron railings -
Popular Here Glass Railings
$150-$350 CAD / lin ft
Frameless standoff, framed top-rail, spigot and base shoe glass railings in CSA A500 12mm-15mm tempered or laminated glass. $150-$350 CAD per lin ft.
Explore glass railings -
Popular Here Staircase Refinishing
$65-$140 CAD / tread
Dustless sanding, full strip, water-based poly, tread replacement and handrail restoration. $65-$140 CAD per tread; new treads $145-$225.
Explore staircase refinishing -
Custom Wood Staircases
$8,500-$45,000 CAD
Straight, L, U, curved, spiral and floating staircases milled from rough-sawn hardwood in our Etobicoke shop. $8,500-$45,000 CAD.
Explore custom wood staircases -
Aluminum Railings
$75-$155 CAD / lin ft
Powder-coated aluminum deck rails, picket, glass-in-aluminum-frame, condo balcony and commercial extrusion systems. $75-$155 CAD per lin ft.
Explore aluminum railings -
Deck & Outdoor Railings
$95-$285 CAD / lin ft
Frameless glass, aluminum, wrought iron, Trex/PVC hybrid, pool deck, rooftop terrace and marine-grade railings. $95-$285 CAD per lin ft.
Explore deck & outdoor railings -
Stair & Railing Replacement
$8,500-$45,000 CAD + railing
Complete staircase plus railing system replacement designed, fabricated and installed as one package. Staircase band plus railing per lin ft.
Full staircase and railing replacement -
Commercial Stairs
$18,000-$185,000 CAD
Retail egress, multi-flight, industrial mezzanine and hotel feature stairs plus TSSA guards and fire-rated assemblies. $18,000-$185,000 CAD per project.
Explore commercial stairs
Your Project, Step by Step
Samples at your door, CAD drawings you approve, fabrication in our shop and a clean 1-4 day install.
- Step 1
In-Home Consultation With Material Samples
Our lead tech visits your Toronto or GTA property with glass swatches (12mm vs 15mm), wood grain boards and iron patina samples, then laser-measures rise, run and stringer angles.
- Step 2
Permit-Ready CAD Drawings and OBC Compliance
We draw every project to OBC Section 9.8 (residential) or Section 3.4 (commercial): 900-965mm handrail height, 100mm max baluster spacing, 42-inch guard on drops over 600mm. You approve every reveal before metal is cut. We never promise permit approval.
- Step 3
Written, Itemised Scope
Design fee, CAD drawings, materials, fabrication and install are itemised separately in writing.
Some Toronto shops over-charge for tread milling thinking clients won't check other quotes. We publish our CAD bands so you can.
- Step 4
In-Shop Fabrication in Etobicoke
Under founder Michael Bennett's supervision our crew mills rough-sawn hardwood, TIG and MIG welds every metal joint and dry-fits full spans on shop jigs at our 6,000 sq ft Etobicoke facility.
- Step 5
On-Site Install and Walkthrough
Clean assembly on site, usually 1 to 4 days, with a vacuumed stair run and a maintenance walkthrough. Trust us, you're in good hands.
Need Drawings for a Heritage Permit?
Every job is drawn in CAD to OBC 9.8 before we cut anything and backed by a written workmanship warranty. WSIB registered with $2M liability coverage, and the quote is itemised line by line.
- Written workmanship warranty
- Itemised CAD quote, no gated pricing
- WSIB registered, $2M liability
Stair and Railing Cost in Markham, Published in CAD
The same published bands apply here as on every other custom staircase and railing project across Toronto and the GTA. There's no travel surcharge buried in the price; access, stair rakes and code upgrades are itemised on your written quote.
Railing Systems (per linear foot)
| Aluminum | $75-$155 |
|---|---|
| Wrought Iron, interior | $95-$185 |
| Wrought Iron, exterior scrollwork | $145-$225 |
| Glass, spigot or framed | $150-$225 |
| Glass, frameless standoffs | $225-$350 |
| Cable stainless | $145-$215 |
| Stainless | $175-$285 |
Custom Staircases (per staircase)
| Straight wood (13-15 treads) | $8,500-$14,500 |
|---|---|
| L-Shape | $12,000-$18,500 |
| U-Shape | $15,000-$24,000 |
| Spiral | $12,500-$26,000 |
| Floating tread | $18,500-$38,000 |
| Curved | $22,000-$45,000 |
Every quote itemises design fee, CAD drawings, materials, fabrication and install separately. Free consultation with samples across the GTA.
Why Unionville and Cornell Homeowners Choose Us
- 22 Years of Custom Stair and Railing Fabrication from our 6,000 sq ft Etobicoke facility
- Unionville heritage ironwork templated and forged to match
- Carpet-to-oak upgrades for Cornell new builds
- Frameless glass with brushed stainless for Cathedraltown
- Custom staircases for Angus Glen luxury homes
- Permit-ready CAD drawings for City of Markham Building Standards
What Local Homeowners Say
Three recent local jobs, with the material, size and price from each.
"Heritage porch railing forged to match the original pattern, 12 lin ft, $2,600 CAD. The neighbours thought it was the old one repainted."
"Frameless glass with brushed stainless standoffs, 40 lin ft at $260 per foot. Very clean look."
"Our new-build stair was carpeted pine. They recapped 15 treads in oak and it matches our floors perfectly."
From 1850s Heritage Homes to New Urbanist Builds
Markham runs from 1850s Unionville heritage houses to newer Cornell builds. Unionville is one of the city's four Heritage Conservation Districts, so exterior porch and step railings there need a heritage permit before they change, and we template the original pattern first.
Cornell was laid out by Duany Plater-Zyberk as a New Urbanist community, with building starting in 1997. Many of its homes came with carpeted pine stairs, which we recap in oak and finish with iron or glass.
Cathedraltown and Angus Glen lean modern: frameless glass on brushed stainless standoffs, and custom staircases in larger homes. Crews use Highway 407 and the 404 from the Etobicoke shop.
Markham Homes We Know
Unionville (L3R) has homes from 1850-1900 with original stairs and porch ironwork. We template, match and restore, forging new sections to the old pattern.
Cornell (L6B) Mattamy new-builds usually have carpeted pine stairs. Recapping in oak and adding iron or glass is the most common upgrade.
Angus Glen (L6C) luxury homes, 3,000-6,000 sq ft, order custom staircases with glass or forged iron.
Cathedraltown (L6C) leans modern: frameless glass with brushed stainless standoffs and clean white oak treads.
Getting to Markham
Markham is a 407 run east from the shop, then down Highway 404 or Highway 7 depending on the neighbourhood. Main Street Unionville jobs need careful parking plans; Cornell and Cathedraltown new builds usually have driveway access.
For the Unionville Heritage Conservation District, exterior railing changes may need heritage review. We supply drawings and photos of the existing ironwork to support the application.
Permits go through City of Markham Building Standards, and we supply permit-ready CAD drawings.
Neighbourhoods We Serve
- Unionville (L3R)
- Cornell (L6B)
- Angus Glen (L6C)
- Cathedraltown (L6C)
- Markham Village
- Berczy Village (L6C)
Postal codes we cover: L3R, L6B, L6C
Landmarks and Routes
Near Main Street Unionville, Toogood Pond Park, Markham Stouffville Hospital, CF Markville, Angus Glen Golf Club.
Crews run the 407 east from Highway 427, with Highway 404 and Highway 7 for Unionville and Cathedraltown. Transit: Unionville GO, Markham GO, Mount Joy GO.
Markham Stair and Railing Questions Answered
Do I need a heritage permit to replace a Unionville porch railing?
Usually. Unionville is a Heritage Conservation District, and exterior alterations need a Minor or Major Heritage Permit from the City. We template the original pattern and supply the drawings for your application.
Can you recap carpeted stairs in a Cornell home?
Yes. We recap pine treads in oak stained to your floors and add iron or glass. A 15-tread Cornell stair is usually done in under a week.
Do you build luxury stairs in Angus Glen?
Yes, custom staircases from $8,500 to $45,000 CAD, often with frameless glass or forged iron.
Do you do frameless glass with stainless standoffs in Cathedraltown?
Yes, frameless and framed systems with 316 stainless hardware, from $150 per lin ft for framed and $225-$350 for frameless.
Who handles stair permits in Markham?
City of Markham Building Standards issues building permits, while heritage permits go through the City's heritage staff. We supply CAD drawings for both and never promise approval.
Book a Markham Consultation With Samples
Pick a morning or evening that suits you. We measure, show real samples and follow up with CAD drawings and a line-by-line quote, no pressure to sign.
- Written workmanship warranty
- Itemised CAD quote, no gated pricing
- WSIB registered, $2M liability